Kenya’s CyBrian Kotut, 32, finished in second place at his Berlin Marathon debut this weekend, clocking a new personal best time of 2:03:22 in only his second appearance at the World Marathon Majors.
Speaking to jeetbuzz59.com after the performance in Berlin, where he finished five seconds behind eventual winner Mengesha Milkesa fro🥂m Ethiopia, Kotut says his second place finish, w𒅌hich was a surprise for him, has boosted his motivation to keep going over the distance.
At the start, I didn’t want to push in too much and go with the leading group. I had trained well, but I first wanted to test myself in the first few kilometers. But moving forward I felt a bit strong, and I encouraged myself to stick with the leaders. It paid dividends at the end of it and I finished second with a PB. This is a massive boost for me because it was only the second time I was doing a major marathon. It has built a lot of belief in me.
Kotut, you𓃲nger brother to former three-time London Marathon winner Martin Lel, made his majors debut in Boston in April this year, where he finishe꧑d in ninth place. Moving up to a second place finish in Berlin, he says, has revved up his desire for more success:
I hope to do more of these Majors because I have measured myself up and I believe I can compete with the big boys. The belief is there and the hunger is there.
The Kenyan long-distance runner has previously had success in marathons in Hamburg, Fl♍orence and Paris.
