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The Media Guide for the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON

Here you will find information and statistics, athlete portraits and much more.

Foreword by the managing directors

On behalf of SCC EVENTS (the organiser of the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON), we would like to thank all participants and media representatives for celebrating the 50th BMW BERLIN-MARATHON with us. Over 50,000 runners, skaters, wheelchair athletes and handbikers from around 150 nations have made the journey to celebrate a peaceful anniversary with us - and we would like to welcome you all to the German capital.

Half a century ago, the starting gun for the 1st Berlin People's Marathon was fired in front of the Mommsen Stadium in Berlin's Charlottenburg district. None of the 286 participants back then could have imagined that the BERLIN-MARATHON would develop into what it is today. 244 runners crossed the finish line in 1974. This year, we are expecting over 50,000 finishers to adorn themselves with their well-deserved medals shortly after the Brandenburg Gate. 50 years of the Berlin Marathon means 50,000 finishers! It is important to us that despite this record number of participants, quality and service remain at the highest level in all areas of the event.

Over the past five decades, the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON has set standards in the running and event scene. Standards in specialised medical planning and event management have been created. The medical care is one of the world leaders in this segment. The sporting level has reached an unprecedented level, as evidenced by the 13 world records that have been set. Berlin legends such as Ronaldo da Costa, Uta Pippig, Naoko Takahashi, Paul Tergat, Haile Gebrselassie, Dennis Kimetto, Amanal Petros, Eliud Kipchoge and Tigist Assefa inspired countless people to run. We see passing on the joy and fun of vital exercise as one of our tasks for society.

The BMW BERLIN-MARATHON paved the way for a number of developments. In 1981, for example, the meadow in front of the Reichstag was the starting point for 3,486 runners from 30 nations for the first time for 42 kilometres through the middle of Berlin. The public in the capital immediately loved the race. The finish line was right next to the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church. The idea of a marathon that winds its way through the centre of the city spilled over into West Germany and the boom in city marathons was set in motion.

The first run through the Brandenburg Gate took place in 1990. A few days before the reunification of Germany, 25,000 enthusiastic athletes from all over the world celebrated the reunion in Berlin. From then on, the marathon and its community, based in Berlin, continued to generate trends in the endurance sports scene. The event on the Spree grew into a traditional event that has become an integral part of today's competition calendars. What is currently considered innovative at many major sporting events such as the Olympic Games or World Championships, i.e. the integration of popular sport in order to create further acceptance, has been an integral part of the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON since its beginnings. Top-class sport at world level and grassroots sport as well as inclusion have always been one of the pillars of our successful realisation.

Since 2006, the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON has been a member of the AWMM (Abbott World Marathon Majors), the association of the six most prestigious marathons in the world. Our event is in the company of other top-class marathons in the sporting metropolises of Tokyo, London, Boston, Chicago and New York. A lively exchange of ideas and experience within this association ensures the continuous development of the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON and the optimisation of the defined standards of the six Abbott World Marathon Majors races.

In 2021, SCC EVENTS sent a decisive signal with the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON after months of deprivation and social distancing. At the world's largest marathon since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, people's trust was regained through sport and inhibitions were broken down. Basic values such as cosmopolitanism, tolerance and acceptance could finally be practised again at the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON 2021. Once again it became clear: just as Wimbledon belongs to London or Roland Garros to Paris, the marathon belongs to Berlin. Organised in Berlin, by Berliners, for the world - as a guest in Germany.

Despite all the records and quality strategies, it is the emotions that remain in the participants' memories. No finish in the world is as moving, no finish in the world conjures up as many happy faces as the finish just behind the Brandenburg Gate. These images remain unforgettable for the athletes and find their way from an active Berlin out into the world thousands of times over.

If you want to experience the history and flair of the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON, then visit our MOVE at the Brandenburg Gate. With the MOVE, we have created a meeting place, a space to linger and enjoy. With an exhibition, catering and a wide range of sports and cultural activities. You can find detailed information on the following pages.

Many thanks to all the organisers, staff, helpers, volunteers, partners, sponsors, the emergency services and police, as well as the spectators, participants and citizens of Berlin, without whom such an event would not be possible.

On behalf of SCC EVENTS, we wish you every success with your reporting and lots of fun at the 50th BMW BERLIN-MARATHON.
 

Elite race/athlete profiles

Elite race preview: 50th BMW BERLIN-MARATHON

The big jubilee race promises a thrilling battle for victory since there is no major favorite in the men’s race. It will be the first time since 2014 that neither Kenya’s superstar Eliud Kipchoge nor Ethiopia’s running legend Kenenisa Bekele is on the start list of the prestigious BMW BERLIN-MARATHON. But a new star of marathon running could rise in the German capital. A number of athletes will be competing who could produce breakthrough performances. In the women’s race it looks likely that Ethiopia’s Berlin win streak will be continued. A record number of 13 world records were broken in the history of the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON. Although such times will not be the target on 29th September, the jubilee race could well deliver extraordinary fast times yet again.

The BMW BERLIN-MARATHON forms the Abbott World Marathon Majors (AWMM) together with the races in Boston, Chicago, London, New York and Tokyo. Germany’s most spectacular road race is also a Platinum Label Road Race of World Athletics, the international athletics federation.


The Men’s Race

A number of athletes will go to the start line on 29th September thinking they can win the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON. Although the current marathon top stars are not able to compete because the Olympic race in Paris in August was too close very fast times can still be expected. 15 athletes are on the start list who have personal bests of sub 2:06:00. This is a record number for the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON.

From those on the men’s start list at least one has the potential to become Kenya’s next marathon superstar: Kibiwott Kandie is a former world half marathon record holder with a personal best of 57:32. This time suggests that he could become one of the fastest marathon runners of all time if he can transform his talent to the classic distance. The 28 year-old has a current PB of 2:04:48 from Valencia 2023. In that race he was on course for a 2:01 finishing time, but could not hold on to this in the final part of the marathon.

Kibiwott Kandie is one of half a dozen runners who feature very strong personal bests of sub 2:05:00. Returning to the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON will be Ethiopia’s Tadese Takele and Ronald Korir of Kenya, who placed third and fourth last year. Both ran their personal bests of 2:03:24 and 2:04:22 here. Kenya’s Cybrian Kotut, a younger brother of former Abbott World Marathon Majors Champion Martin Lel, will run his first BMW BERLIN-MARATHON. Kotut features a PB of 2:04:34. Ethiopians Hailemaryam Kiros (2:04:41) and Bazezew Asmare (2:04:57) are the other two runners with sub 2:05 PBs.

Another runner who could challenge for a place on the podium is Samwel Mailu. The Kenyan smashed the course record of the Vienna City Marathon last year with 2:05:08. Due to an injury the bronze medallist from the 2023 World Half Marathon Championships was unable to compete this spring.

Chala Regasa and Stephen Kiprop are two more runners who could be in for a surprise. When Ethiopia’s Regasa took the Vienna City Marathon in April he was a couple of minutes ahead of his nearest rival. Kenya’y Kiprop dominated the Daegu Marathon in South Korea this year and won with a personal best of 2:07:04.

Germany’s Hendrik Pfeiffer is the leading national runner this year. Improving to 2:07:14 in a brave race in Houston this January he became the fourth fastest German runner of all times. He then was seventh in the London Marathon, achieving the second best placing of a German runner in the history of the event. Filimon Abraham (PB: 2:08:22), Haftom Welday (2:08:24), Sebastian Hendel (2:08:51) and Johannes Motschmann (2:10:39) will try to challenge Hendrik Pfeiffer.


The Women’s Race

Ethiopian women have taken the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON four times in a row. A year ago Tigst Assefa crowned the event with a spectacular world record of 2:11:53. She was the runner-up in the Olympic marathon in August and will therefore be unable to challenge for a hat trick of victories in Berlin. But even with her absence little suggests that the Ethiopian win streak will come to an end this year. The seven fastest women on the start list are all from Ethiopia. Leading the charge is a newcomer: Tigist Ketema took the Dubai Marathon this year with an unofficial world debut record of 2:16:07, which places her ninth on the all-time list. The training partner of Tigst Assefa must be regarded a favorite in Berlin.

Three more athletes have personal bests of sub 2:20:00. Tadu Teshome improved to a fine 2:17:36 when she was fourth in Valencia in 2022. Former 1,500 m world record holder Genzebe Dibaba, who is the younger sister of Ethiopian running legend Tirunesh Dibaba, will hope to achieve a fast time on the flat Berlin course. She ran a 2:18:05 debut in Amsterdam two years ago, but was not yet able to improve this time. Genzebe Dibaba was the 2014 Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year.

Fellow-Ethiopian Yebrgual Melese is the fourth woman on the start list who has a sub 2:20 PB with 2:19:36. After a longer break that started at the beginning of the pandemic the 34 year-old came back in Seoul this spring with 2:23:43.

The women’s race features a deep field as well. Twelve runners have run under 2:22:00 and 14 have personal bests of sub 2:23:00. These are both record figures in the history of the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON.

Melat Kejeta and Fabienne Königstein are the two fastest German women on the start list. Both have run their debuts at the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON and will return to the race for the first time. In 2019 Kejeta was sixth with 2:23:57, which remains the fastest time by a German debutant. Two years earlier Königstein ran 2:34:14 at her first attempt.

In the past couple of years Kejeta was the strongest German marathon runner by some distance. Taking a surprising sixth place at the Olympics in 2021 she improved to 2:21:47 in Dubai this year. However she was unlucky in the Olympic race in August, when she suffered of stomach problems and had to drop out early in the race. She now wants to bounce back in Berlin and attack her personal best. In an ideal race she would try to break 2:20:00 and might then even go for the German record. Irina Mikitenko ran 2:19:19 in Berlin in 2008.

After a break of almost five years from marathon running Fabienne Königstein smashed her personal best in Hamburg in 2023 with 2:25:48. Because of an injury she could not run another marathon in 2023. In April a cold forced her to drop out of the Boston Marathon.

Elite Runners 

Men

NameNationDate of BirthPersonal BestRankingRace
Tadese TakeleETH3.8.20022:03:243.Berlin 23
Ronald KorirKEN10.4.19912:04:224.Berlin 23
Cybrian KotutKEN6.6.19922:04:342.Amsterdam 23
Hailemaryam KirosETH5.2.19972:04:412.Paris 21
Kibiwott KandieKEN20.6.19962:04:486.Valencia 23
Bazezew AsmareETH11.9.19962:04:573.Amsterdam 22
Samwel MailuKEN7.2.19932:05:081.Wien 23
Milkesa MengeshaETH16.4.20002:05:297.Valencia 22
Haymanot AlewETH11.11.19972:05:302.Hamburg 24
Philimon KipchumbaKEN16.10.19982:05:351.Shanghai 23
Josphat BoitKEN25.11.19952:05:4213.Berlin 23
Dejene MegersaETH24.1.20052:05:423.Dubai 24
Enock OnchariKEN16.1.19992:05:476.Sevilla 23
Oqbe RuesomERI1.1.19982:05:514.Barcelona 23
Justus KangogoKEN10.10.19952:05:5715.Berlin 23
Haimro AlameISR8.6.19902:06:0415.Valencia 23
Chala RegasaETH30.4.19972:06:115.Rotterdam 23
Ashenafi MogesETH15.11.19942:06:126.Valencia 19
Asbel RuttoKEN12.2.20022:07:041.Rom 24
Samuel TsegaySWE24.2.19882:06:539.Siena 21
Yohei IkedaJPN22.6.19982:06:537.Osaka 23
Stephen KipropKEN8.9.19992:07:041.Deagu/KOR 24
Bethwel KipkemboiKEN6.4.19932:07:084.Paris 24
Alex KibetKEN10.11.19902:07:093.Frankfurt 18
Hendrik PfeifferGER18.3.19932:07:143.Houston 24
Kento KikutaniJPN8.5.19942:07:269.Lake Biwa, Otsu/JPN 21
Yuma HattoriJPN13.11.19932:07:271.Fukuoka 18
Melaku BelachewETH19.5.19902:07:288.Sevilla 24
Godadaw BelachewISR22.1.19972:07:457.Rotterdam 24
Yuhei UranoJPN1.11.19972:07:523.Osaka 22
Peiyou FengCHN1.8.20012:08:076.Fukuoka 23
Tianyu ChenCHN11.5.19972:08:117.Peking 23
Guojian DongCHN16.3.19872:08:1214.Osaka 24
Filimon AbrahamGER9.11.19922:08:2210.Barcelona 23
Haftom WeldayGER13.3.19902:08:2430.Valencia 23
Sebastian HendelGER1.12.19952:08:5110.Hamburg 24
Olonbayar JamsranMGL1.8.19932:08:5829.Osaka 23
Yusuke TamuraJPN23.12.19982:09:2121.Tokio 24
Hideyuki TanakaJPN9.10.19902:09:2721.Osaka 24
Peng GaoCHN16.8.19962:09:348.Peking 23
Peter HerzogAUT1.8.19872:10:0612.London 20
Johannes MotschmannGER3.8.19942:10:399.London 24
Tom GröschelGER25.8.19912:11:0326.Valencia 21
Konstantin WedelGER22.11.19932:12:3932.Berlin 23
Erik HilleGER29.9.19882:14:1827.Berlin 22
Stanley KurgatKEN4.8.1990Debüt   
Haftamu GebresilaseETH25.3.2004Debüt  

 

Women

NameNationDate of BirthPersonal BestRankingRace
Tigist KetemaETH15.9.19982:16:071.Dubai 24
Tadu TeshomeETH9.6.20012:17:364.Valencia 22
Genzebe DibabaETH8.2.19912:18:052.Amsterdam 22
Yebrugal MeleseETH18.4.19902:19:363.Dubai 18
Mestawot FikirETH2.3.20002:20:451.Paris 24
Azmera GebruETH31.10.19952:20:483.Amsterdam 19
Sisay GolaETH30.12.19972:20:502.Sevilla 22
Mizuki MatsudaJPN31.5.19952:20:521.Osaka 22
Fikrte WeretaETH21.9.20002:21:321.Seoul 24
Ai HosodaJPN27.11.19952:21:429.London 22
Melat KejetaGER27.9.19922:21:474.Dubai 24
Aberu AyanaETH17.9.20002:21:542.Sevilla 23
Evaline ChirchirKEN2.2.19982:22:113.Daegu/KOR 24
Bekelech GudetaETH11.10.19972:22:541.Xiamen/CHN 24
Lisa WeightmanAUS16.1.19792:23:154.Osaka 23
Betelihem AfenigusETH29.4.20012:23:204.Seoul 24
Agnes KeinoKEN17.1.19882:23:261.München 22
Veronica MainaKEN8.8.19892:24:461.Wuxi/CHN 24
Fabienne KönigsteinGER25.11.19922:25:488.Hamburg 23
Natsuki OmoriJPN22.6.19942:26:548.Nagoya 24
Bosena MulatieETH21.11.20012:26:596.Houston 24
Alisa VainioFIN16.11.19972:27:2610.Sevilla 23
Sonia SamuelsGBR16.5.19792:28:049.Berlin 15
Nora SzaboHUN1.3.19882:28:2512.Sevilla 23
Philippa BowdenUSA29.3.19952:29:1410.Houston 24
Melina WolfGER21.12.19922:31:0826.Berlin 23
Tabea ThemannGER22.3.19922:31:3327.Berlin 23
Thea HeimGER26.7.19922:33:2526Valencia 22
Pauline EsiksonKEN24.12.1990Debüt  

Click here for the prize money, the world record bonus and the time bonus.

Here you will find the detailed split time tables.

TADESE TAKELE

Tadese Takele läuft in Berlin ins Ziel ein © SCC EVENTS Camera4

  • ETHIOPIA
  • BIRTHDATE: 3.8.2002
  • PERSONAL BEST: 2:03:24 (Berlin, 2023)
  • ABBOTT WORLD MARATHON MAJORS: 24.9.23, 3. BMW BERLIN-MARATHON, 2:03:24
CAREER OVERVIEW:

Tadese Takele was one of two athletes who produced a surprise in last year’s men’s race at the BMW BERLIN MARATHON. Together with Vincent Kipkemboi of Kenya he closed the gap to the leading superstar Eliud Kipchoge in the final section of the race significantly. Between 30 and 35k Tadese Takele made up around half a minute. But when it almost looked like a sensation could be on the cards Kipchoge was able to push again. In the end 21 year-old Takele took third behind Kipchoge and Kipkemboi. With 2:03:24 hrs the Ethiopian ran the fourth fastest debut in marathon history. This remains the best performance of his young career.  
One year after his great marathon debut Tadese Takele now returns to Berlin. His aim will probably be to confirm last year’s performance and if possible run a personal best. Since Berlin 2023 the 22 year-old did not compete in any other international race. Most probably this was because of an injury.
It was just two years ago when Tadese Takele switched from the track to the road. The youngster immediately ran top times. First he clocked 27:21 in Valencia’s 10k, then he ran 59:41 in a half marathon in Herzogenaurach, Germany, in April 2022. Later that year he improved his 10k time by one second in Lille (27:20). A couple of more fine half marathon results followed in spring 2023. Among them was a 60:04 victory in Herzogenaurach. Then his marathon debut in Berlin followed.

PERSONAL BACKGROUND:
Tadese Takele was steeple chaser in the early part of his career. As a 16 year-old he took the African under 18 title in the 2,000 m Steeplechase in 2019. Two years later he won the Ethiopian Olympic trials in the 3,000 m Steeplechase in Hengelo, Netherlands, with his personal best of 8:09.37. At the Olympic Games in Tokyo he did not qualify for the final. But a month later Tadese Takele took the 3,000 m Steeplechase silver medal at the World Junior Championships.
 

RONALD KORIR

Läufer Ronald Korir © SCC EVENTS Petko Beier.

