CyBrian Kotut reveals strategy behind impressive second place finish at Berlin Marathon

has revealed how his lack of experience nearly proved costly for him at the on Sunday before he went on to finish an impressive second.

Kotut put in a good performance in the German capital to finish second in a time of 2:03:22, his personal best, behind Ethiopian Milkesha Mengesha, who timed 2:03:17 for victory.

He kept pace with Mengesha for most of the race before the latter unleashed a powerful finishing kick to floor him in the final 100m.

“When I started, I was not sure if I would be in the first group. I had done my training well but I was doubting my experience, I was like; ‘should I go with the leading group or the second one’. But I decided to go with the first group I told myself if I go alone or with the second group it would be difficult to catch up,” Kotut told journalist Larry Madowo.

“So, I decided to go with the first group and see what would happen. I am happy to came out well.”

It was the Kenyan runner’s first major marathon since finishing ninth in Boston in April this year and he says that bad experience in the US city was lingering in his mind and almost cost him a place on the podium in Berlin.

Kenya’s CyBrian Kotut was the best placed Kenyan runner at the Berlin Marathon on Sunday and he will be rewarded handsomely for his second place finish.

“When I went to Boston, I had trained very well just like I did before I came to Berlin but Boston is a very unique marathon and it was tough for me because I lacked experience on how to handle the Boston course,” he added.

“Coming here [Berlin], I told myself I have trained well and I want to know if it was the nature of Boston Marathon course or whether it is just my body but I realised in Boston, I was also in good shape but had a challenge in handling the course.

“I came with the same shape, here [Berlin] was competitive. I really wanted to give Berlin something as they celebrate for giving me this visibility and what I coincident that Berlin are celebrating 50th anniversary and I am celebrating my personal best and my first-ever podium in a major marathon.”

The Ethiopian star got over the line in the end, beating Kenya's Cybrian Kotut and Stephen Kiprop, who came second and fourth respectively to take home the 50th Berlin Marathon crown.

Kotut’s last podium finish was second place in Amsterdam last year when he clocked 2:04:34 in what was his personal best.