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Kenya's Mutai eyes marathon record refreshed

01 October 2014 02:11 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. New York marathon champion Geoffrey Mutai said Tuesday it is just a matter of time before the 42km world mark drops down to under two hours, APA reports quoting XInhua.

However, Mutai, who is preparing to defend his crown on Nov. 2, said it will make a paradigm shift for the upcoming athletes as they seek to fill in the big shoes and the raised bar in road running.

To run under two hours is very possible. Back in 2003 when Paul Tergat stopped the clock at 2:04.54, many wondered how hard it was. It was subsequently brought down by Haile Gebrselassie, Patrick Makau and Wilson Kipsang.

"What Dennis Kimetto has done in Berlin is historic. He has just written his name in history. Now that it has been achieved, the focus and training will shift to try and run under the two hours and two minutes. That will only signal the coming of under two hours," Mutai said on Tuesday from Eldoret.

Mutai will be among a battery of elite runners, who will forfeit their training programmes on Wednesday to attend a welcome party for Kimetto, who shattered the Berlin course record and set a new world record of 2: 02.57 on Sunday.

Kimetto together with Emmanuel Mutai (silver medallists in Berlin 2:03.03) and Geoffrey Kipsang Kamwaror will arrive in Nairobi on Wednesday and head to Eldoret for a grand reception.

"We will receive our brother happily. He is my understudy and has been training under me for some time now. But his achievement is phenomenal. We are happy for him," said Mutai.

But there is a small matter of honour that has left Geoffrey Mutai stuck in a hard place and a rock. Both Kipsang, the London Marathon Champion (2:03.23) and Kimetto (2:02:57) are his friends and training mates.

Whereas Kimetto might have helped Mutai win the 2012-2013 World Marathon Majors (WMM) crown back in 2012 when he allowed him to finish ahead of him in Berlin, there will be no return of favour from Mutai when he runs in New York.

Kimetto is leading the quest for 500,000 U.S. dollar jackpot with 75 points and will clinch it if Kipsang (51 points) fails to win in New York. 25 points are at stake for the winner, and Kipsang has no choice but to win the race.

"Both are my friends and if I beat Kipsang in New York, then Kimetto wins the WMM jackpot. If Kipsang beats me and other competitors, it is his for grabs because he will accrue points to 76. It is not fair to me to be the one to stand in their path," he said.

"But I will let my legs do the talking. My performance might leave either person not happy, but it is sports you know," Mutai said.