  • KENYA
  • BIRTHDATE: 10.4.1991
  • PERSONAL BEST: 2:04:22 (Berlin, 2023)
  • ABBOTT WORLD MARATHON MAJORS: 24.9.23, 4th BMW BERLIN-MARATHON, 2:04:22

ADDITIONAL MARATHONS:

DateMarathonResult
28.4.20244. Hamburg Marathon2:05:41
3.12.2023Fukuoka MarathonDNF
4.12.20228. Valencia Marathon2:05:37
8.5.20225. Prague Marathon2:09:53
27.2.20221. Castellon Marathon (ESP)2:09:25
9.10.20213. Stockholm Marathon2:12:30
27.10.20192. Rennes Marathon2:09:47
12.5.20196. Geneva Marathon2:12:48
18.1.20191. Muscat Marathon (Oman)2:13:36
16.9.20182. Medellin Marathon (COL)2:18:42
22.4.20187. Madrid Marathon2:12:25
26.1.201811. Dubai Marathon2:13:03
23.4.20173. Madrid Marathon2:13:07
6.11.20162. Seoul Marathon2:09:01
8.5.20167. Geneva Marathon2:18:55
31.1.20164. Marrakech Marathon2:12:59
26.10.20146. Frankfurt Marathon2:07:29

 

CAREER OVERVIEW:

Ronald Korir’s marathon career spans over a full decade, which gives him plenty of experience at the classic distance. However it was only in the more recent races when the Kenyan was able to show his full potential and achieved strong results. A year ago he took fourth place in the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON, improving his personal best to 2:04:22. With this time he took a fine 14th position in the 2023 world list for the marathon.  
Ronald Korir ran a convincing marathon debut in Frankfurt back in 2014. In a strong field he finished sixth with 2:07:29. Years before the introduction of the new shoe technology which gives a significant advantage, this was a very good result for a debutant. However after the promising start and despite more or less fully concentrating on the classic distance Ronald Korir did not manage to make the next step for many years. It was only in December 2022 when he finally broke his PB from his debut in Frankfurt. In Valencia he was significantly faster than before with 2:05:37.
He followed up his performance from Spain at the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON with 2:04:22 and this spring ran another strong race. Taking another fourth place in the Hamburg Marathon he clocked 2:05:37, his third fastest time. 
 

CYBRIAN KOTUT

Läufer Kotut Cybrian © Photorun

 

  • KENYA
  • BIRTHDATE : 6.6.1992
  • PERSONAL BEST: 2:04:34 (Amsterdam, 2023)
  • ABBOTT WORLD MARATHON MAJORS: 15.9.24, 9. Boston Marathon, 2:10:29

ADDITIONAL MARATHONS:

DateMarathonResult
28.4.20244. Hamburg Marathon2:05:41
3.12.2023Fukuoka MarathonDNF
4.12.20228. Valencia Marathon2:05:37
8.5.20225. Prague Marathon2:09:53
27.2.20221. Castellon Marathon (ESP)2:09:25
9.10.20213. Stockholm Marathon2:12:30
27.10.20192. Rennes Marathon2:09:47
12.5.20196. Geneva Marathon2:12:48
18.1.20191. Muscat Marathon (Oman)2:13:36
16.9.20182. Medellin Marathon (COL)2:18:42
22.4.20187. Madrid Marathon2:12:25
26.1.201811. Dubai Marathon2:13:03
23.4.20173. Madrid Marathon2:13:07
6.11.20162. Seoul Marathon2:09:01
8.5.20167. Geneva Marathon2:18:55
31.1.20164. Marrakech Marathon2:12:59
26.10.20146. Frankfurt Marathon2:07:29

 

CAREER OVERVIEW:

Cybrian Kotut will run the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON for the first time. The 32 year-old has significantly improved during the past two years and features a personal best of 2:04:34. The Kenyan had a very promising start into his marathon career. In his debut he was runner-up in Milan in 2015. Then he won the Paris Marathon 2016 with 2:07:11 and later that year finished third in Frankfurt. However he was then not able to achieve similar results for some years. While he took the Krakow and Florence marathon races in 2019 and 2021 respectively, he then finally achieved a major breakthrough and a significant improvement of his six year old PB in Hamburg: In 2022 Cybrian Kotut won Germany’s major spring marathon in a thrilling race by just one second with 2:04:47. He broke the nine year old course record of his prominent fellow-countryman Eliud Kipchoge. On another flat course Cybrian Kotut slightly improved his PB a year ago. He was runner-up in Amsterdam with 2:04:34. In contrast he had a difficult race in the hilly Boston Marathon this spring. “It was a tough Boston debut for me,“ said Kotut after finishing ninth with 2:10:29.
Kotut has a fine half marathon PB of 59:12. But for several years now he fully concentrates on the marathon distance.

PERSONAL BACKGROUND:

Cybrian Kotut is one of the brothers of former world-class marathon runner Martin Lel, who won the 2007-2008 series of the World Marathon Majors. Martin Lel was a three time London and double New York City Marathon winner. Cybrian Kotut is the youngest of nine siblings and has himself two children. He is coached by Italian Claudio Berardelli and among his training partners are world-class marathoners Evans Chebet and Benson Kipruto.

 

CHAILEMARYAM KIROS

  • ETHIOPIA
  • BIRTHDATE: 5.2.1997
  • PERSONAL BEST: 2:04:41 (Paris, 2021)
  • ABBOTT WORLD MARATHON MAJORS: 3.3.24, 4. Tokyo Marathon, 2:05:43

ADDITIONAL MARATHONS:

DateMarathonResult
11.6.20231. Lanzhou Marathon (CHN)2:08:57
26.2.20231. Osaka Marathon2:06:01
17.10.20212. Paris Marathon2:04:41
 
CAREER OVERVIEW:

Hailemaryam Kiros is still in his early career despite being 27 years old. The Ethiopian, who grew up in Addis Ababa and is coached by Getamesay Molla, got the opportunity to run a major European half marathon in autumn 2019: He produced a fine performance in Lisbon where he was fourth with 61:08.  With the result from Lisbon Hailemaryam Kiros made the Ethiopian team for the World Half Marathon Championships in 2020. Because of the Corona pandemic there were hardly any races available, which made his participation in the World Championships even more significant. Hailemaryam Kiros ran another fine race, finishing 11th with 60:01. This is still his personal best. 
A year later the Ethiopian produced a great marathon debut in Paris: Kiros was second with 2:04:41, which remains his PB. Last year was his most successful one so far. Running two marathon races, he won both: First Kiros clocked 2:06:01 in Osaka, then he took the Lanzhou Marathon in China with 2:08:57. This March he confirmed excellent marathon form, when he was fourth in the prestigious Tokyo Marathon with 2:05:43.

 

KIBIWOTT KANDIE

Läufer Kandie Kibiwott © Photorun Colombo

  • KENYA
  • BIRTHDATE: 20.6.96
  • PERSONAL BEST: 2:04:48 (Valenica, 2023)
  • ABBOTT WORLD MARATHON MAJORS: 7.11.21, 9. New York City Marathon, 2:13:43


ADDITIONAL MARATHONS :

DateMarathonResult
3.12.20236. Valencia Marathon2:04:48
18.8.20193. Kuching Marathon (MAS)2:22:48
 
CAREER OVERVIEW:

Kibiwott Kandie is the athlete in the elite field of the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON who has the biggest potential for the classic distance. Four years ago the Kenyan ran a world half marathon world record of 57:32 in Valencia. This mark has since been improved by one second by Jacob Kiplimo of Uganda. In theory with such a half marathon PB Kibiwott Kandie could be able to achieve marathon times in the region of the current world record of 2:00:35. However so far he could not quite transform his huge potential to the classic distance. The Kenyan ran his first serious marathon on the tough New York course in 2021. Organisers claimed that this was his debut, but in fact Kibiwott Kandie had run the marathon distance two years earlier in Kuching, Malaysia. On the hilly New York course Kandie’s debut did not go as planned. He finished ninth with 2:13:43. In December last year he then ran 2:04:48 on the flat Valencia course. Kandie was among the leaders until the 35k mark and the group ran 2:01 pace for much of the time. A couple of weeks before Kandie won the Valencia Half Marathon with 57:40, missing the world record by just nine seconds. This February the 28 year-old took the Barcelona Half Marathon in 59:22. Then he tried to qualify for the Olympic Games over 10,000 m. However a superb time of 26:58.97 was still not fast enough to claim one of the three Kenyan places. But his big personal best indicates that he should be on course for a very fast time in Berlin. Kandie has been even faster over 10k on the road. He ran 26:50 in Herzogenaurach in 2022. 
A silver medal at the World Half Marathon Championships 2020, a bronze in the Commonwealth Games’ 10,000 m in 2022 and a fifth place in the 2023 World Cross Country Championships are among his outstanding results so far.

PERSONAL BACKGROUND:
Kibiwott Kandie grew up with eight siblings in Mogotio, Baringo County, in the Kenyan highlands southeast of Eldoret. His mother was a farmer and his father worked for Kenya’s Ministry for Water. His home was 7k away from the school and he covered this distance four times a day - running barefoot when he was young - since he returned home for lunch. Inspired by Kenyan superstar Paul Tergat, who ran a world record of 2:04:55 and the first sub 2:05 marathon in Berlin in 2003, he started competing in cross country races while still at school. Kandie then fully concentrated on running once he had left school. Employed by the Kenyan military today he trains in the Ngong Hills north of Nairobi. 

BAZEZEW ASMARE

  • ETHIOPIA
  • BIRTHDATE: 11.9.1996
  • PERSONAL BEST: 2:04:57 (Amsterdam, 2022)


ADDITIONAL MARATHONS:

DateMarathonResult
15.10.20236. Amsterdam Marathon2:06:34
16.4.20237. Rotterdam Marathon2:07:58
16.10.20223. Amsterdam Marathon2:04:57
24.4.20229. Hamburg Marathon2:07:13
20.10.201913. Amsterdam Marathon2:10:51
18.11.201811. Shanghai Marathon2:15:37

 

CAREER OVERVIEW:

Bazezew Asmare focussed very much on the marathon distance right from the start of his international career. At the age of 22 he ran his debut at the distance in Shanghai, but had to settle for 2:15:37. After a much improved performance in Amsterdam his best year so far came in 2022: First he ran 2:07:13 in Hamburg, then Asmare again smashed his PB with a surprising 2:04:57 for third place in Amsterdam. Last year he produced two solid marathon races in Rotterdam and Amsterdam, where he took seventh and sixth places respectively. Bazezew Asmare has only run two half marathon races. He achieved his personal best in performance reducing high altitude at Hawassa, Ethiopia, with 61:53 in 2022. This year the Ethiopian has not competed yet.

 

SAMWEL MAILU

Läufer Mailu Samwel © Photorun

  • KENYA
  • BIRTHDATE: 7.2.1993
  • PERSONAL BEST: 2:05:08 (Vienna, 2023)


MARATHONS:

DateMarathonResult
29.10.202315. Frankfurt Marathon2:13:54
23.4.20231. Wien Marathon2:05:08
30.10.20223. Frankfurt Marathon2:07:19

 

CAREER OVERVIEW:

Samwel Mailu is another newcomer from the endless production line of Kenyan world-class runners. The 31 year-old made a big step towards world-class with a major victory at the Vienna City Marathon last year. He then went on to confirm that this was not a one-off when he won the bronze medal at the highly contested World Half Marathon Championships in Riga where he improved to 59:19. In autumn 2022 Samwel Mailu ran a marathon debut that was not planned. He was racing as a pacemaker at the Frankfurt Marathon. When he was supposed to drop out beyond the 30k mark he asked to continue since he felt strong. Mailu crossed the finish line as runner-up with 2:07:19. In his next marathon he produced a thrilling race, taking the 40th edition of the Vienna City Marathon. Despite warm temperatures he smashed the nine year-old course record with 2:05:08. In late summer he was a very late addition to the Kenyan team for the World Half Marathon Championships. Despite limited time for preparation Samwel Mailu won the bronze medal. He returned to the Frankfurt Marathon as a hot pre-race favourite and aimed at a sub 2:05 time. But in cool temperatures, wind and rain he struggled and ran 2:13:54. The Kenyan was unlucky this spring when an injury stopped him from competing at the Hamburg Marathon. But in May and June he returned to racing, winning the Riga Half Marathon as well as 10k races in Oelde, Germany, and Langueux, France.

PERSONAL BACKGROUND:

Samwel Mailu, whose parents are vegetable farmers, grew up in a village called Ulawani, which is located not far from the Tanzanian border and Mount Kilimanjaro. He did not live in high altitude and in contrast to many world-class athletes from Kenya running to school did not form the basis for his career. “My school was just about one kilometer away from our home. I became interested in running when I saw my fellow-pupils competing in school championships. I was 15 years old when I started training at primary school“, explained Samuel Mailu, who then moved to a different part of Kenya when he switched to high school. “There I lived about seven kilometers away from the school, but I often took the bike to get there.“ He did not train for three years but re-started when he was doing a college course to become a primary teacher. “I competed at the national teachers’ championships in 2019 and won the 1,500, the 5,000 and the 10,000 metres.“ Instead of taking up a teachers’ job he then decided to try running again. “I met my present coach Dickson Ngei and started training seriously in 2020, when I moved to his training camp in Machakos southeast of Nairobi where we train in an altitude of up to 2000 metres. We are eleven runners and our coach still competes as well“, said Samwel Mailu, whose idol is Eliud Kipchoge. While his international career is still at the beginning Mailu already thinks about helping others to start a career in athletics as well. “In the area where I grew up football and other ball games dominate while running has not much significance. This is why I decided to organize a 10k running event there in Ulawani. We will help some young athletes by paying their school fees and try to guide them,“ explained Samwel Mailu, who has two brothers and two sisters. Samwel Mailu’s manager is Philipp Kopp from Berlin, whose late father Christoph Kopp had a decisive influence in the enormous development of the BERLIN-MARATHON. For many years Christoph Kopp was the elite race coordinator and it was he who in the nineties formed the BERLIN-MARATHON into one of the world’s best elite marathons. 

 

MILKESA MENGESHA

Läufer Mengesha Milkesa © Photorun

  • ETHIOPIA
  • BIRTHDATE: 16.4.2000
  • PERSONAL BEST: 2:05:29 (Valencia, 2022)
  • ABBOTT WORLD MARATHON MAJORS: 27.8.23, 6. World Championships, Budapest, 2:10:43

ADDITIONAL MARATHONS:

DateMarathonResult
2.4.20231. Daegu Marathon2:06:49
4.12.20227. Valencia Marathon2:05:29

 

CAREER OVERVIEW:

Milkesa Mengesha was a track and cross country runner first but turned to the marathon early. In 2019 he took the World Junior Cross Country title and two years later Mengesha managed to qualify for the Olympic Games with a strong 5,000 m personal best of 12:58.28. In Tokyo the Ethiopian qualified for the final where he placed tenth. 
Despite the success in cross country and on the track he then focussed more on road running. Winning the competitive Copenhagen Half Marathon in 2022 he improved to 58:58. Three months later he ran a fine marathon debut in Valencia, finishing seventh in 2:05:29. He went on to take the Daegu Marathon in South Korea in spring 2023 and was then selected for the World Championships. In very high temperatures Milkesa Mengesha, who grew up in Welega in western Ethiopia with six siblings, achieved a fine sixth place. 
This year Milkesa Mengesha has only competed twice. He was third at the Houston Half Marathon in January with 60:45 and then took sixth place in a 10k in Boulder, USA, in May.
 

JOSPHAT BOIT

  • KENYA
  • BIRTHDATE: 25.11.1995
  • PERSONAL BEST: 2:05:42 (Berlin, 2023)
  • ABBOTT WORLD MARATHON MAJORS:24.9.23, 13. BMW BERLIN-MARATHON, 2:05:42


ADDITIONAL MARATHONS:

DateMarathonResult
24.3.20241. Chongqing Marathon2:07:53
10.12.20232. Monterrey Marathon2:11:42
2.4.20233. Paris Marathon2:07:40
16.10.202210. Amsterdam Marathon2:06:34
18.4.2021Enschede MarathonDNF
7.4.20196. Rotterdam Marathon2:07:20

 

KARRIERE-ÜBERBLICK:

Josphat Boit returns once more to the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON, where he was successful in different roles. Back in 2018 he was a pacemaker for Eliud Kipchoge’s world record performance and last year he ran his personal record in Berlin. In spring 2023 Josphat Boit had the opportunity to compete in European road races. The Kenyan immediately showed a strong performance when he was third at Italy’s Verbania Half Marathon with 59:19. His second race in Europa was a 15k in Valencia in June, which he won with a quick 42:02. With this time he is the sixteenth fastest athlete ever over this distance, which is not a standard event. Having performed so well Josphat Boit became a pacemaker at the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON. Since the other two pacers dropped out much earlier than planned a lot depended on Boit. He did not disappoint and guided Eliud Kipchoge up to the 25k mark (1:12:24). Kenya’s superstar then carried on to break the world record with 2:01:39.  
Little over half a year later Josphat Boit ran his marathon debut in Rotterdam with a fine time of 2:07:20. There were very few opportunities for races during the Corona Pandemic. It was then in Amsterdam 2022 where Boit improved his PB to 2:06:34. At last year’s BMW BERLIN-MARATHON he made the next step with a time of 2:05:42. This spring Josphat Boit celebrated his first marathon victory: He won in Chongqing, China, with 2:07:53. 
 

DEJENE MEGERSA

  • ETHIOPIA
  • BIRTHDATE: 24.1.2005
  • PERSONAL BEST: 2:05:42 (Dubai, 2024)

MARATHONS:

DateMarathonResult
7.4.20248. Paris Marathon2:08:41
7.1.20243. Dubai Marathon2:05:42

 

CAREER OVERVIEW:

Dejene Megersa is a newcomer among Ethiopia’s marathon runners. Just 19 years old he already has a strong personal best of 2:05:42.
So far the youngster has only competed three times in international races. As a 17 year-old he ran the Great Ethiopian Run over 10k. Taking into account that he was only 17 he achieved a great 15th place and clocked 29:25. Without the disadvantage of running in high altitude he would have been considerably faster. A large number of Ethiopians top talents used the Dubai Marathon in the past years to kick start their careers. Although unknown in international road running Dejene Megersa got the opportunity to run in Dubai at the beginning of this year. At the age of 18 he achieved a superb third place and ran 2:05:42 on the extremely flat course. Exactly three months later he was eighth in the Paris Marathon with 2:08:41. Now Dejene Megersa could try to improve his personal best in Berlin.

