Eliud Kipchoge insists he can get even faster after smashing his own marathon world record in Germany.
The greatest distance runner of all time took half a minute off his previous mark to win his fourth Berlin Marathon in two hours one minute and nine seconds.
“There is still more in my legs and I still have a future career,” warned the two-time Olympic champion. “My mind is still moving and the body is still absorbing the training. No limitations.”
The Kenyan now boasts four of the five fastest marathon times in history and has won 15 of his career races over 26.2 miles. He also ran 1:59:40 for the marathon distance at an exhibition in Vienna in 2019.
Kipchoge, 37, went through 10K in 28:23 and reached halfway in 59:51 but such a scorching early pace cost him his chance of a first official sub two-hour time.
On Sunday, Sir Mo Farah runs the London Marathon in what could yet prove to be his swansong.
He has already brought the curtain down on his glittering track career and over the summer conceded that he can no longer cut it at the very highest level.
“The truth is I am getting on a bit and sometimes your body doesn't allow you to do things,” he said.
Kipchoge’s time in Berlin served as a reminder of the gap between Farah, with his 2:05.11 British record, and the top end.
The women’s race produced a notable performance as Ethiopia’s Tigist Assefa moved to No.3 on the world all-time rankings the winning in 2:15:37. Only Brigid Kosgei and Paula Radcliffe have gone quicker.
David Weir came in third behind winner Marcel Hug in the wheelchair race in a time of 89:02.
