The 30-year-old Kenyan set a winning pace from the start in the German capital and comfortably finished the race well inside the previous record of 2:03:23, set by his compatriot Wilson Kipsang over the same course last year.

Kimetto broke away in a seven-man group, which also included fellow Kenyans Emmanuel Mutai and Geoffrey Kipsang Kamworor, after 20 kilometres but the win came when he pulled clear of Mutai - the pair had already lost Kamworor a little earlier - with four kilometres remaining.

Dennis Kimetto is the first athlete to run a sub two hours and three minutes marathon ©Getty Images


"I feel good because I won a very tough race," Kimetto, winner of last year's Tokyo and Chicago Marathons, said.

"I felt good from the start and in the last five kilometres I felt I could do it [break the record]."

Mutai finished second behind Kimetto in 2:03:13 and Ethiopian Abera Kuma overtook Kamworor to claim third place in 2:05:56.

Tirfi Tsegaye and Feyse Tadese came first and second, respectively, in the women's race at the Berlin Marathon ©Getty Images


Meanwhile, the women's race saw Tirfi Tsegaye of Ethiopia claim victory.

The Tokyo Marathon winner completed the course in 2:20:18 ahead of her compatriot Feyse Tadese, who clocked a time of 2:20:27.

Shalane Flanagan of the United States finished in 2:21:14 to secure third place.

There was also a South American record in the women's race as Peru's Ines Melchor, who finished eighth, completed the race in 2:26:48.

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