 

OQBE RUESOM

Läufer Ruesom Oqbe © Photorun

  • ERITREA
  • BIRTHDATE: 1.1.1998
  • PERSONAL BEST: 2:05:51 (Barcelona, 2023)

ABBOTT WORLD MARATHON MAJORS:

DateWettkampfResult
27.8.2023World Championships, BudapestDNF
17.7.202216. World Championships, Eugene2:09:02
8.8.202135. Olympic Games, Sapporo / JPN2:16:57

ADDITIONAL MARATHONS:

DateMarathonResult
28.4.20246. Hamburg Marathon2:06:50
19.3.20234. Barcelona Marathon2:05:51
24.4.20223. Vienna Marathon2:07:25
28.11.20214. Florence Marathon2:11:49
6.12.202011. Valencia Marathon2:05:53
2.2.20209. Oita Marathon / JPN2:09:43
20.10.20198. Lisbon Marathon2:10:00

 

CAREER OVERVIEW:

Oqbe Ruesom - also known as Oqbe Kibrom - focussed on the marathon distance very early in his career. In spring 2023 he improved to 2:05:51 in Barcelona. With this performance he qualified for the Olympic Marathon. However he did not run in Paris and will instead compete at the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON. 
At the age of just 21 Oqbe Ruesom ran his debut in 2:10:00 at the 2019 Lisbon Marathon. A year later he progressed noticeably. On Valencia’s fast course he clocked 2:05:53. With this time he held the national record of Eritrea for a while and qualified for the 2021 Olympic marathon in Sapporo, Japan, where he was 35th.
In 2022 he showed convincing form with a third place in Vienna, where he was in the lead with little over 5k to go. He then placed 16th at the World Championships. His personal best in Barcelona followed in 2023. This spring Oqbe Ruesom ran a solid race at the Hamburg Marathon where he finished sixth with 2:06:50.

PERSONAL BACKGROUND:

As a youngster Oqbe Ruesom hoped for a career in cycling. But then he injured himself in a crash and started running afterwards. His manager is former Eritrean Tadesse Abraham who is the Swiss marathon record holder. 
 

JUSTUS KANGOGO

Läufer Kangogo Justus © Photorun

  • KENYA
  • BIRTHDATE: 10.10.1995
  • PERSONAL BEST: 2:05:57 (Berlin, 2023)
  • ABBOTT WORLD MARATHON MAJORS: 24.9.23, 15. BMW BERLIN-MARATHON, 2:05:57

ADDITIONAL MARATHONS:

DateMarathonResult
7.4.20248. Daegu Marathon2:08:45
7.5.20234. Prague Marathon2:07:40
19.3.2023Seoul MarathonDNF
20.3.20223. New Taipei City Marathon2:21:12
24.10.20212. Venezia Marathon2:13:34
17.11.201910. Shanghai Marathon2:16:28

 

CAREER OVERVIEW:

Justus Kangogo returns to the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON where he ran his best race at the classic distance so far. A year ago the Kenyan improved his personal best by almost two minutes to 2:05:57. 
As a 20 year-old he started his international career in 2025. For some time he mainly competed in half marathon races. Once he managed to break the one hour barrier: He was runner-up at the Rome-Ostia race in 2017 with 59:31. However the slightly downhill point to point course is not record illegible. A year later he ran 60:24 in Prag for seventh place. After a 2:16:28 marathon debut in Shanghai in 2019 he had to wait until spring 2023 before he finally achieved a sub 2:10 time (2:07:40 in Prague). Then he further improved in Berlin. This spring Justus Kangogo ran 2:08:45 in Daegu, South Korea. On the fast Berlin course another personal best will now probably be his goal.

 

CHALA REGASA

  • ETHIOPIA
  • BIRTHDATE: 30.4.1997
  • PERSONAL BEST: 2:06:11 (Rotterdam, 2023)


MARATHONS :

DateMarathonResult
21.4.20241. Wien Marathon2:06:35
16.4.20235. Rotterdam Marathon2:06:11

 

CAREER OVERVIEW:

Chala Regasa is among Ethiopia’s most promising road runners. His idol and training partner is Kenenisa Bekele while it was Eliud Kiochoge who inspired him to switch to the marathon. It would hardly be a surprise if Chala Regasa achieves a breakthrough in Berlin. He could well become one of Ethiopia’s next great marathon runners. At the beginning of his career he ran the 1,500 m but could not produce international top times. His PB stands at 3:34,57. Since he focused more on road races from 2019 onwards he became more successful. When Kenya’s superstar Eliud Kipchoge broke through the two hour barrier in Vienna in 2019 in a marathon that was not record eligible (1:59:40.2) Chala Regasa was among his pacemakers. „We made history on that day and in my whole life I will never forget that race and this great city. It was in this race when I saw what is possible in the marathon. After that experience I decided to turn to the marathon myself,“ said Chala Regasa. Due to the pandemic and an injury it took almost four years before he finally ran his debut. In 2022 he first ran a couple of strong half marathons. Regasa was second in Barcelona in his PB of 59:10 and then took the highly competitive New Delhi Half Marathon with 60:30. It was in Rotterdam in 2023 when he ran the marathon and finished fifth in a fine 2:06:11. Due to an injury he had to wait until this spring for his second marathon. He returned to Vienna and despite windy conditions he surged away from his rivals and won the Vienna City Marathon by over four minutes with 2:06:35. “Now my next goal is a 2:04 time in an autumn marathon,“ said Chala Regasa, who will now chase such a time at the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON.

PERSONAL BACKGROUND:

Chala Regasa who grew up in Ethiopia’s Oromia region. This is the area where a large number of Ethiopian world-class runners come from, among them Kenenisa Bekele. “I come from a village called Fitche. As a child I ran three kilometres to school in high altitude of around 2,900 to 3,000 metres. I then started training at the age of ten, inspired by my elder brother Solomon. He was a runner and helped me. And he also supported me financially,“ said Chala Regasa, whose parents are wheat farmers and also have cattle. “As a child I helped them on the farm,“ said Chala Regasa. For over two years now Regasa trains with the group of Kenenisa Bekele in Addis Abeba. “I wanted to join them and approached Kenenisa’s coach Geta Mesai,“ said Chala Regasa. “When we train together Kenenisa is still ahead of me. But I am closing the gap. My dream is to win major marathons in the future and to become Olympic champion. I know that I will have to run at least 2:02 to achieve this.“

 

STEPHEN KIPROP

  • Kenya
  • BIRTHDATE: 08.09.1999
  • PERSONAL BEST: 2:07:04 (Daegu/KOR, 2024)
  • ABBOTT WORLD MARATHON MAJORS: 28.4.2019, London Marathon, DNF 

MARATHONS :

DateMarathonResult
7.4.20241.Daegu Marathon, KOR2:07:04
3.12.202339. Valencia Marathon2:09:25
CAREER OVERVIEW:

Stephen Kiprop has established himself as a successful half marathon runner who has great potential for the marathon. He ran half a dozen sub 60:00 times since he started his international career in 2018. His biggest win so far came in Ras Al Khaimah (UAE) when he clocked 58:42 in 2019. At that time it was the fifth fasest ever at the distance and it remains his PB. Could not quite transform his potential to the marathon distance yet, but made a big step in April. He won the Daegu Marathon in Korea comfortably in 2:07:04.

PERSONAL BACKGROUND:

Stephen Kiprop comes from Kapngeny in Baringo (east of Eldoret). His parents are farmers and he has goats himself. Kiprop has a daughter and his motto is: „Train hard, win easy“.

TIGIST KETEMA

  • ETHIOPIA
  • BIRTHDATE: 15.9.1998
  • PERSONAL BEST: 2:16:07 (Dubai, 2024)
  • ABBOTT WORLD MARATHON MAJORS: 21.4.24, 7. London Marathon, 2:23:21
  • ADDITIONAL MARATHONS: 7.1.24, 1. Dubai Marathon, 2:16:07

CAREER OVERVIEW:

In Tigist Ketema the next former middle distance runner who ran a sensational marathon debut will come to the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON. Her prominent fellow-Ethiopian Tigst Assefa, a former 800 m runner, ran an unbelievable world record in Berlin last year (2:11:53). 
Tigist Ketema was third in the 800 m final at the World Junior Championships in 2016 and a year later became Africa’s Junior Champion. However her personal bests of 2:02.00  over 800m and 4:00.91 for 1,500m were not good enough to break through as a senior.
Instead of continuing on the track Tigist Ketema ran a sensational marathon debüt in Dubai this January: At the age of 25 she won the race with an unofficial world debut record of 2:16:07. So decisive was Ketema’s move with less than five kilometres to run that she ended up beating fellow-Ethiopian Ruti Aga - the two were in the lead together before - by over two minutes.
With only little time to rest in between she ran her second marathon in London in April with 2:23:21 for seventh place. With much more time for training Tigist Ketema could well cause another upset in Berlin.


PERSONAL BACKGROUND:

 “I was quite afraid of the distance before I raced a marathon, but at the end, I wondered why,” said Tigist Ketema after her Dubai victory. She trained for around one year to make the switch from middle distances to the marathon. Her coach in Addis Ababa is Gemedu Dedefo, who takes care of a group of world-class runners. World record holder Tigst Assefa, world champion Amane Beriso as well as former world champion Tamirat Tola are among the training partners of 26 year-old Ketema. “Judging by her training, I thought she could do 2:15, but I can’t be dissatisfied with what she has done,” said Gemedu Dedefo.

GENZEBE DIBABA

die Läüferin Dibaba Genzebe © Photorun

 

  • ETHIOPIA
  • BIRTHDATE: 8.2.1991
  • PERSONAL BEST: 2:18:05 (Amsterdam, 2022)

ABBOTT WORLD MARATHON MAJORS

DateMarathonResult
8.10.20236. Chicago Marathon2:21:47
23.4.2023London MarathonDNF
  • ADDITIONAL MARATHONS: 16.10.22, 2. Amsterdam Marathon, 2:18:05

CAREER OVERVIEW:

Genzebe Dibaba caused furor with an extraordinary series of results and world records over the middle and long distance track races around ten years ago. She broke half a dozen world records indoors - three of them within two weeks in 2014: Dibaba ran 3:55.17 for 1,500m, 8:16.60 for 3,000m and 9:00.48 over two miles, which is a non-standard event. A year later she smashed the 5,000 m indoor world record with 14:18.86. This mark still stands today and no other runner came even close.
In summer 2015 she sensationally broke the 22 year-old 1,500m world record of China’s Qu Yunxia (3:50.46). In Monte Carlo Genzebe Dibaba clocked 3:50,07. In the same year she became world champion in this event and in 2016 she took the Olympic Silver medal. At the World Indoor Championships she collected five gold medals: at 1,500m (2012, 2018) and 3,000m (2014, 2016, 2018). During the Corona Pandemic Genzebe Dibaba started focussing more on the roads. In December 2020 she won her half marathon debut in Valencia with 65:18, the fastest time of a debutant at that time.
It took almost two more years before Genzebe Dibaba ran her first marathon: She was runner-up in Amsterdam with a very strong 2:18:05. However she was not able to improve this time since then. In London she dropped out in 2023 and later that year she ran 2:21:47 in Chicago. Since then Genzebe Dibaba has not competed.
 

PERSONAL BACKGROUND:

Genzebe Dibaba comes from Bekoji, which is home to a number of world-class runners from Ethiopia - among them is Kenenisa Bekele. But Genzebe Dibaba had world-class in her own household. She is the younger sister of Ejegayehu Dibaba (second in the Olympic 10,000m final in 2004 and third in the World Championships 2005 at 5,000 and 10,000m) and of superstar Tirunesh Dibaba, who is a three-time Olympic Champion (5,000 and 10,000m in 2008 and 10,000 in 2012) and collected 16 World Championships’ gold medals. Tirunesh Dibaba was third at the 2018 BMW BERLIN-MARATHON with 2:18:55. Genzebe Dibaba was the 2014 Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year and in 2015 became the IAAF World Woman Athlete of the Year.

 

YEBRGUAL MELESE

Läuferin Melese Yebrgual © Photorun

 

  • ETHIOPIA
  • BIRTHDATE: 18.4.1990
  • PERSONAL BEST: 2:19:36 (Dubai, 2018)


ABBOTT WORLD MARATHON MAJORS:

DateMarathonResult
3.3.201911. Tokyo Marathon2:31:40
9.10.20165. Chicago Marathon2:24:49
11.10.20152. Chicago Marathon2:23:43


ADDITIONAL MARATHONS:

DateMarathonResult
17.3.20245. Seoul Marathon2:23:43
5.1.20205. Xiamen Marathon2:27:03
17.11.20191. Shanghai Marathon2:23:19
18.11.20182. Shanghai Marathon2:20:36
5.5.20182. Dongying Marathon2:27:47
26.1.20183. Dubai Marathon2:19:36
29.10.20172. Frankfurt Marathon2:24:30
9.4.20175. Paris Marathon2:22:51
20.1.20173. Dubai Marathon2:23:13
3.4.20165. Paris Marathon2:32:06
3.5.20151. Prague Marathon2:23:49
18.1.20151. Houston Marathon2:23:23
2.11.20141. Hangzhou Marathon2:32:47
6.7.20144. Brisbane Marathon2:32:49
6.4.20142. Paris Marathon2:26:21
24.1.201413. Dubai Marathon2:29:46
 
CAREER OVERVIEW:

Yebrgual Melese started a comeback this spring. The Ethiopian competed for a decade until 2020 and enjoyed international success. After a break of four years she now returned when she finished fifth with 2:23:43 at the Seoul Marathon. The 34 year-old will now run Berlin, probably aiming to come closer to her fastest times. The 50th BMW BERLIN-MARATHON will be her 20th marathon race.
Already at the start of her career in 2011 Yebrgual Melese focused on the road events. At first she mainly competed in half marathon where she has a PB of 68:21. As did many Ethiopian athletes she chose the extremely flat course of the Dubai Marathon for her debut in 2014 (2:29:46). Step by step she improved and in 2018 Melese finally broke the 2:20:00 barrier. The Ethiopian clocked 2:19:36 in Dubai, which remains her personal best.
Out of 19 marathon races Yebrgual Melese won five. Among them are Houston, Prague and Shanghai, where she triumphed twice and still holds the course record with 2:20:36.
 


MESTAWOT  FIKIR

  • ETHIOPIA
  • BIRTHDATE: 2.3.2000
  • PERSONAL BEST: 2:20:45 (Paris, 2024)
  • MARATHONS: 7.4.24, 1. Paris Marathon, 2:20:45 
CAREER OVERVIEW:

Mestawot Fikir is still a newcomer to international road running. It was around two years ago when she competed outside of Ethiopia for the first time, winning a 10 mile race in Brazil. In 2023 she ran her half marathon debut in Larne, Northern Ireland, and won with a strong time of 66:44. A few weeks later she also took the Cardiff Half Marathon (68:13). This was followed by fifths places in Boston 2023 and Houston 2024, where she clocked her second fastest half marathon time with 67:36.
In April Mestawot Fikir won her marathon debut as well. In the competitive Paris Marathon she crossed the line in a fine 2:20:45, taking the race by just three seconds. Since Paris is not a particularly fast course the 24 year-old will hope to improve her personal best on Berlin’s world record course.


AZMERA GEBRU

die Läuferin Gebru Azmera © Photorun

  • ETHIOPIA
  • BIRTHDATE: 31.10.1995
  • PERSONAL BEST: 2:20:48 (Amsterdam, 2019)
  • ABBOTT WORLD MARATHON MAJORS: 1.3.20, 6. Tokyo Marathon, 2:22:58

ADDITIONAL MARATHONS:

DateMarathonResult
18.2.20241. Sevilla Marathon2:22:13
19.3.20236. Barcelona Marathon2:24:58
5.12.20215. Valencia Marathon2:24:01
20.10.20193. Amsterdam Marathon2:20:48
14.4.20192. Paris Marathon2:22:52
21.10.20183. Amsterdam Marathon2:23:31
 
CAREER OVERVIEW:

Azmera Gebru’s career is somehow split in two parts. First she produced amazing results as a young teenager. She was just 14 years old when she managed to qualify for the World Junior Championships (under 20!) at 800 m. She was unlucky because she suffered of stomach problems and did not qualify from her heat. However in the following year she managed to qualify for another major competition in the under 20 category: Gebru took a sensational silver medal at the World Junior Cross Country Championships at the age of 15. She was narrowly beaten by Kenyan Faith Kipyegon, one of today’s superstars. 
In the following years Azmera Gebru mainly ran on the track and competed in major athletics meetings. But with personal bests of 4:08.39 for 1,500m and 14:57.38 for 5,000m there was no major breakthrough. She then joined the training group of Getamesay Molla, who coaches a number of top marathon runners in Addis Ababa. This was when the second part of her career started. From then on Azmera Gebru focused on road running. She ran a 70:40 half marathon in December 2017 in Valencia, which was followed by a break since she took care of her mother who was ill in her home in Tigray. When Gebru came back she ran a fine marathon debut in Amsterdam with 2:23:31 in autumn 2018. “I saw quickly that Azmera would be a very good marathon runner - she had the step, the strength and the endurance,“ said Getamesay Molla. 
In her seven marathon races Azmera Gebru has never been slower than 2:25:00. In 2019 she set her personal best in Amsterdam with 2:20:48. It was this year when she achieved her biggest career win so far, taking the Sevilla Marathon. Since her debut in 2018 Azmera Gebru has only competed in the marathon. 

PERSONAL BACKGROUND:

Azmera Gebru comes from Maychew, which is in Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region. Together with her six siblings she grew up on a farm. She regularly played football and that was when she realized that she could run very fast. A teacher then encouraged her to start athletics and she concentrated on sprinting 200 and 400m first. When she won the 400 and the 800m at a national competition for under 14 year-olds an athletics club from Addis Ababa took care of her. She moved to the capital where she lives and trains since. In her spare time Azmera Gebru likes listening to Ethiopian music and watches historic documentaries. 

