The 26-year-old from Manyanzwani in the Eastern Province broke the three-year-old record of 2:03:59 set here by the Ethiopian in 2008.

It is the fifth time that the men's record has been broken in the BMW Berlin Marathon since 1998.

Pacemaker Stephen Kwelio Chemlany hung on to finish second in 2:07:55 while Edwin Kimaiyo was third to complete a Kenyan cleansweep of the podium.

"I had no problems today," said Makau shortly after crossing the finish line under the Brandenburg Gate.

"Today everything went well.

"What I can say is that we have started a new generation in marathon.


"This is the greatest day of my running life.

"When I woke up today my body didn't feel very good but at 25km I felt I could break the world record.

"It was a great thing to Haile today."

Gebrselassie, competing over the marathon distance for the first time since dropping out of New York last November and announcing his retirement before changing his mind, again dropped out.

Gebrselassie revealed afterwards that he has no plans to quit and hopes to run a fast time at the Dubai Marathon on January 27.

But, with such strength in Ethiopian distance running, his dream of ending his career with a third Olympic gold medal at London next year may be fading.

Gebrselassie had first stopped running at 27 kilometres when Makau made his break and spent nearly a minute by the side of the road holding his stomach before he resumed, only to drop out again for good eight kilometres later complaining about breathing problems.

But Britain's Scott Overall also made a big breakthrough when he finished fifth in 2:10:55, more than a minute inside the qualifying standard for next year's Olympics.

"I couldn't believe it  - when I got to 40k thought I had got the time wrong, so I was cruising on the home straight, and when I saw clock said 2:10 was very surprised," said the 28-year-old Londoner.

"I was on my own from halfway and think that if I had had a pacer possibly may have gone quicker.

"All in all, not a bad debut."

It was Makau's sixth marathon since making his debut at Rotterdam in 2009 when he was fourth in 2:06:14.

He had won Rotterdam in 2010 in 2:04:48 and then triumphed here last year in 2:05:08 and then was third in the Virgin London Marathon in April in 2:05:45, despite falling at half-way.

Makau's compatriots, Geoffrey Mutai and Moses Mosop, both ran quicker at the Boston Marathon earlier this year but their times are not considered for record purposes because the course is downhill.


The Kenyan domination extended to the women's race as Florence Kiplagat, 24, won the women's race in 2:19:44 having dropped out of her previous other attempt at the marathon in Boston in April.

But she has plenty of pedigree having won the 2009 World Cross Country Championships and the 2010 World Half-Marathon Championships and is the Kenyan record holder for 10,000 metres having run 30min 11.53sec.

Kiplagat, who is married to Mosop, has now established herself as a serious contender for gold at London 2012.

"After I dropped out in Boston in April I still felt confident for this race," she said.

"I would be delighted if I could be delighted to run in the Olympic marathon."


Britain's world record holder Paula Radcliffe, in her first marathon since having her second child in 2009, finished third in 2:23:46 to book her place at London 2012.

Radcliffe was passed at 30km by Germany's Irina Mikitenko but was satisfied with her peformance following a difficult preparation, knowing that she can improve by the time of the Olympics.

"I should be happy and I'm a little annoyed but that gives me things to work on," said the 37-year-old from Bedford.

"I'm not happy because I would have liked to run faster, and win the race, but my main goal was to enjoy it and I kind-of did.

"I got a bit carried away.

"I was thinking 'be sensible, get this tucked away, get the qualifying time and put the ego to one side'.

"I know I can get in a better shape for next year.

"Anybody who is healthy on the start line is in with a shot [of winning the Olympics].

"My hip needs to rest a bit.

"I should be happy, but I'm not."

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