It is only a matter of time before the marathon world record dips under the two-hour-three-minute mark.
That was the parting shot by Chicago and Tokyo Marathon champion Dennis Kimetto after his training here Wednesday. Kenya's Wilson Kipsang set the record -- 2:03:23 -- when he won the Berlin Marathon in September, besting compatriot Patrick Makau's 2:03:38, reports Xinhua.
"If you look at how fast people are running now, it is obvious somebody will run under two hours and three minutes very soon. But that is not what concerns me most. I want to see if I can break the world record. I missed that chance in Chicago in October but I have not given up yet," the 29-year-old Kimetto said.
Kimetto, who holds the 25-km world record, set course records at 2012 Tokyo and Chicago in October. In Tokyo, he ran in 2:06:50, his second marathon after his debut in 2012 Berlin where he finished second to Geoffrey Mutai.
The Kenyan also broke the year-old Chicago course record by 53 seconds to win in 2:03:45, the fastest time ever run in the United States.
But that is not of concern to Kimetto. The Chicago Marathon champion has opted to skip his title defence in Tokyo Feb 13 and will instead put in extra hours to be fit for the Boston Marathon which has a fatter pay cheque at $150,000.
"I will not defend my crown in Tokyo. I have got this lucrative offer to run in Boston and I have to do everything right to see that I win there. My training partner Simon Kirwa will be my pacemaker," the long distance runner said.
But the ultimate test for Kimetto will be the 2015 World Championships in Beijing and the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics.
"It's every athletes dream to compete, leave alone winning at these events. Beijing 2015 and Rio 2016 are appealing and should I be called upon, I will have to reschedule my races and be available for national duty. I have the credentials to edge out my countrymen if I continue with the momentum. But to make the Kenya team is always hard and when called upon, one can never let such a chance pass by," he said.
Kimetto already has his 2014 calendar full.
"I want to run at the World Championships but if that is not possible then I will run Berlin and if I run Berlin, then I want to go after the world record. To run under the current mark is possible and I find it hard to turn off the idea of setting a world record in 2014 Berlin," said Kimetto.
