By John Kwoba
NAIROBI, Sept. 26 (Xinhua) -- Berlin marathon champion Eliud Kipchoge of Kenya said Tueday that he will be third time lucky to break the world record when he returns to Berlin next year.
Kipchoge, who missed the world record by 35 seconds clicking 2:03:32 to win, said, "I am sure about it. Absolutely, I would like to go back and try for the world record next time. I went to break the world record but the weather changed my plans."
Kipchoge has run eight marathons and won seven of them, none slower than 2:05:30. The only marathon he lost was his second, in Berlin 2013, where winner Kipsang set the world record of 2:03.23 to beat him.
In addition to the Olympics, he has victories at Hamburg, Rotterdam, London, Chicago, and Berlin. His personal best of 2:03:05, set to win London in 2016, makes him the third-fastest person in history on a record-eligible course.
In the Rio Olympics, he won in 2:08.44, his slowest considering the humidity and heat.
"I will love to rest and see what is on offer next. But the idea of running fast is very much in my plans," he added.
Kipchoge believes that he can break the current world record of 2:02:57, set by his fellow Kenyan Dennis Kimetto in Berlin in 2014.
"Absolutely, I have still good marathons in my legs, there's no doubt about that," he said.
