Gebrselassie Sets Record in Berlin Race

Shaves 29 secs off previous men's marathon best
By Asta Hostetter,  Newser User
Posted Sep 30, 2007 6:58 PM CDT
Gebrselassie Sets Record in Berlin Race
Ethiopian runner Haile Gebrselassie poses for the media after winning the men's competition of the 34th Berlin Marathon in Berlin Sunday, Sept. 30, 2007. Gebrselassie won with the world record time of 2 hours, 4 minutes and 26 seconds. Around 40,000 runners from 115 countries took part in the event....   (Associated Press)

Ethiopian Haile Gebrselassie set a new world record at the Berlin marathon today, beating the previous record of close friend Paul Tergat by 29 seconds. Tergat called to congratulate his rival 10 minutes after he crossed the finish line. The champion’s response? “Sorry, Paul, try next year” reports the New Y ork Times.

He added that the weather was warmer and less windy than when Tergat ran in 2003. The 34-year-old says that of his 23 world records, this 26.2 mile race is the most satisfying, the “king of distance.” Gebrselassie also says he looks forward to competing in the Olympics next year, where he has previously won two gold medals. (More Berlin stories.)

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