CyBrian Kotut reflects on overcoming doubts to secure second place at Berlin Marathon

CyBrian Kotut revealed that indecision at the start of Sunday’s Berlin Marathon nearly cost him his second-place finish before he surged forward to claim a podium spot.

Kotut, who has primarily focused on the half marathon throughout his career, delivered an impressive performance in the heart of Germany’s capital, finishing second with a time of 2:03:22—a personal best, surpassing his previous record of 2:04:47 set in 2022.

Ethiopian Milkesha Mengesha won the race with a time of 2:03:17, unleashing a powerful sprint in the final 100 meters to edge out the Kenyan runner.

“When I started, I wasn’t sure if I would be in the leading group,” Kotut told NTV.

“I had trained well, but I was doubting my experience. I kept asking myself, ‘Should I go with the lead group or the second one?’ In the end, I decided to go with the first group. I knew if I went alone or with the second group, it would be difficult to catch up. I’m happy it turned out well.”

The Berlin Marathon marked Kotut’s first major race since his ninth-place finish at the Boston Marathon in April.

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He admitted that his disappointing performance in Boston weighed heavily on him and almost cost him a spot on the podium in Berlin.

“When I went to Boston, I had trained just as well as I did before Berlin, but Boston is a very unique marathon,” he added.

“It was tough because I lacked the experience to handle the Boston course. Coming to Berlin, I wanted to see if the issue was the course or my body. I realized I was in good shape for Boston, but I struggled with the course.”

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He expressed gratitude for his performance in Berlin, especially as the race celebrated its 50th anniversary.

“Berlin gave me this visibility, and I’m happy to celebrate my personal best and my first-ever podium in a major marathon here,” he said.

Kotut's previous podium finish was in Amsterdam last year, where he finished second with a time of 2:04:34, then his personal best.