World Championships
August 22, 2009
The 27-year-old Kirui clocked a championship record of 2 hours 6 minutes and 54 seconds, crossing the line a comfortable minute before countryman Emmanuel Mutai and Ethiopia's Tsegay Kebede.
Kirui had enough puff left to treat thousands of spectators to a victory dance under the Brandenburg gate.
"Joy is joy, you need to at least show it," Kirui told reporters while other runners were still battling the closing stages of the race. "I am so very grateful. I couldn't believe it when I saw the finish line."
Kirui's success came in the wake of a 2007 world title from Luke Kibet and the 2008 Olympic gold from Samuel Wanjiru, who like Ethiopian world record holder Haile Gebrselassie were not running on Saturday.
"This proves that Kenya is doing well in the marathon and we will be even better in the future," said head coach Peter Mathu Titi.
Lightning Bolt
In another much-anticipated race on Saturday, Usain Bolt will be aiming to smash again his own world record on the biggest day of the world championships.
The speedy Jamaican has already eclipsed his own 100 and 200 meters world records in Berlin, and on Saturday he will line up for the 4x100 relay final.
Bolt and his three teammates on the relay clocked a world record 37.10 seconds to win gold at last year's Beijing Olympics. And now that the US team has been disqualified, their greatest challenge to the gold medal is gone.
The United States were disqualified from the men's 4x100 meters relay on Friday after qualifying fastest for Saturday's final after dropping the baton in the semis. They finished in 37.97 seconds.
The problem was in the third changeover from Shawn Crawford to Darvis Patton. Officials ruled that the handover had taken place outside the box. US officials appealed against the decision but to no avail.
The US and Jamaica and are also set to clash in the women's 4x100 relay heats and also the final on Saturday.
Long jump pits former Olympic champions head to head
In other events, the long jump will most likely be the highlight of the field events with the last two Olympic champions, American 2004 winner Dwight Phillips and 2008 gold medallist Irving Saladino of Panama squaring off.
Saturday action will also see the men's pole vault finals, with the women hitting the track for the 5,000 meter long-distance event and the hammer throw.
ch/av/ReutersAFP
Editor: Toma Tasovac