BERLIN -- Paul Tergat broke the marathon world record by 43 seconds Sunday, his only mistake coming when he ran between the wrong pillars at the landmark Brandenburg Gate.

That cost the Kenyan several seconds late in the Berlin Marathon, but it didn't stop him from obliterating Khalid Khannouchi's record as he ran through the heart of the German capital.

Tergat's time of 2 hours, 4 minutes, 55 seconds easily topped the mark of 2:05:38 set by Khannouchi on April 14, 2002. In that race, Tergat finished 10 seconds behind the Moroccan-born American, then the second-fastest marathon time.

"That upset me a little at the time," Tergat said. "I feel lucky that I could take away the record today. I focused my whole preparation on that."

Among the women, Yasuko Hashimoto won in 2:26:32, the fourth straight for a Japanese. Kenya's Emily Kimuria was second in 2:28:18, 10 seconds ahead of Italy's Ornella Ferrara.

Tergat finished just one second ahead of pacemaker Sammy Korir, who made a late spurt as his countryman lost time in front of the gate. Titus Munji, Tergat's second pacemaker, finished third in 2:06:15.

Tergat, often second in big races, kept Korir on his shoulder and threw up his arms in triumph as he broke the tape after going through the pillars of the historic gate. He then hugged his wife, Monica.

"This time I wanted to try for the record," Tergat said. "I'm very happy."

Tergat was confused when the lead cars melted away, leaving him standing in front of the 65-foot high gate with enough space between the pillars to drive a truck through. In the end, he darted through the central columns instead of the right ones, where the finish line was located.

"There was nobody there to show me," Tergat said.

Fortunately for him, Korir followed him the wrong way through the gate. Otherwise, Tergat may have been stuck with another second-place finish.

In addition to the London loss to Khannouchi, he was twice beaten by Haile Gebrselassie at the Olympics -- in the second one the Ethiopian star broke Tergat's world record.

Tergat's record wasn't unexpected. Many predicted the two-time Olympic silver medalist and five-time cross country world champion most likely would lower the mark on the flat course where three world bests had been set in recent years.

On the women's side, no one was expected to challenge Paula Radcliffe's 2:15:25 set in London.

Hashimoto, running just her third marathon, took the lead for good over the final third of the race when Russia's Alina Ivanova faded.

On a cool, cloudy morning with hardly a breeze, Tergat and his two pacemakers ran the first half in 1:03:01. Then the pace quickened.

With a third of the race left, the threesome was running at a 2:04 pace. Munji fell back, but over the final few miles it was clear the record would be broken by Tergat or Korir, barring a collapse by both Kenyans.

"I knew that we were headed toward a great time, and made sure the pace didn't get too fast," Tergat said. "That paid off at the finish."

Tergat and Korir matched strides over the final miles, their arms and legs swinging in rhythm. In the stretch run, the pacemaker fell 20 yards back. As Korir closed in again, Tergat kept swinging his head sideways to eye his countryman.

Tergat, despite owning two of the 10 fastest marathon times, hadn't won any of the five he entered. The worst loss was when compatriot Ben Kimondiu, his pacemaker, beat him in Chicago in 2001.

"I wasn't paying attention," he said. "I try never to let anyone get away now in the second half."

Tergat earned appearance money, plus $36,000 for winning and $56,000 for the record.