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The National Olympic Committee of Kenya president Paul Tergat explains why he holds the Berlin Marathon close to his heart.
The National Olympic Committee of Kenya president Paul Tergat has explained why the Berlin marathon will always have a special place in his heart.
Tergat will always remember the Berlin Marathon as an avenue where he broke barriers, breaking the marathon world record in the 2003 edition. He clocked 2:04:55, becoming the first person to break the 2:05 barrier.
He expressed gratitude to having been granted an opportunity to showcase his talent, noting that he had already achieved a lot of things on the track and road races and he was yet to make an impact in the marathon. His breakthrough came during his 2003 race in the streets of Berlin.
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“I’m really honoured to be invited and be part and parcel of this year’s Berlin Marathon. When we are in sports, we always want to give our best and I want to say Berlin will always remain part of my history and story of my life. I remember those days when I came to Berlin, I had done everything as you have said, in terms of cross-country, on the track and the middle road racing to half marathon,” Paul Tergat said.
The legendary Kenyan athlete explained that as he transitioned to the full marathon, he never knew what to expect but he was sure things would be tight. Tergat noted that breaking the world record over the lucrative distance was a dream come true and remains a part of history.
He encouraged the current crop of runners not to limit themselves, insisting that they should set standards for the upcoming generation of runners.
“When I was moving to the marathon, I didn’t know much, I just knew that I was going to a field or space where I didn’t know how it was going to be but lucky enough I was able to do it well and succeed, including the opportunity that I had in the Berlin Marathon, to set the world record and to be the first man, during those days, to run under 2:05,” Tergat said.
“As an athlete, that was a huge accomplishment and history will always remain. As I said, even on those days, all the barriers that we make as athletes, especially the new generation, you are setting the bar for the upcoming generation to look forward to. I’m happy to have enjoyed my career as a sportsman and I’m happy to give back to the sport.”
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