 

SISAY GOLA

  • ETHIOPIA
  • BIRTHDATE: 30.12.1997
  • PERSONAL BEST: 2:20:50 (Sevilla, 2022)

ABBOTT WORLD MARATHON MAJORS: 

DateMarathonResult
25.9.20225. BMW BERLIN-MARATHON2:20:58
23.4.2023London MarathonDNF

ADDITIONAL MARATHONS:

DateMarathonResult
14.4.20247. Rotterdam Marathon2:25:27
15.10.20237. Amsterdam Marathon2:22:29
29.1.20232. Osaka Marathon2:22:12
20.2.20222. Sevilla Marathon2:20:50
7.11.20212. Barcelona Marathon2:24:09
11.4.202111. Siena Marathon2:28:30
17.11.20192. Kobe Marathon / Japan2:31:30
17.3.20192. Taipei Marathon / Taiwan2:34:51
21.10.201810. Amsterdam Marathon2:34:15
5.11.20172. Cannes Marathon2:36:38
10.9.20175. Taiyuan Marathon / Taiwan2:35:08
19.3.20176. Chongqing Marathon / China2:36:56
4.9.20161. Ulanqap Marathon / China2:43:04
12.5.20165. Yingkou Marathon / China2:52:27
 
CAREER OVERVIEW:

Sisay Gola returns to the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON, where she ran one of the best races of her career: Two years ago she was fifth here with 2:20:58, missing her PB by just eight seconds. 
Sisay Gola focused on the marathon and half marathon distance since the start of her career. As an 18 year-old she already ran her marathon debut in China but missed a top result with a time of 2:52:27. After a series of races in Asia in 2021 she finally managed a time under 2:30 (2:28:30) at an elite only race in Siena during the corona lockdown. She significantly improved in Seville 2022 where she ran her current PB of 2:20:50. Since then she achieved sub 2:23:00 times in three more marathons.
At the 2020 half marathon World Championships in Gdynia, Poland, Sisay Gola finished 15th with 69:02 which is still her personal best. 

 

ABABEL YESHANEH

  • ETHIOPIA
  • BIRTHDATE: 22.7.91
  • PERSONAL BEST: 2:20:51 (Chicago, 2019) 

ABBOTT WORLD MARATHON MAJORS:

DateMarathonResult
17.4.20234. Boston Marathon2:22:00
18.7.2022WM EugeneDNF
18.4.20222. Boston Marathon2:21:05
7.11.20213. New York City Marathon2:22:52
13.10.20192. Chicago Marathon2:20:51
3.3.20196. Tokyo Marathon2:24:02


ADDITIONAL MARATHONS:

DateMarathonResult
7.4.20133. Milano Marathon2:33:10
13.11.20116. Torino Marathon2:34:36

 

CAREER OVERVIEW:

Ababel Yeshaneh could be in for a surprise at the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON as she has the potential to significantly improve her PB of 2:20:51 and run well below 2:20:00. The 33 year-old Ethiopian was the world record holder in the half marathon for some time.
On the very flat course of the Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon Ababel Yeshaneh ran the best race of her career so far in 2020. In the United Arab Emirates she improved the half marathon record by 20 seconds and clocked 64:31. She beat a very strong field in this race. Little more than half a year later she was unlucky at the World Half Marathon Championships. Between 17 and 18k she was tripped by Kenya’s Peres Jepchirchir and fell to the ground. In the end she finished fifth. 
In the marathon she took the Abu Dhabi race in 2018 with 2:20:16. However the course turned out to be short so that her time was not officially listed. But she followed this up with a number of good races at Abbott World Marathon Major events in the past couple of years. She was second in Chicago with her PB of 2:20:51 when Kenya’s Brigid Kosgei broke the world record in 2019 with 2:14:04. Then she took third in New York (2021) as well as second and fourth in Boston (2022 and 2023). 
This year Ababel Yeshaneh, who is coached by former marathon runner Yerefu Birhanu (PB: 2:09:01) in Addis Ababa, has only run one race: At the Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon she was second with 65:44.

 

MIZUKI MATSUDA


Läuferin Matsuda Mizuki © Photorun

 

  • JAPAN
  • BIRTHDATE: 31.5.1995
  • PERSONAL BEST: 2:20:52 (Osaka, 2022)

ABBOTT WORLD MARATHON MAJORS: 

DateMarathonResult
26.8.202313. WM Budapest2:29:15
5.3.20236. Tokyo Marathon2:21:44
18.7.20229. WM Eugene2:23:49
15.9.20194. Tokyo Marathon2:29:51
16.9.20185. BMW BERLIN-MARATHON2:22:23


ADDITIONAL MARATHONS:

DateMarathonResult
28.1.20243. Osaka Marathon2:23:07
30.1.20221. Osaka Marathon2:20:52
14.3.20211. Nagoya Marathon2:21:51
26.1.20201. Osaka Marathon2:21:47
28.1.20181. Osaka Marathon2:22:44

CAREER OVERVIEW:

Mizuki Matsuda returns to the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON. She ran her second marathon here in 2018 when she finished fifth in a strong field with a personal best of 2:22:23. She has been very successful in her home country, where - despite the very strong competition - she won four of her seven marathons. Mizuki Matsuda won the Osaka Marathon three times and ran her current PB of 2:20:52 in this race in 2022.  She competed in the marathon for Japan at two World Championships: In Eugen she finished ninth in 2022 and a year later she was 13th in very high temperatures in Budapest. Matsuda was the bronze medallist over 10,000m at the Asian Championships in 2017.

 

FIKRTE WERETA

die Läuferin Fikrte Wereta © Norbert Wilhelmi

  • ETHIOPIA
  • BIRTHDATE: 21.9.2000
  • PERSONAL BEST: 2:21:32 (Seoul, 2024)
  • ABBOTT WORLD MARATHON MAJORS: 24.9.23, 10. BMW BERLIN-MARATHON, 2:23:01

ADDITIONAL MARATHONS:

DateMarathonResult
26.5.20243. Lanzhou Marathon2:27:30
17.3.20241. Seoul Marathon2:21:32
3.12.20231. Shenzhen Marathon2:22:07
2.4.20233. Paris Marathon2:23:22
12.2.20234. Dubai Marathon2:22:50
24.4.20222. Hamburg Marathon2:26:15

CAREER OVERVIEW:

Fikrte Wereta is an upcoming marathon runner from Ethiopia. Whiles never raced on the track or cross country internationally she fully focused on the half marathon and the marathon distances right from the start of her career. Her half marathon PB stands at a modest 71:40, but in the marathon she has been much more successful. 
After her marathon debut in Hamburg in 2022 she significantly improved in Dubai last year, where she ran 2:22:50. Fikrte Wereta was then tenth at the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON. This spring the 24 year-old produced her best race so far by winning the Seoul Marathon with a personal best of 2:21:32. A time of sub 2:20:00 could now be the target when she returns to Berlin.

 

AI HOSODA

  • JAPAN
  • BIRTHDATE: 27.11.1995
  • PERSONAL BEST: 2:21:42 (London, 2022)
     

ABBOTT WORLD MARATHON MAJORS:

DateMarathonResult
5.3.237. Tokyo Marathon2:22:08
2.10.229. London Marathon2:21:42

ADDITIONAL MARATHONS:

DateMarathonResult
15.10.233. Tokyo Marathon / Olympic Trial2:24:50
13.3.224. Nagoya Marathon2:24:26
8.3.208. Nagoya Marathon2:26:34
10.3.1918. Nagoya Marathon2:29:27

CAREER OVERVIEW:

Ai Hosoda competed in long distance track races before she ran her marathon debut in Nagoya 2019. She managed a time of sub 2:30:00 at her first attempt and then improved to 2:25:00 in her third marathon three years later. When she competed in Europe for the first time in autumn 2022 Ai Hosoda clocked 2:21:42 in London. This remains her personal best and is the fastest time ever run by a Japanese woman in the London Marathon. 
One year ago Ai Hosoda was third in the Japanese Olympic trial race in Tokyo. But it was not enough to get selected for Paris since the Japanese officials give the third place to the runner who is the fastest in a number of designated races. Ai Hosoda’s time was beaten and she then could not improve because of an injury. She was then selected as a reserve runner and trained for the Olympics. In fact one of the three selected Japanese runners could not compete in Paris, but neither could Ai Hosoda. The cancellation probably came too late.

 

ABERU AYANA

  • ETHIOPIA
  • BIRTHDATE: 17.9.2000
  • PERSONAL BEST: 2:21:54 (Sevilla, 2023)

ADDITIONAL MARATHONS:

DateMarathonResult
7.1.244. Xiamen Marathon2:27:00
8.10.231. Lisbon Marathon2:25:06
28.5.234. Ottawa Marathon2:30:58
19.2.232. Sevilla Marathon2:21:54
24.4.226. Madrid Marathon2:28:26
17.10.218. Paris Marathon2:28:26
30.5.218. Prague Marathon2:28:02
2:43:2012. Lagos Marathon, NGR2:43:20
29.9.193. Warsaw Marathon2:37:07
19.5.193. Copenhagen Marathon2:34:39
17.2.196. Sevilla Marathon2:28:49
11.11.181. Ravenna Marathon2:36:32

CAREER OVERVIEW:

Aberu Ayana has - at a young age of 24 - already run a dozen international marathons, some of them very competitive. The Ethiopian focused on long distance road races from the start of her career and she mostly runs marathons.  2023 was her strongest year so far. Aberu Ayana improved to 2:21:54 when she was runner-up at the Sevilla Marathon, then she took fourth place in Ottawa and in the autumn she achieved her biggest career win so far: Ayana took the Lisbon Marathon with 2:25:06.
This year she ran two races in China: Aberu Ayana was fourth at the Xiamen Marathon and then improved her half marathon PB to 70:02 in Yangzhou where she was fifth. She will run an Abbott World Marathon Majors race for the first time in Berlin.

 

TADU TESHOME

 

  • ETHIOPIA
  • BIRTHDATE: 9.6.2001
  • PERSONAL BEST: 2:17:36 (Valencia, 2022)

ABBOTT WORLD MARATHON MAJORS: 

DateMarathonResult
8.10.235. Chicago Marathon2:20:04
23.4.238. London Marathon2:21:31

 

ADDITIONAL MARATHONS:

DateMarathonResult
26.11.236. Shanghai Marathon2:25:05
4.12.224. Valencia Marathon2:17:36
5.3.221. Riyadh Marathon (KSA)2:26:38
7.11.211. Barcelona Marathon2:23:53

CAREER OVERVIEW:

Tadu Teshome began her international career as a 17 year-old in South Africa. She competed for the Nedbank Running Club in a 10k series in 2019.  Out of eight races she won once and finished runner-up in four others. She never finished lower than fourth place. She competed in South Africa again in 2021 and then ran her marathon debut in Barcelona. As a 20 year-old she won the race with 2:23:53.

While Tadu Teshome continued to run in South Africa her best results came in Europe in 2022. First she took the Copenhagen Half Marathon with 66:13 Minuten, then she clocked a world-class time of 2:17:36 in Valencia. Despite good performances in London (8th) and Chicago (5th) in 2023 she has not yet produced a second sub 2:20 result. This could be her aim at the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON. Tadu Teshome has not run a marathon earlier this year. But the 23 year-old clocked a PB at 10k in Durban with 31:13 in June.


PERSONAL BACKGROUND:

Tadu Teshome grew up in Ethiopia’s Sidama region. As reported by African and international media she almost lost a leg at the age of seven when she was badly injured during a storm. The hut where she was sleeping was partly destroyed and she was swept away and washed into a wood. She was critically injured and doctors intended to amputate a leg to save her. However her mother stopped this from happening and she eventually recovered.

HENDRIK PFEIFFER
 

  • TK HANNOVER / GERMANY
  • 18.3.1993
  • BESTZEIT: 2:07:14 (Houston, 2024)


ABBOTT WORLD MARATHON MAJORS:

DateMarathonResult
21.4.247. London Marathon2:10:00
5.11.2312. New York Marathon2:12:53
24.9.2320. BMW BERLIN-MARATHON2:08:48
17.4.2316. Boston Marathon2:12:22
6.11.2216. New York Marathon2:22:45
8.8.2149. Olympia-Marathon, Sapporo (JPN)2:20:43


ADDITIONAL MARATHONS: 

DateMarathonResult
14.1.243. Houston Marathon2:07:14
30.10.227. Frankfurt Marathon2:11:28
2.10.222. Köln Marathon (Pacemaker)2:16:26
15.8.2224. EM München2:16:04
3.4.221. Hannover Marathon2:10:59
23.2.2028. Sevilla Marathon2:10:18
13.10.191. Köln Marathon2:15:19
1.10.171. Köln Marathon2:13:42
24.4.163. Düsseldorf Marathon2:13:11

 

CAREER OVERVIEW::

Hendrik Pfeiffer specialized in the marathon early. In 2016 he finished his first ever marathon in Düsseldorf in sensational style, running  2:13:11 which was just enough to qualify for the Olympic Games in Rio. Due to serious heel injuries the dream to start at the Olympic Games had to wait. He missed the 2018 European Championships in Berlin as well. After two surgeries Hendrik Pfeiffer made his comeback in 2020. In Sevilla he ran his personal best in 2:10:18 which was enough to qualify for the 2021 Olympic Games in Japan. In Sapporo, host of the Olympic Marathon races, he finished 50th.
By winning the Hannover Marathon in 2022 in 2:10:59 Hendrik Pfeiffer achieved his biggest career victory so far. Following that he won the silver medal with the German team at the European Championships in Munich despite being diagnosed with Covid-19 in the build up to the event. In autumn he ran three additional marathons, but two of them were not serious. Hendrik Pfeiffer made a significant step a year ago at the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON: He ran sub 2:10 for the first time and improved to 2:08:48. Since this was not fast enough to qualify for the Olympic Games he made another attempt in January 2024, but had run the New York Marathon as well in between. In an amazing race in Houston he took third in 2:07:14 without pacemakers. Pfeiffer had to push the pace himself at the front for most of the distance and then missed Germany’s third Olympic spot by an annoying ten seconds. In April he showed another fine performance, when he was seventh in London with 2:10:00. It was the best result by a German in London’s men’s race since 1988. Only Christoph Herle has ever achieved a better rank in London, when he was fourth in 1985.


PERSONAL BACKGROUND:

Hendrik Pfeiffer first played football and as a left winger was tested in training by famous German club Schalke 04. However at the age of 14 they told him that he had too much weight and should go running first. That was how Hendrik Pfeiffer started with the sport. Later Pfeiffer, who studies Journalism, competed for TV Wattenscheid and since 2023 for TK Hannover. He is now self coached but still gets advice from his former coach Tono Kirschbaum. Hendrik Pfeiffer is married to long distance runner Esther Pfeiffer (maiden name: Jacobitz) and supports her in training. She improved significantly this year and placed 18th in the half marathon at the European Championships in Rome this June (Hendrik Pfeiffer finished 34th in the men’s race).

 

FILIMON ABRAHAM
 

  • LG Telis Finanz Regensburg / GERMANY
  • 9.11.1992 
  • BESTZEIT: 2:08:22 (Barcelona, 2023)

MARATHONS: 

DateMarathon Result
19.3.2310. Barcelona Marathon2:08:22
30.10.22Frankfurt MarathonDNF
24.4.22Hamburg MarathonDNF

 

CAREER OVERVIEW::

Filimon Abraham’s marathon career has not really got going yet. He did not finish his first two races, then he surprised with a 2:08:22 in Barcelona in spring 2023. At that time he became the second fastest German ever. But because of an injury he could not run a marathon since then. In winter 2022 he improved his half marathon PB to 62:35, but then dropped out of the Hamburg Marathon due to muscle problems after 34k. For his second attempt in Frankfurt he had prepared in Addis Ababa for seven weeks, joining the strong group of coach Tessema Abshero. But he caught a cold in Frankfurt and dropped out after the 30k mark. In December 2022 he came back with a strong fifth place at the European Cross Country Championships near Milan. For Christmas he travelled to Eritrea and was able to see his parents for the first time since he fled nine years earlier. In January he returned to Eritrea for high altitude training in heights of 2,400 m. Then he ran 2:08:22 in Barcelona. An injury stopped him from further attempts to qualify for the Olympic Games. After seven months without races he was able to return to competition this year. In May Filimon Abraham improved to 27:48.82 in the 10,000 m and in June he was 22nd in the half marathon of the European Championships in Rome (63:09).


PERSONAL BACKGROUND:

Filimon Abraham grew up in Eritrea. As a child he was interested in cycling, which is very popular there. „But financially it was not possible to start cycling. I could not afford to buy a bike,“ said Filimon Abraham, who followed the careers of Haile Gebrselassie and Eritrea’s Zersenay Tadese in TV and papers. Tadesse won the World Half Marathon Championships five times and was World Cross Country Champion. “It was a dream to become as successful as they were. They are still my idols today.“ In 2014 Filimon Abraham fled from Eritrea. Coming through Sudan and Libya he crossed the Mediterranean Sea to Italy. After eight month he arrived at a refugee centre in Chiemgau, Bavaria. While he had started running in Eritrea it was in Germany where his actual career started. “The sport has helped me with integration,“ said Filimon Abraham, who became a German citizen in 2020. He first did a training to become a carpenter and then started working as an electrician. Abraham also like mountain running.
 

