Kenya: Ratify My Record

Nairobi Star (Nairobi)

William Njuguna

22 April 2011

Boston marathon champion Geoffrey Mutai has requested the IAAF to ratify his world record set on Monday.

Mutai said the current predicament of the race not counting as a world record setting event will halt athletes from running in Boston in future. “It will be discouraging for future athletes and marathoners who may want to run in Boston but are put off by the legalities of the world body on the nature of the course,” Mutai added.

On Wednesday Boston race officials said they would petition the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) to identify Mutai’s mark as the international barometer of men’s ultimate distance running. Mutai clocked 2:02.03 the fastest time ever ran in a marathon.

The Boston course layout and wind conditions have stopped IAAF from sanctioning the race as an acceptable world record setting platform.

Speaking on arrived from Boston, Mutai said he had not envisaged breaking the world record at the halfway point. This only became possible when he was joined at the front by compatriot Moses Mosop who pushed the pace. “At the halfway point I liked the pace but on realising Mosop was behind me I decided to increase the pace and attempt good time,” Mutai said.

The athlete said training in Kericho and taking part in the world cross country in Spain was adequate training for his attempt in Boston. “I must say my preparations for Boston were great. Having trained in Kericho and then taken part in the world cross country improved my pace and made my work easier in Boston,” he said.

He revealed he had overcome the disappointment of finishing fourth at the world cross country in Punta Umbria, Spain and bounced back in style.”Many had tipped me to do well in Punta Umbria because I’m a marathon runner but our tactics did not go according to plan and we let the Ethiopians win the race so I was delighted to win in Boston.”

Mutai also admitted the weather was a factor in setting his time in Boston.”It was warm and it played a critical part in me running fast.” Mutai said he was going to keep his options open for the remainder of the season. That he said included a probable shot at the world record in Berlin later in the year.

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