Athletics: Berlin win for Geb

Gebrselassie: Fourth straight win

Haile Gebrselassie took his fourth victory in the Berlin Marathon on Sunday but failed to lower his own world record.

The distance running legend set new world records at the Berlin event in each of the last two years but warm weather scuppered his attempt this time around.

Gebrselassie led from the front throughout the race and at one point a new record mark seemed possible for the Ethiopian.

But his pace dropped off in the latter stages of the race and the 36-year-old eventually finished with a time of two hours, six minutes and eight seconds, just over two minutes outside his record mark.

Kenyan Francis Kiprop finished 58 seconds behind to take second place while Negari Terfa was third in a time of 2:07:41.

Hard

After the race, Gebreselassie admitted that he was made to pay for his quick opening towards the end of the 42-kilometre course through the German capital.

"I'm ok, but the last few kilometres were very hard," he said.

"I was really tired at the 30km mark and gave too much at the beginning. I expected more from my opponents, but I just made sure I ran my best.

"I am happy, it's a win for the fourth time, but the last kilometres were really hard. It was warm out there, not really marathon weather.

"It was too hot for a new world record, but I am happy with the time, it's fine."

Fellow Ethiopian Atsede Habtamu Besuye triumphed in the women's race, running 2:24:47 to come in ahead of Silvia Skvortsova and Mamitu Daska.