HAFTOM WELDAY
 

  • TB Hamburg Eilbeck / GERMANY
  • 13.3.1990
  • BESTZEIT: 2:08:24 (Valencia, 2023)

ABBOTT WORLD MARATHON MAJORS: Marathon 

DateMarathonResult
27.8.2314. WM Budapest2:11:25
25.9.2211. BMW BERLIN-MARATHON2:09:06
26.9.2113. BMW BERLIN-MARATHON2:13:47


ADDITIONAL  MARATHONS: 

DateMarathonResult
18.2.2421. Sevilla Marathon2:08:29
3.12.2330. Valencia Marathon2:08:24
23.4.238. Hamburg Marathon2:09:40


CAREER OVERVIEW::

When running events started to come back in 2021 after the Corona lockdowns Haftom Welday achieved a breakthrough in Berlin. First he improved by over four minutes in the half marathon (62:47), then he ran a 2:13:47 debut at the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON. One year later he improved his marathon PB significantly in Berlin, running 2:09:06. At that time he was number six on the German alltime list. Welday was selected for the World Championships’ marathon in Budapest in 2023. In hot weather conditions he achieved a fine 14th place and was the fastest German. However despite improving to 2:08:24 in Valencia later in the year he did not manage to qualify for the Olympic Games. A sub 2:07:05 would have been necessary to snatch the third German spot.  This year Haftom Welday showed good form again: He ran 2:08:29 in Sevilla and tied his half marathon PB in Hamburg in June.


PERSONAL BACKGROUND:

Haftom Welday had Eritrean citizenship but grew up in Ethiopia’s Tigray region. “I liked to play football and was not fond of running at all“, recalled Haftom Welday, who fled the region in 2014. Coming through the Sahara and then crossing the Mediterranean Sea he arrived in Germany and lived in Pattensen near Hannover. “I realised that I was able to run fast when I had to run three kilometres to catch a bus. Then I did the Deutsches Sportabzeichen (a popular German sporting test) and Friedrich Weber, who recorded my performances, spotted my talent and supported me. At that time I was 25,“ reports Haftom Welday on his website. At the end of 2021 Haftom Welday moved to Hamburg together with his wife and the three children. In 2022 he received German citizenship. His dream is to run the marathon at the Olympic Games.
 

SEBASTIAN HENDEL<
 

  • LG Braunschweig / GERMANY
  • 1.12.1995
  • BESTZEIT: 2:08:51 (Hamburg, 2024)

MARATHONS: 

DateMarathon Result
28.4.2410. Hamburg Marathon2:08:51
8.10.235. München Marathon2:10:14
23.4.239. Wien Marathon2:11:29
9.10.224. München Marathon2:10:37

 

CAREER OVERVIEW::

Sebastian Hendel’s strengths clearly are the long distance road events. The 28 year-old showed his best performances so far in the half marathon and the marathon. But originally he ran middle and long distances on the track. For some years now his focus is on the roads. Running his debut at the distance he took second place at the 2021 German half marathon championships in Hamburg with 62:28. It took over a year before he then ran his first marathon in Munich with 2:10:37. In spring 2023 Sebastian Hendel improved to 61:52 at the GENERALI BERLIN HALF MARATHON. Later that year he returned to the Munich Marathon and clocked 2:10:14. He was unlucky since the leading group was misled and had to turn back. Otherwise he would have broken 2:10:00 in that race. He did manage to run well under that mark when he ran the Hamburg Marathon this spring. With 2:08:51 he moved up to ninth place in the German alltime list.


PERSONAL BACKGROUND:

Sebastian Hendel started running in an athletics club at a young age. But it was only when his father Udo Hendel took over coaching him that he prospered. At local and then regional level he started winning track, cross country and road championship races. After completing his A levels in 2014 he received a scholarship for sport at New York’s Iona College. There he met his future wife, Croatia’s long distance runner Kristina Bozic. Before their son was born in October 2016 they stopped their scholarships in New York. Since then the family lives near Zwickau, Germany. Kristina Hendel has a marathon PB of 2:27:29 and competes for Germany since 2022.
 

JOHANNES MOTSCHMANN
 

  • SCC Berlin 
  • 3.8.1994
  • BESTZEIT: 2:10:39 (London 2024)

ABBOTT WORLD MARATHON MAJORS:  

DateMarathonResult
21.4.249. London Marathon2:10:39
27.8.2325. WM Budapest2:14:19
5.3.2333. Tokio Marathon2:11:30
25.9.2224. BMW BERLIN-MARATHON2:14:02

 

ADDITIONAL MARATHONS:

DateVeranstaltungResult
15.8.2216. EM München2:14:52
24.4.2224. Hamburg Marathon2:17:08
24.10.2111. Rotterdam Marathon2:12:18
13.12.202. Offene österr. Meisterschaften, Wien2:14:38

 

CAREER OVERVIEW::

A personal best of 2:10:39 and a ninth place at the London Marathon this spring should give Johannes Motschmann plenty of confidence for the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON. Only three other German runners achieved a better place in the history of London’s men’s race. In Berlin the time goal will be to run sub 2:10. He has been in high altitude training in St Moritz for four weeks in the build-up to Berlin. Johannes Motschmann came to Berlin in 2019 and joined the team of race organiser SCC EVENTS, the Marathon Team Berlin. The former steeple chaser (PB: 8:33,12) ran a fine 2:14:38 marathon debut in December 2022 when he was second at the Austrian marathon championships in Vienna, where international competitors were accepted despite the pandemic. He continued on the roads and improved to 2:12:18 in Rotterdam. With this time he qualified for the European Championships in Munich, where he took 16th place. With the German marathon team he won a silver medal in the team competition (European Marathon Cup). Johannes Motschmann, who has a 61:45 half marathon PB, improved to 2:11:30 at the Tokyo Marathon 2023. He was then selected for the World Championships. In very high temperatures he was 25th at these championships in Budapest in the summer. 

PERSONAL BACKGROUND:

Johannes Motschmann comes from Magdeburg and studied psychology at New York’s Iona College for five years after receiving a sports scholarship. He then started studying medicine in Bochum, Western Germany. However at the moment running is his priority. Johannes Motschmann is self-coached. The places he spends most time during the year are Berlin and Blacksburg in Virgina, USA, where his girl friend studies.

MELAT KEJETA

Läuferin Kejeta Melat Sailer © Photorun

  • LAUFTEAM KASSEL / GERMANY
  • BIRTHDATE: 27.9.1992
  • PERSONAL BEST: 2:21:47 (Dubai, 2024)

ABBOTT WORLD MARATHON MAJORS: 

DateMarathonResult
11.8.24Olympia-Marathon, ParisDNF
7.8.216. Olympia-Marathon, Sapporo (JPN)2:29:16
29.9.196. BMW BERLIN-MARATHON2:23:57

ADDITIONAL MARATHONS: 

DateMarathonResult
7.1.244. Dubai Marathon2:21:47
3.12.23Valencia MarathonDNF
26.8.2311. WM-Marathon, Budapest2:29:04
28.5.233. Ottawa Marathon2:27:51
 
CAREER OVERVIEW:
 

Melat Kejeta has been Germany’s most successful road runner for the past couple of years. In the marathon she is among Europe’s strongest athletes. With her 2:21:47 PB she is Germany’s number two behind national record holder Irina Mikitenko (2:19:19). She won the BERLIN HALF MARATHON in 2018 with 69:04 and then ran a very good marathon debut in 2019. At the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON she placed sixth with 2:23:57 which remains the fastest debut time by a German woman. In 2020 Melat Kejeta won a sensational silver medal at the World Half Marathon Championships in Gdynia, Poland. Clocking 65:18 she broke the 25 year-old German record from Uta Pippig (67:58) and established a European women only record. Melat Kejeta became the first European woman for twelve years to win a medal at the World Half Marathon Championships.In what was only her second marathon she finished sixth at the Olympic race in Sapporo, Japan, in 2021. This was the best result by a German woman since Katrin Dörre-Heinig was fourth in 1996 in Atlanta.

After maternity leave Melat Kejeta came back in 2023 and qualified for the World Championships in Budapest. She achieved a fine eleventh place in a heat race. In October she ran 66:25 at the Valencia Half Marathon, but in the marathon in the same city she did not finish in December. Melat Kejeta bounced back quickly, when she was fourth in Dubai just a month later. Running her PB of 2:21:47 she qualified for the Olympic marathon. In spring Kejeta was third at the GENERALI BERLIN HALF MARATHON (67:26) and then finished fifth in the European Championships’ half marathon in Rome.

She was unlucky at the Olympic Games in August, when she dropped out of the marathon early due to stomach problems. Melat Kejeta now wants to bounce back in Berlin and targets a personal best. If she feels good during the race a sub 2:20:00 time will be a goal and she might then even attack the German record, which Irina Mikitenko established in Berlin in 2008 (2:19:19).


PERSONAL BACKGROUND:

Melat Kejeta is originally from Ethiopia and came to Germany as a refugee. The late German national marathon coach Winfried Aufenanger took care of her and guided her into international class. In spring 2019 Melat Kejeta received German citizenship.

Melat Kejeta lives with her two year-old daughter near Kassel and is a single mother. The wife of her late coach, Brigitte Aufenanger, supports her. Usually Melat Kejeta takes her daughter with her when she travels to Kenya or Ethiopia for high altitude training.She then hires a nanny and joins strong training groups in Iten, Kenya, or Addis Ababa. 
 

Category wheelchair and handbike race

The start of the wheelchair racers and handbikers shortly before the impressive starting field of over 50,000 runners will be one of the very special highlights of the marathon weekend. High speed and top times can be expected when the top-class athletes set off on the classic distance of 42.195 kilometres.
Some old acquaintances will also be back at the start for the anniversary. Last year's winner Catherine Debrunner from Switzerland won the New York City Marathon in November 2023 with a course record, then followed this up with further triumphs at the TCS London Marathon in April this year and at the Paralympics in Paris and is also aiming to be the fastest at the anniversary in Berlin. Her compatriot Manuela Schär, the six-time BMW BERLIN-MARATHON winner, will try to challenge her for victory. Spectators can look forward to an exciting duel.
For the exceptional Swiss athlete Marcel Hug, Berlin has become something of a home track. For the exceptional Swiss athlete Marcel Hug, Berlin has become something of a home track. The wheelchair racing pro from Pfyn in Switzerland has dominated the races in the Abbott World Marathon Majors series for several years now, won the Paralympics this year and is the clear favourite for the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON. He will be joined at the start by David Weir and Jetze Plat, who will be trying to keep their noses in front. It promises to be an exciting race before the runners take to the course at 9.15am.
Two legends of the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON are among the handbike favourites in the men's race: the Swiss Heinz Frei (66), one of the world's best racing wheelchair racers for many years, won twenty times in the racing wheelchair category between 1985 and 2013 before switching to the handbike in 2021 after several top 10 finishes. Berlin-born Vico Merklein (47) has regularly finished in the top places since 2006, winning six times between 2010 and 2018. A year ago, Merklein was third and Frei fourth. Last year's winner Julia Dierkesmann and the 2022 winner Katrin Möller (2023 runner-up) and Yvonne Pijahn (2022 runner-up) are among the favourites to win the women's race. 
 

Tops Handbiker Men
First nameLast nameCountry
HeinzFreiSUI
VicoMerkleinGER
DanielUlmannGER
MichaelJørgensenDNK
JohannesHänleGER
CornelVilligerSUI
JohannesHerterGER
LeckLo-EriksenDNK
ZbynekSvehlaCZE
ÖivindSlettenNOR
 
Tops Handbiker Women
First nameLast nameCountry
JuliaDierkesmannGER
KatrinMöllerGER
YvonnePijahnGER
FrancescaPorcellatoITA
AnneVosgerauGER
MeggieGayFRA
MelanieHelwegNED

 

Tops  wheelchair men
First nameLast nameCountry
MarcelHugSUI
DavidWeirGBR
JetzePlatNED
MichaelMcCabeGBR
JohnboySmithGBR
ShoWatanabeJPN
SeanFrameGBR
HirokiNishidaJPN
JordiMadera JimenezESP
LudwigMalterAUT

 

Tops  wheelchair women
First nameLast nameCountry
CatherineDebrunnerSUI
ManuelaSchärSUI
SusannahScaroniUSA
EdenRainbow CooperGBR
TatyanaMcFaddenUSA
Alinedos Santos RochaBRA
PatriciaEachusSUI
MerleMenjeGER
ChristieDawesAUS
Nikitaden BoerNED

Marcel Hug, SUI

Foto von Marcel Hug © SCCEVENTS/ Petko Beier

  • 16.1.1986
  • Best: 1:17:47 (Oita, JPN 2021)

Hug is the most successful male wheelchair marathon athlete of modern times. Hug was born with spina bifida and grew up on a farm in Pfyn, Thurgau, Switzerland. He is the youngest of four brothers and started competing at 10. Nicknamed the „Silver Bullet“ due to his helmet. He won eight times in Berlin (since 2011), additionally he achieved 24 wins at the other AbbottWMM marathons (Tokyo, Boston, London, Chicago, New York City) - all of these 32 victories happened between2011 and 2023.


David Weir, GBR

  • 5. 6. 1979
  • Best: 1:26:17 (Berlin 2018)

Weir became the most successful elite athlete in the history of the London Marathon when he clinched his eigth men’s wheelchair title in 2018. He was born with a severed spinal cord and  took up the sport aged eight. Weir has two  daughters, Ronie and Tillia Grace, and two sons, Mason and Lenny.


Jetze Plat NED

  • 10. 6. 1991
  • Bestzeit: 1:29:06 (Berlin 2022)

Jetze Plat was born with two stunted legs. In 1995, Plat started using a handcycle, to cycle to school. Later he started practising the sport para-cycling. Since 2013 he is coached by Guido Vroemen. He won the paratriathlon events at the Paralympics in Rio (2016), Tokio (2021) and Paris 2024 and was one of the flag bearers for the Netherlands during the opening ceremony of the 2020 Summer Paralympics. Plat won the handcycling marathon at the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON four times between 2014 and 2019, in 2015 he came in 2nd. In his first attempt in the wheelchair category he placed 4th at the 2022 BMW BERLIN-MARATHON.


Catherine Debrunner SUI

Foto von Catherine Debrunner © SCCEVENTS Jean-Marc Wiesner

  • 11.4.1995
  • Best:  1:34:16 (Berlin 2023)

Switzerland's Catherine Debrunner is currently the most successful wheelchair racing athlete in the world. She has been active since 2005 and was primarily successful on the track until a few years ago, before competing on the marathon course for the first time two years ago and winning at her first attempt. That was at the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON 2022, where she beat her compatriot and serial winner Manuela Schär and American Susannah Scaroni in the final sprint. A few weeks later, she also won the New York City Marathon. Last year, she repeated her Berlin victory in impressive style, setting a world record of 1:34:16 in the process.
At the Paris 2024 Paralympics, she was one of the most successful medallists of all nations: Five golds and one silver (100m) over distances from 100 to 5,000m on the track and in the marathon.

Catherine Debrunner comes from the canton of Thurgau and has been confined to a wheelchair since birth due to a tumour on her spine. However, she did not let this restrict her and enjoyed outdoor exercise from an early age. As a 7-year-old, she attended a sports camp for children and young people in Nottwil, where she was able to try out a wide variety of sports. It was at this camp that she met the coach Paul Odermatt, who also advises the world-class para-athlete Marcel Hug. Odermatt invited her to an athletics training session in Frauenfeld, where she sat in a racing wheelchair for the first time. In 2006, she competed in her first Junior World Championships in Ireland. Two years later, she made her breakthrough at the Junior World Championships in New York. She won five gold medals and was recognised as the athlete with the greatest potential. She also trained as a teacher.

In 2013, she competed in her first elite world championships in Lyon. Three fifth places showed her that she had arrived at the top of the world. In 2015, she graduated from high school and qualified for the World Championships in Doha at the end of October. In 2016, she went back to school to complete the last two years of her training at the teacher training college. During this time, Catherine Debrunner put her sporting career on the back burner and did not compete in any races until 2018. She moved to central Switzerland in order to catch up with the world's top athletes, as she found the best training conditions in Nottwil. In addition to training, she also taught a first grade class at a primary school on a part-time basis.

At the 2019 Para World Championships in Dubai, Catherine Debrunner impressively showed that she had found her way back to the top of the world. She won the 400m by a clear margin, securing the first Elite World Championship title of her career. She also proved her excellent form in the other competitions, winning silver in the 800m. At the 2021 Paralympics in Tokyo, she took bronze in the 800m and gold in the 400m.

Catherine Debrunner has been a professional athlete since 2022 and usually trains abroad with Dutch coach Arno Mul. As para-athletics has become very professionalised, it is becoming less and less possible to keep up with the world's best and pursue a profession on the side. The teacher has therefore been focussing solely on top-class sport since 2022, also training for long distances and returning home from her first marathons in Berlin and London with two victories. At the ParAthletics in Nottwil 2022, the Thurgau native then set one world record after another. Since winning her marathon debut in Berlin in 2022, marathon victories have only gone past her. She is therefore the number one favourite to win the 50th BMW BERLIN-MARATHON.


Manuela Schär, SUI

  • 5.12.1984
  • Best: 1:38:07 (Oita JPN 2013)

Schär won the world para marathon title in 2013 and became the joint official world record holder when she clocked 1:38:07 in Oita later that year. Schär won three AWMM series since 2017 and is currently leading the 2024 series with 65 pts. Catherine Debrunner is a distant third (25) leading  Susannah Scaroni on 4th place (17). All three are competing in Berlin this year.

Manuela Schär grew up in Altishofen with her brother, Ivo, and parents, Elisabeth and Ireno. She was injured in an accident in 1993 and started wheelchair sport in 1998 aged 14. She lives in Lucerne where she was born and is an ambassador for Right To Play Switzerland which helps children in disadvantaged countries take part in sport. She leads the 2024 AbbottWMM wheelchair series having scored 65 points so far leading Catherine Debrunner of Switzerland on 3rd place (25) and Susannah Scaroni (USA) with 17 points on 4th place. All three are expected at the starting line of this year´s BMW BERLIN-MARATHON.


Susannah Scaroni, USA

  • 16.5.1991
  • Best: 1:33:17 Boston

Since her first marathon in Chicago in 2011, Susannah Scaroni has consistently finished in the top 10 in the world’s major races, and has made the medal podium 14 times. She placed second in the 2024 Paris Paralympics Marathon as well as in the 5,000 metres on the track.
Scaroni comes from Tekoa in Washington state. She was injured in a car accident aged five and took up wheelchair racing in 2002 aged 11. She joined the University of Illinois wheelchair racing team in 2012 and is coached by Adam Bleakney. She graduated in dietetics in May 2014 and has two brothers and one sister.
 

