NAIROBI, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- A former Kenyan star runner on Thursday criticized organizers of this year's Berlin Marathon for parading the top three marathon runners in the world for a world record attempt.
Barnaba Korir said lining up Olympic champion Eliud Kipchoge and former world record holder Wilson Kipsang, both from Kenya and Ethiopia's Kenenisa Bekele to lower the world record was an ambitious assignment that would not have borne fruit.
"Breaking a world record requires a lot of hard work, experience, mental and physical strength as well as a favorable course and good weather conditions," said Korir, who is in charge of youth development at Athletics Kenya.
"Apart from chasing the world record, all of them were under pressure to win the event hence the complication and eventual withdrawal by two of the three favorites," he noted.
Kipchoge won the race in a time of 2:03.32 after shaking off challenge from Guye Adola of Ethiopia who finished 14 seconds later in marathon debut.
The three fastest marathon runners in the world were chasing the world mark of 2:02.57 which was set by Kenyan Dennis Kimetto in 2015 along the same Berlin course.
Korir concurred with former world record holder in the distance, Patrick Makau, who had hinted that with chasing a world record already a challenge, having three ambitious runners on that assignment was likely to put pressure on them individually and the record may not be a reality.
"If I may reflect back, this has never happened. The record breaker has always been identified early and good pace setters deployed for him or her," Korir stated.
Former record holder Paul Tergat had Sammy Korir as his main pacesetter while Haile Gebrselassie had two-time world champion Abel Kirui as the 'rabbit' .
Kipsang and Kimetto enjoyed similar pace-setting services before delivering their respective records.
Korir said the organizers this time planned it differently and were looking to at least three probable record breakers.
"Whereas Berlin is a good course for the record because it is flat with minimum headwinds, last weekend's weather conditions were not favorable and the athletes lacked the mental strength to break the mark," Korir said.
