Athletics: Kipsang fails to break world record

BERLIN: Kenya’s Wilson Kipsang came within just three seconds of breaking the five-week old world marathon record when he won the Frankfurt race in a time of two hours, three minutes and 41 seconds. The 28-year-old took the Frankfurt title for the second year running and his time, the second fastest in history, was just outside the world record of two hours, three minutes and 38 seconds set by compatriot Patrick Makau in Berlin on September 25. Kipsang’s victory means that Kenyans have won the Frankfurt marathon, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary and is Germany’s oldest city marathon, for the last 10 years.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 31^st,  2011.