PRIZE MONEY Racing wheelchair - Men and women T53/T54
  • 1st place 10.000 €
  • 2nd place 5.000 €
  • 3rd place € 3,000
  • 4th place € 2,000
  • 5th place € 1,500
  • 6th place 1,000
Wheelchair T51/T52
  • 1st place 700€

PRIZE MONEY Handbike - Men and women

  • 1st place €2,000
  • 2nd place €1,500
  • 3rd place € 1,000
Bonus for a track record
  • 500 €
Additional bonus for three categories Handbike MH4, MH3 and MH1/MH2
  • 1st place 500 €
  • 2nd place 300 €
  • 3rd place 200 €

All information without guarantee. 
 

Here you can find the list of previous wheelchair winners (men) in Berlin.

Wheelchair winners (men) in 2023
NameCountryResult
Hug MarcelSUI1:23:07
Daniel RomanchukUSA1:30:16
David WeirGBR1:30:17

 

Here you can find the list of previous wheelchair winners (women) in Berlin.

Wheelchair winners (women) in 2023 
NameCountryResult
Catherine DebrunnerSUI1:34:16
Eden Rainbow CooperGBR1:34:17
Manuela SchärSUI1:34:17

The Course

Start
SCC Berlin

5-km-Erfrischungspunkt:
„Zur Ruderer-Schänke“
Ruder-Club Tegel
Markus Hardt, Tobias Lohr

9-km-Versorgungspunkt:
FV Freizeitsport e.V.
Lutz Berthold, Birgit Berthold

12-km-Erfrischungspunkt:
THW Jugend
Sascha Barnewske

15-km-Versorgungspunkt:
Berliner Schwimmverband – Jugend
Manuela Krause, Jürgen Preuß

17,5-km-Erfrischungspunkt:
IBM-Klub Berlin e.V.
Holmer Jankowski, Holger Werner

20-km-Versorgungspunkt:
Konstanze Krumpholz, Anne Scholz

22,5-km-Erfrischungspunkt:
Berliner Jugendfeuerwehr
Nils Matylewicz

25-km-Versorgungspunkt:
Sportstudio Nippon
Carla Sparmann, Esther Buchwald

27,5-km-Erfrischungspunkt:
LG Süd Berlin
Maximilian Totel, Sarah Wagner

30-km-Versorgungspunkt:
Reino Bangel, Andreas Knoll

32,5-km-Erfrischungspunkt:
TÜV Rheinland Akademie Berlin
Melanie Balzer

34,5-km-Erfrischungspunkt:
"Knackpunkt"/ Nordberliner Lauffreunde
Jörg Busche, Christian Meier

36-km-Versorgungspunkt:
LAC Berlin
Stefan Bauer

38-km-Erfrischungspunkt:
LC Cottbus
Roland Füßler, Kerstin Füßler

40-km-Erfrischungspunkt:
„Zur letzten Tränke“ / SCC-Langstreckler
Karsten Kupsch

Ziel:
ABC Zentrum Berlin
Kai-Thomas Arndt
Denise Thunich

Versorgungspunkte Inlineskating:

6 / 13 / 20 / 27 / 34 km: Motor Eberswalde
Detlef Mierig

Here you read information about the Blue Line.

PlacekmMusic group / Cheering Points
Sunday 29.09.2024
Kanzleramt Moltke-Brücke6Wasabi Daiko
Reinhardtstraße vor Albrechtstraße8Hastetöne
Friedrichstadtpalast8Cheering Point EY
Friedrichstrasse / Oranienburger Str.8die Tiere
Torstrasse8DJ
Torstraße / Novalisstraße8,5Klossek Trio
Tor - / Gormannstrasse9Foobirds
Torstrasse 3210Henrich Jazz Quartett
Torstrasse / Prenzlauer Allee10,5Rosa-Luxemburg-Gymnasium
Mollstrasse / Ecke Otto-Braun11Afro Cuban Conga Family
Strausberger Platz12Antenne Brandenburg WANDA
Lichtenberger Straße nach Singerstraße12,5Just mad
Holzmarktstrasse 15-1712,5Jennifer Wilde Band & DJ Richi
Michaelkirchstraße 100 m nach Brücke13Trommelzentrum
Heinrich-Heine-Strasse / Köpenicker Str.13Jam Combo
Moritzplatz14Peanuts
Kottbusser Brücke15Terra Brasilis
Kottbusser Damm 1415Kameleon
Boppstraße / Kottbusser Damm15Kapitzki
Kottbusser Damm 2416Elektromann
Herrmannplatz16Usambaras
Hasenheide 9 / ggb Neue Welt16Savoy Satellites
Hasenheide / Fichtestraße17Jazzquartett M & M
Hasenheide Südstern18Blackmail
Gneisenaustrasse 6018Südamerikanisch Folk
Gneisenaustr. / Baerwaldstraße18HeartBeaters
Gneisenaustr. / Schleiermacher Str18Green Igelz / Capoeira Akademie
Gneisenaustr. 96 nach Solmsstraße18Juanita Lalo & Frinds
Gneisenaustr. 108 nach Nostizstr.18Julian Erdem Trio
Mehringdamm18Samba Bloco Exposao
Yorckbrücken20Ukaja
Yorckbrücken - Tankstelle20Jante be
Yorckbrücken 100m nach U-Bhf vor Goeben20Thats Us
Goebenstraße21Dreimalschwarzerkater
Goeben / Postdamer Straße21,1Cheering Point Abbott
Potsdamer Straße Kontrollratsgebäude21Pumping Air
Kleistpark / Potsdamer Strasse21Tamborada
Grunewaldstraße 6-722Leo Kestenberg Musikschule
Grunewaldstraße 8922DJ
Grunewaldstrasse / Apostel-Paulus22Cortejo Baiano
Grunewaldstraße / Klixstraße22Damenorchester Salomé
Martin-Luther-Strasse / Grunewaldstraße23Bateria de Samba Verde e Branco
Schöneberger Volkspark24beyond the lines
Martin-Luther / Heylstraße24The Voltz Brothers
Innsbrucker Platz24Groove Power Percussion
Hauptstrasse / Rubensstrasse24Boxen vom Balkon
Hauptstrasse 78 / Stierstrasse24Trommelgruppe
Breslauer Platz25Boogaboom & Boogadinos
Rheinstr. / Schmargendorfer Str.25Kersten and the husbands
Schmiljan- / Ecke Handjerystrasse25Afroka
Friedrich-Wilhelm-Platz25Cheering Point VBB
Friedrich-Wilhelm-Platz26latin - pop - rock
Wiebadener Strasse ggb. Rotdornstr.26Hohmut Trio
Wiesbadener Straße / Stubenrauch26Oloyé Quintett
Wiesbadener Straße / Sportplatz27Djembellas
Wiesbadener/Südwestkorso27Thailand Botschaft
Südwestkorso 2727Jazzband blue garden
Südwestkorso vor Tankstelle27Berlin Thistle Pipes & Drums
Lentzeallee - Mittelstreifen / Spilstraße28Percussion 3 drummers
Lentzeallee / Gregor-Mendel-Straße28Cheering Point Maurten
am Wilden Eber28Sapucaiu no samba
am Wilden Eber29Nattys Dance Factory
am Wilden Eber29Cheering Point Generali
Rheinbabenallee 1329KAiros Shakti Brass Band
Roseneck30Stefan Berker Trio
Hohenzollerndamm / Berkaer Strasse30Tuba - Vibes Projekt
Hohenzollerndamm / Forckenbeck Kirche30,5Round Midlife
Hohenzollerndamm / Cunostraße31Pinnow58
Hohenzollerndamm / Konstanzer Str32Afroka
Hohenzollerndamm kurz vor Fehrb. Platz32Vetter Sound
Fehrbelliner Platz32JuniorJazzBand
Fehrbelliner Platz32Cheering Point Bumble
Brandenburgische / Konstanzer Straße32,5Jazzfamily
Konstanzer Str. ab Xantener33Drumkitchen
Olivaer Platz33feinSchnitt TV
Olivaer Platz33Cheering Point Vilsa
Ku'damm / Leibnitzstraße33,5Cheering Point Tagesspiegel
Kurfürstendamm / Knesebeckstrasse34Karsulke Band - Die Goons
Kurfürstendamm / Uhlandstrasse34Cheering Point BMW
Kurfürstendamm / Meinekestraße34Spielmannszug Pankow
Kurfürstendamm / Breitscheidplatz34,8Cheering Point BLACKROLL
Tauentzienstraße - Skulptur vor Nürnberger35Flintstones
Kleiststraße nach W'platz36Cats Cheerleader
Kleiststraße / An der Urania (auf Parkplatz Mittelstreifen)36Queer Cheer!
Nollendorfplatz36,2Cheering Point adidas
Potsdamer / Bülowstr.36,8Cherring Point Running Crews
Kleistrasse 7 / Ecke Eisenacher37Samba GEW Berlin
Bülowstrasse / Frobenstraße37,5Etzelstreetband
Potsdamer Strasse37,5Marcelli Quintett
Potsdamer Strasse / zw. Kürf.- Lützowstr.38Prokopätz
Potsdamer Str. vor Brücke38Sussuro do Asfalto
Potsdamer Platz38,3Cheering Point Abbott
Potsdamer Platz / Leipziger Platz38,5Cheering Point BMW
Leipziger Str. Durchgang zur Piazza bei Mall of Berlin39Cheering Point Mall of Berlin
Ibero-Amerikanisches Inst. ggb Nat. Galerie EP39Satter Bass & Coruja Percusision
Leipziger Platz kurz vor Bundesrat39Alegria do samba
Leipziger- / Friedrichstrasse39Sambanda
Leipziger- / Charlottenstraße40Malinke
Leipziger Str. / Jerusalemer Straße40Cheering Point Zalando
Glinkastraße / Ecke Unter den Linden41,3Cheering Point ERDINGER Alkoholfrei
Straße des 17. Juni ZielFinishModeration / Musik
 
5k/mini MARATHON/Inline-Skater on Saturday 28.09.2024
Siegessäule Samba Bloco Exposao
Charlottenburger Tor Sapcaiu no samba
Ernst-Reuter-Platz Heartbeaters
Richard-Wagner-Platz Ukaja
Unter den Linden Wendekehre bzw. Glinkastr. Landesmusikrat Bands

Supporting Programme and EXPO

You can read everything you need to know about the supporting programme here.

The BMW BERLIN-MARATHON is more than just a 42.195 kilometer race! In the days leading up to the start, our participants can already look forward to great program items. This year's special highlight will be the MOVE, which will take place directly at the Brandenburg Gate on September 17 and will invite to visit exhibitions, linger and enjoy numerous sports and cultural events. More here.

All information about the MARATHON EXPO as part of the 50th BMW BERLIN-MARATHON can be found here.

The mini-MARATHON presented by GENERALI as part of the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON is organized for students from schools in Berlin and Brandenburg. More informations here.

Have you always wanted to stand next to a world record holder? In the Hall of Fame, you have the opportunity to get up close to the heroes of the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON. More here.

TASTE THE MARATHON-SPIRIT: On the day before the legendary BMW BERLIN-MARATHON, there is the opportunity to run the last 5 kilometers of the original course. More here.

The Bambini Run, as part of the Bambini Running Series presented by ADAC Berlin-Brandenburg, is a great event with a fantastic backdrop and lots of running fun. More here.

Sports & Medicine

From minor to emergency care - the medical department of the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON is prepared for everything. All medical support systems will be activated before the start in order to provide competent assistance as quickly as possible in the event of any complaints or emergencies on the course and at the finish. As in previous years, medical care for the marathon has been planned on the basis of a comprehensive concept which, as part of the safety concept for the event as a whole, provides in particular for networking with all systems and institutions in the state of Berlin.

The marathon route is entered into the Berlin fire brigade's emergency rescue system to the exact metre, meaning that the coordination and control centre can guarantee the fastest possible arrival time so that medical measures can be implemented with pinpoint accuracy. The locations of the stationary units are indicated by signs and so-called ‘beach flags’ labelled ‘First AID / First Aid Station’. In addition, Johanniter Unfallhilfe (JUH) will ensure a high density of medical care along the route with mobile teams on motorbikes (‘first responders’) as well as with vehicles. The emergency services are always positioned at the roadside and are easily recognisable. The high standard is also maintained in the finish area, where, according to data collected in recent years, over two thirds of all assistance was provided. Specialists from intensive care and rescue medicine are also deployed here under the direction of experienced emergency doctors and sports physicians from the organiser, the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON Medical Team.

The event is managed - with regard to medical matters - by the organiser's medical board (medical operations management), the Berlin fire brigade / emergency rescue service and the medical service via a medical coordination centre (KOMED), while all other aspects are managed by a central coordination centre (KOST) outside the event site with the involvement of all institutions (police, fire brigade, rescue services, security service, authorities, traffic management, organiser). Here, all situations and situations, from severe weather situations to potential major incidents on the weekend of the event, can be managed quickly and in a structured manner and, for example, the quickest possible changes to the deployment strategy can be decided and implemented if necessary.

BMW BERLIN-MARATHON Medical Team:

  • 140 employees, including 40 paramedics, emergency doctors (internists, anaesthetists, cardiologists), orthopaedists, trauma surgeons and sports physicians, 60 nurses and intensive care nurses from Berlin hospitals
  • 4 emergency teams from the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON Medical Team, each with 2 doctors on bicycles
  • 30 employees as a medical triage team in the immediate post-finish area
  • Approx. 180 medical massage assistants (course and finish) Medical service on the course and in the finish area (Johanniter Unfallhilfe and partners)
  • 2 medical centres with intensive care areas and ice baths in the finish area, as well as
  • 6 further first aid stations in the finish area with the possibility of intensive medical care
  • Approx. 30 first aid stations along the route
  • 300 paramedics, rescue assistants and helpers
  • 10 first responder teams on motorbikes (emergency teams)
  • approx. 30 ambulances, rescue service of the Berlin fire brigade
  • 10 fire brigade patrols with AED devices for the event only
  • 3 emergency ambulances + 10 ambulances, additionally included in the requirements by the Berlin fire brigade
  • 20 ambulances on duty on the day of the event in 8 fire stations in the immediate vicinity of the event site

The first three men and women will be tested. Additionally up to 50 men and 30 women can be tested. The lottery will be carried out by World Athletics or by a responsible person of the National Anti Doping Agency Germany (NADA). The doping tests will be carried out by an institution, which is certified and licensed by the NADA and IAAF. The doping tests include pre-competition tests (blood tests) and in-competition tests (urine).

The SCC EVENTS medical team offers an easy-to-perform health test that anyone can easily undergo.
The so-called PAPS test can be carried out here >> but it is also offered as part of the registration process for SCC EVENTS events. The test allows you to find out how healthy you are and to what extent you are able to exercise. Depending on the results of the test, behavioural advice is given.

When registering for an SCC EVENTS event, this PAPS test must be completed before registration can continue.

SCC EVENTS

SCC EVENTS GmbH, which emerged from SC Charlottenburg in the 1980s as an organisation in the course of the development of ever larger races, organises numerous running events each year, inline skating races, a SwimRun event (Rheinsberg), a cycling race and a hiking marathon (Hiking Hero). Almost 200,000 people register for the various events. This makes SCC EVENTS one of the largest running organisers in the world. Under the leadership of the two managing directors Christian Jost and Jürgen Lock, SCC EVENTS operates with over 90 permanent employees.

The origins of today's SCC EVENTS GmbH date back to 1964, when a group of students from the Free University of Berlin - who were also members of SC Charlottenburg - organised the first Berlin cross-country race, which took place on Teufelsberg. The first competitions for amateur athletes were organised, called Volksläufe, until then only club members were allowed to take part in running competitions. The organiser of the first SCC cross-country race was still the sports department of the FU Berlin, because the SCC did not receive permission for a race in which non-club runners could also start.

In 1965, the sports department and SCC organised the cross-country race together, and from 1966 the club organised it alone. After the cross-country race, other smaller races were organised before members of the athletics department of SC Charlottenburg launched the BERLIN MARATHON in 1974, which initially took place in Grunewald. The development of the BERLIN MARATHON was decisive for the emergence of other running events. In 1981, after a long tug-of-war with the authorities and with the support of the US armed forces in West Berlin, the first BERLIN MARATHON took place through the streets of West Berlin. This was followed in the 1980s by races that have developed into the biggest in Germany to this day, from the BERLIN HALF MARATHON to the Berlin Women's Run and the 5x5 km team relay in Berlin's Tiergarten. The fall of the Berlin Wall in November 1989 gave a further boost to Berlin's major running events.

The BERLIN-MARATHON has risen to the elite of international road races. It has been running through the Brandenburg Gate and former East Berlin since 1990 and has had its finish line at the Brandenburg Gate since 2003. 13 world records have been set at the BERLIN-MARATHON, more than at any other marathon in the world; the last was set in 2023 by Ethiopian Tigst Assefa (2:11:53).

The Berliner Wasserbetriebe 5 x 5 km TEAM relay has developed very dynamically in recent years, growing from 1,000 participants (in 2000) to almost 30,000 today. Founded in the mid-1980s, SCC EVENTS GmbH is now one of the largest organisers of sporting events in the world. In addition to the GENERALI BERLIN HALF MARATHON and the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON, events include the KoRo Frauenlauf Berlin, the StWB TEAM Staffel Brandenburg (4 x 5 km) in Brandenburg an der Havel, the SwimRun Rheinsberg, the GENERALI VeloCity Berlin cycle race, the adidas Runners City Night and the Generalprobe (10.5 and 21.1 km).

