Skip to main content

Correction: Berlin Marathon story

By WTOP Staff

BERLIN (AP) — In a story Sept. 28 about the Berlin Marathon, The Associated Press reported erroneously that second-place finisher Emmanuel Mutai had run the 2011 Boston Marathon in 2 hours, 3 minutes, 2 seconds. Geoffrey Mutai — no relation — had that time.

A corrected version of the story is below:

Dennis Kimetto sets world mark at Berlin Marathon

Kimetto knocks 26 seconds off world marathon record at Berlin as sub-2 hour mark moves closer

By CIARAN FAHEY

Associated Press

BERLIN (AP) — Dennis Kimetto knocked 26 seconds off the world marathon record Sunday as the sub-two hour mark moved a step closer.

The 30-year-old Kenyan won the 41st edition of the Berlin Marathon in 2 hours, 2 minutes, 57 seconds, becoming the first man to complete a marathon in under 2 hours, 3 minutes.

The previous record of 2:03:23 was set by another Kenyan, Wilson Kipsang, in Berlin last year.

“I feel good today for today is a big day for me,” Kimetto said. “The fans made me confident and I thought I could do it.”

Second-place Emmanuel Mutai also beat the previous record, finishing in 2:03:13, and he believes a two-hour marathon is possible.

“From what I saw today, times are coming down and down. So if not today, then tomorrow,” the 29-year-old Kenyan said. “Maybe next time we’ll get 2:01.”

During Sunday’s race Mutai set a world record in running 30K in 1:27:37, just beating Patrick Makau’s previous best of 1:27.38 from 2011.

Abera Kuma of Ethiopia was third in 2:05:56, ahead of Kenyans Geoffrey Kamworor and Eliud Kiptanui.

Tirfi Tsegaye won the women’s race in 2:20:18, with fellow Ethiopian Feyse Tadese second in 2.20.27.

American Shalane Flanagan was third in 2:21:14, missing out on her bid to beat the U.S. record of 2:19:36, yet achieving a personal best.

“I think it’s all about perspective. This year I’ve dropped four minutes from my overall marathon time,” said Flanagan, who led by 18 seconds at the 20K mark.

Ines Melchor of Peru set a South American record of 2:26:48 in finishing eighth, just behind Anna Hahner of Germany, who delighted home fans with a personal best of 2:26:44 for seventh.

Some 40,004 runners from 130 nations were accepted for the race, which was run in perfectly clear conditions.

Kimetto, whose previous personal best was the 2:03:45 he ran to win the Chicago Marathon last year, was part of a leading group including Mutai, Kuma, Kiptanui, Kamworor, Tsegaye Kebede, Levy Matebo and Franklin Chepkwony.

They maintained a steady pace but lost a couple of seconds after the 12th kilometer, before picking it up again after 15K. Matebo and Kiptanui dropped back as the leaders crossed the halfway mark in 1:01:45 — inside world record pace.

Pacemakers Wilfred Kirwa and Geoffrey Ronoh dropped out at 30K, which Mutai reached in a record 1:27:37.

He was only accompanied by Kimetto and Kamworor, who dropped 10 seconds behind his compatriots by the 35th kilometer.

Kimetto was running more smoothly but Mutai kept challenging, reminding the Chicago marathon champion that he was still there.

Kimetto put a couple of seconds on his training partner with an injection of pace in the 39th kilometer, and he used it as the springboard for the seventh world record to be set on Berlin’s flat course, the 10th including women’s races.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
Read Next Story

Related News

Frustration grows in Venezuela as earthquake death toll reaches 1,430

Israel and Lebanon sign framework agreement with US in ‘first step’ toward peace, Rubio says

Trump-endorsed populist poised to become Colombia’s next president as rival challenges vote