Participation development:

YearRegistrations
199845.377
199963.825
200081.240
200195.885
2002108.848
2003123.778
2004129.367
2005140.671
2006144.553
2007151.875
2008159.258
2009175.555
2010174.291
2011182.831
2012188.735
2013192.565
2014187.589
2015189.405
2016185.740
2017192.215
2018199.730
2019196.087
2020No events due to Corona
202160.883
2022151.351
2023159.592

Amanal Petros first with bronze and then in bad luck

At the European Championships in June, Amanal Petros, the star of Marathon Team Berlin, secured the biggest success to date for the team, which is part of SC Charlottenburg e.V., the arrange club of the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON. The 29-year-old won the bronze medal in the half marathon in Rome. However, Amanal Petros was then very unlucky at the Olympic marathon in Paris, as he had to give up after being weakened by an infection. Deborah Schöneborn and Johannes Motschmann impressed with personal best times at the marathons in Houston and London respectively in the first half of the year. Motschmann is now also running the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON.

A year ago, Amanal Petros finished ninth in the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON, his best race to date over the 42.195 kilometres. With a time of 2:04:58, he was the first German to break the 2:05 hour barrier. This time by Amanal Petros would have been a world record a good 20 years earlier. It was the first German men's record in the history of the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON, which began in 1974.

The improvement in his own national best time by 1:29 minutes (from 2:06:27) is the most significant increase in the German record since the 1976 Olympic marathon champion Waldemar Cierpinski became the first German runner to stay under 2:10 hours (2:09:55). Amanal Petros is on his way to catching up with the world's elite, but things did not go as planned this summer. He prepared for the Olympic Games with long altitude training camps in Iten, Kenya. Out of training, he then ran to third place in the half marathon at the European Championships in Rome. Here, too, he was unlucky in the end, because in the battle for the gold medal he stepped on the track boundary in the stadium around 300 metres before the finish and twisted his ankle. This put the title out of reach, but he still managed to win the bronze medal. What was worse was that he suffered from an infection just a few weeks before the Olympic Games in Paris, which weakened him so much that he was unable to run at the front in France as planned. After a good 30 kilometres, Amanal Petros had to give up the race. He will probably run another marathon in late autumn.

Deborah Schöneborn ran a very good race in January, finishing fourth in the Houston Marathon. But in the end she was also unlucky, because despite her improvement to 2:24:54, she missed out on qualifying for the Olympics by just 23 seconds. She then suffered from a foot problem for a long time. Nominated as a substitute runner, she did not take part in Paris. If she is really fit, her goal for the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON would be a result close to her best time.

Deborah Schöneborn's twin sister Rabea is going through a difficult phase. After her strong twelfth place at the European Championships in Munich 2022, she was out for a long time due to injury. As a result, she has not yet got back to her best time of 2:27:03. At the end of last year, Rabea Schöneborn ran 2:31:05 in Valencia. She had to cancel an initially planned start at the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON because she was not yet in good enough shape. Rabea Schöneborn is expected to run the 42.195 km again a little later in the autumn.

Johannes Motschmann pulled off a surprise at the London Marathon in April. He improved to 2:10:39 hours in the classic race and finished ninth. This is the fourth-best placing ever achieved by a German runner in the men's race in London. On the fast course of the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON, he is now aiming to run under 2:10:00 for the first time.

After running over 5,000 metres at the World Championships in Budapest a year ago, Sam Parsons was unable to qualify for the Olympic Games over this distance. Meanwhile, a possible marathon debut for Alina Reh will have to wait. Originally a great German long-distance hope, she has to start a complete rebuild after further injury problems. Blanka Dörfel, the youngster of the Marathon Team Berlin, has also not made any progress recently.

Eberhard P. Heck
Lawyer (Vice President Legal Affairs of the SCC e.V.),
Chairman of the Advisory Board

Andreas Statzkowski
President of the SCC e.V.

Christian Bärtels
Adidas AG,
Senior Director Sports Marketing Central Europe

Kirstin Bauch
District Mayor of Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf

Dr. Lars Bernhard
Ministerial Councillor for National and International Sport at the Federal Chancellery

Nils Busch-Petersen
Managing Director of Handelsverband Berlin-Brandenburg e.V.

Jan Eder
Managing Director of IHK Berlin

Dr. Rolf Erfurt
Chief Operation Officer of Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe

Peter Hanisch
Honorary President of the Landessportbund Berlin

Thomas Härtel
Former State Secretary, President of the Berlin State Sports Association

Dr. Klaus Henk
Honorary President of the SCC e.V.

Dr. Karsten Homrighausen
Director of the Berlin Fire Brigade

Burkhard Kieker
Managing Director visitBerlin

Dr. Ralf G. Kleinhenz
Director Messe Berlin GmbH

Harald Mika
Managing Partner mikatiming GmbH

Irene Schucht
Head of Strategy and Products Investitionsbank Berlin IBB

Nicolas Zimmer
Technologiestiftung Berlin Chairman of the Executive Board

Event organizer
Sport-Club Charlottenburg e.V.
Organisator
SCC EVENTS GmbH
Olympiapark Berlin
Hanns-Braun-Straße/Adlerplatz
14053 Berlin
Tel. 030 – 301 288 10
Fax 030 – 301 288 20
www.scc-events.com

Organizer
SCC EVENTS GmbH
Olympiapark Berlin
Hanns-Braun-Straße/Adlerplatz
14053 Berlin
Tel. 030 – 301 288 10
Fax 030 – 301 288 20
www.scc-events.com

ManagementName
Management BoardChristian Jost, Jürgen Lock
Director Event ManagementMark Milde
Director OperationsCarsten Humrich
Director Participant Management & Marketing | DigitalAntje Jüntgen
Director SponsoringJennifer Barthel
Team managersName
Team leadership Media Relations & EditorialRobert Fekl, Jochen Schmitz
Team leadership OperationsMichael Gerlach
Team leadership Participant ManagementJudy Kumutat
Team leadership Marketing | DigitalNadia Dagher
Team leadership FinanceAike Fokkena
Team leadership Event ManagementAntje Paschke
Team leadership SponsoringNicole Altenhof, Timo Göhler, Ines Rentsch (i. EZ)
Public AffairsYvonne Meißner
Human RelationshipsPhilip Lehmann


SCC EVENTS and its organizing team BMW BERLIN-MARATHON

Race Director Mark Milde

Participant Management
Sylvia Ackermann, Georgia Andrews, Linda Baumgart, Anika Gerlach, Marc Goldmann, Monique Hoppe, Sybille Hoppe, Antje Jüntgen, Philipp Kadow, Judy Kumutat, Anja Lüthke, Anja Reisner, Laura Tapia, Stella Strohbach, Britt Munzlinger

Athlete support (Elite)
Philipp Kadow, Nadine Mietke

EXPO
Katharina Holle, Oliver Simon, Laurenz Lenard, Lena Schmidt

Broom cart
Christian Löw

Results service
mika timing

Event Management
Katharina Holle, Antje Paschke, Nadine Mietke, Mark Milde, Robert Müller, Ingo Monse, Oliver Simon, Sarah Hecker, Laurenz Lenard, Lena Schmidt

Meeting point
Bastian Klemke

Driving service
Gabi Mahn, Mario Mahn

Blue line
Wolfgang Weising

Handbike / racing wheelchair competitions
Georgia Andrews

Jubilee-Club
Anja Reisner

Volunteermanagement
Ralf Burzlaff, Noah Löffler, Vivian Schneider

Sustainability
Michael Fuchs, Johanna Lies

Inlineskating
Gerte Buchheit, Ingo Monse

Clothes rack
Peter Fielhauer, Yves Imbert, Alexander Schröter, Christina Imbert, Joachim Zschaler

Poncho output
Alexander Horn

Marketing | Digital
Nadia Dagher, Johannes Dinter, Sophie Gröger, Janis vom Hoff, Celia Jentzsch, Antje Jüntgen, Stephanie Kamen, Sabrina Krause, Marcus Mahlo, Markus März, Katja Lange, Vincent Schröder

International Groups Partner
Mareike Dehmel, Anika Günther, Melanie Moll

Medal output
Dirk Richter, Sven Uterhardt

Media Relations & Editorial/Media Center
Max Bodenstab, Gerte Buchheit, Frauke Constantin, Vincent Dornbusch, Robert Fekl, Elisabeth Hanke,Tom Kettelhut, Jochen Schmitz, Thomas Steffens, Jakob Wartchow, Jörg Wenig

Sponsoring
Nicole Altenhof, Philipp Altmeppen, Jennifer Barthel, Timo Göhler, Chiara Hager, Linda Kollmann, Max Lichtenberg , Ines Rentsch i. EZ, Dominik Rosenau, Marit van Eijk, Lara Vogel

Massage
Matthias Vogel

Finance
Aike Fokkena, Antonella Giglio, Heike Krone, Marcel Reppien, Simone Schmidt

Medical Board / Medical Directors
PD Dr. med. Matthias Krüll, Simone Salzger, Dr.med. Margrit Lock, Sandra Paffenbach

Medical care / Sports Medicine
Angela Hänsel, Emilia Tomassimo, Vincent Bolz, Medical Team von SCC Events

Music / Course
John Kunkeler

Self-catering
Dominic Beblie

Police leader of the operation
PD Drechsler

Protocol/VIP
Marion Strolz, Rotraud Zylka

Speaker
Jonas Frank, Dr. Karsten Holland, Sven Stöcklein

Start
Marcel Heß, Sonja Glauert, Steffen Kirner, Andreas Pohlmann

Course
Gunnar Hamel, Gregor Pfennig

Route measurement
John Kunkeler, Gregor Pfennig

Route supply
Jette Kasper, Max Roy

Operations
Oliver Bach, Ümit Cakmak, Christian Fahr, Michael Gerlach, Daniel Hoppe, Carsten Humrich, Stefanie Münzberg, Achim Rau, Janin Reinhardt, Paul Bär

Pacemaker
Martin Schöll, Sascha Ratzinger (pacerteam.de)

Mascot
Fridolin Flink

Award ceremonies
Yvonne Meißner

Ambulance service
Johanniter Unfallhilfe e.V.

Refreshments on the route

Start
SCC Berlin

5-km-Refreshment point:
„Zur Ruderer-Schänke“
Ruder-Club Tegel
Markus Hardt, Tobias Lohr

9-km-Supply point:
FV Freizeitsport e.V.
Lutz Berthold, Birgit Berthold

12-km-Refreshment point:
THW Jugend
Sascha Barnewske

15-km-Supply point:
Berliner Schwimmverband – Jugend
Manuela Krause, Jürgen Preuß

17,5-km-Refreshment point:
IBM-Klub Berlin e.V.
Holmer Jankowski, Holger Werner

20-km-Supply point:
Konstanze Krumpholz, Jennifer Achilles

22,5-km-Refreshment point:
Berliner Jugendfeuerwehr
Nils Matylewicz

25-km-Supply point:
Sportstudio Nippon
Carla Sparmann, Esther Buchwald

27,5-km-Supply point:
LG Süd Berlin
Maximilian Totel, Sarah Wagner

30-km-Supply point:
Reino Bangel, Andreas Knoll

32,5-km-Refreshment point:
TÜV Rheinland Akademie Berlin
Melanie Balzer

34,5-km-Refreshment point:
"Knackpunkt"/ Nordberliner Lauffreunde
Jörg Busche, Christian Meier

36-km-Supply point:
LAC Berlin
Stefan Bauer

38-km-Refreshment point:
LC Cottbus
Roland Füßler, Kerstin Füßler

40-km-Refreshment point:
„Zur letzten Tränke“ / Long distance runner Karsten Kupsch

Target:
ABC Zentrum Berlin
Kai-Thomas Arndt
Denise Thunich

Supply points Inlineskating:

20 km:
Barbara Noack

30 km: Motor Eberswalde
Detlef Mierig

36 km: SCC Long distance runner
Karsten Kupsch

Fridolin Flink, better known as ‘Frido’, is a weasel that strayed from the Grunewald forest to the city over ten years ago and found a new home at Grunewald to the city over ten years ago and found a new home at SCC EVENTS. Since then, he has been present at all events and cheers on the runners. He is particularly popular with the little ones, which is why the Bambini runs are among his favourite events. He made his first appearance at the 40th BMW BERLIN-MARATHON in September 2013. He will also be present at this marathon weekend, from the opening of the MOVE at the Brandenburg Gate on Friday evening to the party on Sunday evening.

Inlineskating

The world elite as guests in Berlin 

Just like the runners' race, the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON Inline Skating stands for a perfect combination of top-class and popular sport. Olympic and world champions are at the starting line here, as are fitness and bladenight skaters from all over the world. The men's race is particularly eagerly awaited. Last year's winner Jason Suttels and eight-time winner of the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON Bart Swings will be among those taking part.

The Belgian Bart Swings (Team Powerslide) is well known in Berlin. Two years ago, the recent Olympic speed skating champion was inducted into the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON Hall of Fame, which brings together its greatest athletes and legends. Two years ago, he set a fantastic new course record in Berlin on rollers in 56:46 minutes. In 2023, he “only” finished second. After his compatriot and teammate Jason Suttels had done most of the leading work on the course, he respectfully left the top spot on the podium to him when they crossed the finish line together. The aim this year will once again be to secure victory for the Powerslide team together with Felix Rijhnen. However, the Rollerblade Speed Team also has some well-known riders: Patxi Peula (ESP), Matteo Barison (ITA) as well as Severin Widmer and Nicolas Iten from Switzerland are coming to Berlin.

Strong women's field 

Last year's first-place finishers will also be competing in the women's event. Gabriela Rueda (COL) crowned her first participation in Berlin 2023 with first place straight away. Both Karoll Eliana Garcia Arias (COL) and Marie Dupuy (FRA), last year's second and third place finishers, will be going for victory again. From a German perspective, Josie Hofmann (Powerslide) can have justified hopes. Katharina Rijhnen (formerly Rumpus) was the last German to top the podium in 2018. But Lianne van Loon (NED/Doubleff) and Alicia Delhommais (FRA/Rollerblade) also have good prospects going into the race.

Course records 

No skater has ever been faster than Bart Swings and Maira Arias at the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON. These are the inline skaters' course records:

  • Men: Bart Swings (BEL) 00:56:46 hours in 2022.
  • Women: Maira Arias (ARG) 01:06:35 hours in 2017.

The fastest inline skaters in 2024 will receive this prize money 

Women/Men

  • 1st skater 4,000 euros
  • 2nd skater 2,000 euros
  • 3rd skater 1,000 euros
  • 4th skater 700 euros
  • 5th skater 500 euros
  • 6th skater 300 euros

Bart Swings (BEL)

Bart Swings © SCC EVENTS / Petko Beier

Bart Swings is regarded as an absolutely exceptional athlete in the inline scene. In 2013, he was the first skater to break the magical one-hour barrier at the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON - and repeated this feat with ease in the years that followed. With his Olympic victory in speed skating in 2022, he finally crowned his career. He finished second in the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON 2023.

Profile:
  • Place of residence: Leuven, Belgium
  • Born: 1991
  • Team: Powerslide World Team
  • Instagram: @bart_swings
Greatest successes:
  • Olympic champion mass start speed skating 2022 and silver 2018
  • World and European champion mass start speed skating 2024
  • 1st place BMW BERLIN-MARATHON 2013-18 and 2021, 2022
  • BMW BERLIN-MARATHON course record holder: 56:46 min (2022)
  • Multiple gold medal winner at European Championships and World Championships
  • Four times 1st place at the World Games in 2022

Felix Rijhnen (GER)

Felix Rijhnen @ SCC EVENTS / Vitcah Sailer

Felix Rijhnen is considered one of the most versatile and strongest skaters in Germany. In 2018, he won the world championship title on the marathon course with a thrilling sprint to the finish. A year later, he became the first German to win the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON. In the winter of 2021/22, he finished on the podium in the speed skating World Cup for the first time (3rd place), fulfilling his dream of taking part in the Olympic Games in Beijing, where he finished 13th. With victories at the WIC in China and GIC in Hamburg, he has already shown himself to be in top form several times this year.

Profile:
  • Place of residence: Darmstadt
  • Age: 34 Jahre
  • Profession: Police superintendent
  • Team: Powerslide
  • Instagram: @felix_rijhnen
Greatest successes:
  • 1st place World Championship Marathon 2018
  • 1st EM Marathon 2019
  • 1st place BMW BERLIN-MARATHON 2019

Jason Suttels (BEL)

Jason Suttels © SCC EVENTS / Petko Beier

Jason Suttels is considered one of the biggest young talents on the scene. He won the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON Inline Skating 2023 ahead of long-time serial winner Bart Swings. He is also active on the ice. His goal is the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy.

Profile:
  • Place of residence: Belgium
  • Age: 23 years old
  • Team: Powerslide
  • Profession: Polizeioberkommissar
  • Instagram: @jasonsuttels
Greatest successes:
  • 1st place EMr 2024
  • 1st place WM 2022
  • 1st place BMW BERLIN-MARATHON 2023, 3rd place BMW BERLIN-MARATHON 2022

Matteo Barison (ITA)

Matteo Barison starts for the Rollerblade Speed Team. At the age of 23, he is one of the up-and-coming hopefuls in inline racing worldwide.

Profile:
  • Place of residence: Spinea, Italy
  • Age: 23 years old
  • Team: Rollerblade Speed Team

Patxi Peula (ESP)

At 36, Patxi Puela is not one of the absolute top favorites, but is always good for a surprise.

Profile:
  • Place of residence: Vitoria, Spain
  • Age: 35 years old
  • Team: Rollerblade Speed Team
  • Instagram: @patxi_peula
Greatest successes:
  • First places and podium finishes at European Championships and World Championships
  • 2nd place BMW BERLIN-MARATHON 2017

Marie Dupuy (FRA)

Marie Dupuy © Powerslide

As the winner of the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON 2022 and third place last year, Marie Dupuy is one of the absolute top favorites. She is regarded as an outstanding sprinter and is a feared opponent, especially in bunch sprints.

Profile:
  • Place of residence: Pibrac, France
  • Team: Powerslide
  • Instagram: @dupuyrima
Greatest successes:
  • 1st place BMW BERLIN-MARATHON 2022
  • First places at European Championships and World Championships

Gabriela Rueda (COL)

Gabriela Rueda @ SCC EVENTS / Vitcah Sailer

The 23-year-old Colombian started in Berlin for the first time last year and won the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON Inline Skating right away.

Karoll Eliana Garcia Arias (COL)

Karoll Eliana Garcia Arias © Powerslide

Karoll Eliana Garcia Arias' goal: to repeat or even top her success from 2023. Last year, she finished second at the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON and narrowly missed the course record together with Gabriela Rueda.

Profile:
  • Place of residence: Bogota/Colombia
  • Age: 22 Jahre
  • Team: Powerslide
Greatest successes:
  • Pan-American champion
  • 2nd place BMW BERLIN-MARATHON 2023
  • Multiple Colombian champion

Josie Hofmann (GER)

Josi Hofmann © SCC EVENTS / Petko Beier

Josie Hofmann celebrated her greatest success on ice to date last winter with a second place at the European Speed Skating Championships. Her goal: to qualify for the 2026 Olympic Games. Her heart also beats for inline skating. She wants to finish on the podium at the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON 2024.

Profile:
  • Place of residence: Gera
  • Age: 26 years
  • Team: Powerslide
  • Instagram: @josiehofmann
Greatest successes:
  • 3rd place European Championship Marathon 2019
  • 1st place World Championship relay 2016
  • 1st place DM speed skating mass start

Alicia Delhommais (FRA)

Profile:

  • Place of residence: Bordeaux/France
  • Age: 24 years old
  • Team: Rollerblade Speed Team

New course for inline skaters

The course of the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON Inlineskating had to be adapted this year. As a result, spectators will have the chance to experience the battles of the skating elite up close. The start will take place at 12:20 pm at the usual location on Straße des 17. From there, the skaters will set off on a five-lap circuit that leads across Ernst-Reuter-Platz and Otto-Suhr-Allee in the direction of Charlottenburg Palace. Then, the course returns to the Victory Column. After five laps, the route continues along the usual route section along the Landwehr Canal, Potsdamer Platz, Gendarmenmarkt and Unter den Linden to the finish behind the Brandenburg Gate.

Click here for the detailed course map.

Finals in the most important race series 

In addition to the laurel wreath at the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON, other titles will be awarded in Berlin - first and foremost in the WORLD INLINE CUP. After stops in France, Portugal, China and Switzerland, the overall victory will be decided on September 28. Lianne van Loon (NED) is ahead of Aura Quintana (COL) and Jorun Geerts (BEL) in the women's standings ahead of this final race. In the men's race, Felix Rijhnen from Darmstadt leads ahead of Julio Mirena (PAR) and Bart Swings (BEL).

Felix Rijhnen also has the best chance of winning the GERMAN INLINE CUP, which also ends as part of the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON. Claudia Pechstein from Berlin could secure overall victory in the women's race.

Logo German Inline Cup    Logo World Inline Cup 25th Season

Click here to see the previous winners in Berlin.
 

Winners (women) in 2023 in Berlin.

PositionNameCountryTime
1Gabriela RuedaCOL1:08:59
2Karoll Eliana García AriasCOL1:08:59
3Marie DupuyFRA1:11:57

Winners (men) in 2023 in Berlin.

PositionNameCountryTime
1Jason SuttlesBEL0:57:01
2Bart SwingsBEL0:57:01
3Beddiaf NolanFRA0:59:41

Partner

Here you can find all partners and sponsors of the BMW Berlin Marathon.

As one of the fastest marathons in the world celebrates its 50th anniversary, BMW is the title partner for the for the 13th time, supporting a sporting event that is unique in Germany with a passion equal to that which athletes from all over the world apply as they produce top-level performances. The BMW BERLIN-MARATHON is an outstanding example of the involvement of the BMW Group.

The decades-long involvement of the BMW Group has a special sporting focus. Ilka Horstmeier, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, People and Places, explains: “The BMW Group is much more than a car manufacturer. With around 150,000 employees from 110 nations, we are a part of society – both inside and outside of our factory gates and offices. That is why supporting this diversity within sport is particularly important to us. Sport creates unique moments for athletes and spectators, strengthens a sense of community, celebrates diversity, and builds bridges. At the BMW Group, we are very proud to support sporting events around the world, helping to connect people from different backgrounds and cultures with one another.” That is exactly what the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON stands for, with participants from all around the world, handbike and wheelchair competitions, runners with a large range of personal bests, and enthusiastic sports fans lining the route.

Around 250 sports-mad employees of the BMW Group from around the world will be competing in the 50th BMW BERLIN-MARATHON and experiencing the anniversary in a very personal manner. To bring the group together and provide the best possible preparation, BMW has invited everyone to the BMW Group Plant Berlin on the day before the race. There, they will benefit from valuable tips from former pro runners Ingalena Schömburg-Heuck and Philipp Pflieger.

This is not the only connection between the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON and the BMW Group Plant Berlin. Legendary BMW motorcycles have been in production in Berlin-Spandau since 1969. Each day, around 2,200 employees manufacture up to 900 motorbikes and premium e-scooters for customers around the world. To an extent, this makes the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON a home event for the ten BMW motorbikes and four scooters that will be in action as track and organisational two-wheelers. However, the BMW Group will also be supporting the event organisers on four wheels, providing emission-free vehicles – including the fully-electric BMW iX2 as the official Safety Car, the new BMW i5 as the lead car for the men’s and women’s international competition, and other fully-electric BMW vehicles like the BMW i5 Touring, the BMW i4, the BMW iX3, the BMW iX2, or the BMW iX1.

Contact

Tim Holzmüller
BMW Group Spokesperson Sport Engagement, Real Estate
Telephone: +49 151 601 33309 
E-mail: tim.holzmueller@bmwgroup.com
Press releases and photos: https://www.press.bmwgroup.com/global/
 

The Abbott World Marathon Majors, a series of the six largest and most renowned marathons in the world, is a testament to health and the human spirit at their finest. 

Proudly sponsored by Abbott since 2015, these races unite hundreds of thousands of runners from around the globe in the pursuit of something remarkable: crossing the finish line after 42.195 kilometers. These inspiring individuals exemplify that amazing achievements are possible when we are at our healthiest, embodying the very essence of reaching one’s personal best. 

At Abbott, our 114,000 employees in more than 160 countries are devoted to advancing life-changing technology that helps people achieve their full potential. Our medical devices, diagnostic tools and nutrition products are designed to enable individuals to reach their personal best, however they define it. 

With the right support and determination, every finish line is within reach. From hydration products1 and high-protein nutrition shakes1 to handheld blood analyzers that offer runners peace of mind in the race’s medical tents and biowearables2 that help you turn your body’s data into insights you can use to take control of your health, Abbott’s innovations help people no matter where they’re at on their life and marathon journeys.  

During the race, keep an eye out at the 38.5 KM mark where approximately 200 employees from our Abbott Germany office will be cheering from the Abbott Cheer Zone. Our employees will also be at the finish line to give Six Star Medals to runners completing their sixth Abbott World Marathon Major in Berlin. 

www.abbott.com/marathons
Press Contact
Astrid Tinnemans
astrid.tinnemans@abbott.com

1Not all Abbott nutrition products are available in Germany.  
2Abbott’s consumer biowearable is currently available only in the United States and United Kingdom.

Experience your "made it moment“ with ERDINGER Alkoholfrei - the ritual after sport

The German capital is in running fever again! As a loyal partner, ERDINGER Alkoholfrei will of course be there again at the 50th anniversary of the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON on September 29. Behind the finish line between the Brandenburg Gate and the Victory Column, the isotonic thirst quencher will provide all athletes with an unforgettable finish. Together they toast to their achievements and celebrate their successes - because there are thousands of rituals before sport, but only one after: ERDINGER Alkoholfrei. Isotonic, vitamin-rich, calorie-reduced. 

One team, one passion: The ERDINGER Active TEAM 

Whether young or old, professional or beginner - the ERDINGER Active TEAM is a community that connects, welds together, and provides plenty of fun, motivation and inspiration. They all share a passion for sports and, of course, for the ERDINGER Alkoholfrei after the sports session.
You can see just how active the community is on our social media channels (@erdingeralkoholfrei.de). Under the #erdingeractiveteam, team members are busy posting here. 

Exclusive service for members

Relaxed and without competition stress, all members of the team can look forward to the big day. In the team lounge at the "MARATHON EXPO Berlin 2024" they have the opportunity to recover from the hustle and bustle of the trade fair, exchange ideas and get some last tips. On the day of the race, they will also have access to an exclusive service area in the immediate vicinity of the start and finish areas. Drop by! 

Premium and Basic Membership 

In the ERDINGER Active TEAM, everyone finds their athletic home: An amazing community makes exercise fun, motivates you to get started and to chase new best times - team spirit is lived here! With strong partner offers, the Active.Point bonus program, exclusive team articles and free starting places at numerous events, members benefit from a whole host of advantages.
Detailed information about the team and the different memberships can be found at

www.erdinger-active-team.de
 

NORQAIN Wild ONE BMW BERLIN-MARATHON

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON, NORQAIN is delighted to introduce the Wild ONE BMW BERLIN-MARATHON Limited Edition, a special run of just 50 pieces in ultra-robust and ultra-lightweight black NORTEQ® with a dial inspired by the race’s challenging 42.195- kilometre course.

With its ultra-lightweight construction, the Wild ONE BMW BERLIN-MARATHON Limited Edition is the ultimate high-performance sports watch and becomes the perfect running companion. Based on the best-selling Wild ONE, its features include a 42mm black NORTEQ® case with a revolutionary shock-absorbing anthracite-coloured rubber middle section. It’s powered by the chronometer certified NORQAIN Manufacture Calibre NN20/1 by Kenissi, an automatic movement with a 70-hour power reserve. The black dial is decorated with an outline of the course map in a contrasting gold colour, while the sapphire crystal case back features the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON’S 50th anniversary logo and the words ‘LIMITED EDITION’ and ‘ONE of 50’. The watch is water-resistant to 200 metres and finished on a black rubber sports strap.

The Wild ONE BMW BERLIN-MARATHON Limited Edition is available at Wempe Germany, other selected retailers, and on the NORQAIN website, priced at CHF 5’150.
 

Berlin runs on Hydrogel  - Maurten is the official Hydrogel Sports Fuel Partner to the 50th BMW BERLIN-MARATHON. 

You choose the right shoes and the right sports watch — don’t waste your race by neglecting the right fuel. Maurten’s patented Hydrogel Technology — encapsulating high concentrations of carbohydrates — makes fueling for marathons easier to tolerate. The innovation means less distress in the stomach when running at race intensity.

It’s personal. Train with your race day hydrogel fuel and learn what works for you. Adapt to becoming a runner by training your legs, your lungs, and your guts. Then execute the race with support from Gel 100 and Drink Mix 160 at the on-course Hydrogel Fuel Depots.

Maurten has fueled the fastest marathon times in history. This is your time. 

 

Generali Deutschland has become one of the leading supporters of German running in recent years and is continuing to expand its commitment. Generali has extended its partnership with the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON, which began in 2017, and is now taking a further step: for the next three years, it will be an official co-sponsor of the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON and also the official title sponsor of the “GENERALI 5K” race and official partner of the “mini-Marathon presented by GENERALI” for schoolchildren.

As part of the extended partnership, Generali is the official title sponsor of the “GENERALI 5K” run, which takes place the day before the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON. Participants have the opportunity to run the last five kilometers of the original course and experience the finish through the Brandenburg Gate. In the “mini-Marathon presented by GENERALI”, schoolchildren from Berlin and Brandenburg can run a tenth of the marathon distance, i.e. 4.2195 kilometers, on the day of the marathon and receive a commemorative certificate and a medal. The best school teams from Berlin and Brandenburg will also be celebrated at an award ceremony.

Generali in Germany

Generali in Germany is one of the leading primary insurance groups in the German market with premium income of around €14.8 billion and more than 9 million customers. As part of the international Generali Group, Generali operates in Germany with the brands Generali, CosmosDirekt and Dialog in the life, health and property/casualty segments. Generali's aim is to be a lifelong partner for its customers, offering innovative, individual solutions and services thanks to an excellent sales network in exclusive and direct sales as well as in the broker channel.

Pressekontakt:
Tina Mirzai-Spitzer, Head of Communications, Tel: +49 (0) 1511 4725191
Torsten Tietze, Head of Corporate Communications, Tel.: +49 (0) 89 5121-2297
E-Mail: presse.de@generali.com

Got something to settle? PayPal it. PayPal is proud to be a partner and "Official Payment Partner" of the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON. 
 

PayPal is proud to be a partner and "Official Payment Partner" of the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON.

On top of easy, fast, and secure payments as well as flexible "Pay Later" options1,2 for online shopping, PayPal also gives both participants and spectators simple and secure ways to send, request, and receive money.

PayPal has more than 427 million users worldwide and has been a trusted payment services provider in Europe for more than 20 years.

We always keep your personal financial information such as account and credit card numbers safe and never pass them on to merchants.

You can find out more on our website:  https://www.paypal.de.

1 Subject to Credit Check. Available to PayPal account holders registered in Germany for purchases between €1-€2,000. Due date can be delayed once for the charge of a fee for 30 or 54 additional days. More information on the terms and conditions are here https://www.paypal.de/30tage.
2 Subject to Credit Check.  Terms of 3, 6, 12 or 24 months. Available to PayPal account holders registered in Germany for purchases between €99-€5,000. For terms of 3, 6 and 12 months the annual percentage rate is 12.99% p.a. at a fixed borrowing rate of 12.19% p.a. for 3 months, 12.21% p.a. for 6 months and 12.22% p.a. for 12 months. For 24 months term, the annual percentage is 11.99 % p.a. at a fixed borrowing rate of 11.33% p.a. Representative example per para. 17 (4) PAngV: net loan amount €1,000, overall amount €1,067,79, 12 monthly instalments of €88.98, fixed borrowing rate of 12.22% p.a., annual percentage rate of 12.99% p.a. Lender is PayPal (Europe) S.à r.l. et Cie, S.C.A., 22-24 Boulevard Royal, L-2449 Luxembourg.

VILSA - The natural refreshment for athletes with sustainable awareness!

Conquer the world of sports with VILSA, the natural mineral water for an active lifestyle! VILSA stands for special purity and natural refreshment that will accompany you on every step of your adventure.
Whether you're doing your workout in the gym or hitting the running trails - VILSA is your reliable partner, supporting you with every bottle of your mineral water.

But VILSA is more than just a drink. We are actively committed to preserving our environment, because we know that sustainable action today is crucial to shaping a world worth living in tomorrow. Under the motto "Protecting Tomorrow Today", we are committed to saving our natural resources and reducing our ecological footprint - for a better future!

https://vilsa.de/

Tagesspiegel is the exclusive media partner of the 50th anniversary of the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON

The Tagesspiegel will continue to cover Berlin's major running events in 2024. The highlight will be the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON with its 50th anniversary. The running event on September 29, 2024 will be accompanied by extensive coverage in print and online.
 

To get in the mood for the race, the Tagesspiegel editorial team is planning interviews, portraits and background reports. A special supplement in the Tagesspiegel on September 29 - the day after the event - will exclusively contain the results with all the information on runners and their times as well as the best stories about the marathon. The coverage will be supplemented by tips and services on the marathon and running in the Tagesspiegel newsletter “Checkpoint” and in the district newsletters. Other events covered by the Tagesspiegel this year included the Berlin Women's Run (May 4), VeloCity (August 4) and the GENERALI BERLIN HALF MARATHON (April 7).

About Tagesspiegel
Tagesspiegel is European Newspaper of the Year 2023 (European Newspaper Award, regional category). It has developed very successfully in recent years and is now number one in Berlin in terms of circulation and journalistic significance, both in print and digitally. Tagesspiegel has also established itself as a national media brand and reaches over 450,000 decision-makers nationwide across all media (print/e-paper + online + apps). This is confirmed by the Leseranalyse Entscheidungsträger 2024. It is one of the most cited newspapers in Germany and reaches more political decision-makers in the capital than all national subscription newspapers combined. In the latest IVW surveys, the Tagesspiegel recorded one of the best circulation trends of all German newspapers. The editorial team and publishing house are continually being expanded to meet the challenges of the media market with innovations. Like Die Zeit, Handelsblatt and Wirtschaftswoche, Tagesspiegel belongs to Dieter von Holtzbrinck's DvH Medien GmbH.


Note: The Tagesspiegel editorial team makes all decisions on the type and scope of reporting itself and independently of the interests of third parties, including those of its own publishing house.


Contact Tagesspiegel Press Office
Anna-Maria Wagner
Phone: +49 (0) 30 290 21-11021
E-mail: pressestelle@tagesspiegel.de
www.tagesspiegel.de/presseportal
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/verlag-der-tagesspiegel-gmbh/ 

We go the extra mEYle. - EY is a proud Partner and Sustainability Consultant of the BMW BERLIN MARATHON. An auditing and consulting firm as a co-sponsor of a running event — does that fit together? Yes, it fits perfectly: EY teams have a great sporting spirit and deliver top performance for their clients every day.


EY is one of the major German professional services organizations with more than 11,000 employees at 20 locations. Together with the approximately 395,000 employees of the international EY organization, EY serves clients all over the world.
The service portfolio for large and medium-sized companies includes, in addition to Auditing, Tax and Legal Advice, Strategy and Transactions, Consulting, and Real Estate Consulting.
In addition, EY supports companies across all industries and business units in developing and implementing suitable sustainability concepts: from strategy development and implementation to tax and legal issues, as well as the implementation of current ESG regulations.
For advising investors, companies, organizations, and clubs in the sports sector, EY established the Sports Industry Group within Strategy and Transactions in Germany at the beginning of the year. It bundles the many years of experience in advising the industry.

Our mission: to secure success sustainably
For EY, the marathon is about more than just athletic performance: As Sustainability Consultant of the BMW BERLIN MARATHON, EY aims to further advance the sustainable transformation in sports. Together with the event organizer SCC EVENTS, an EY project team is developing a concept to make the marathon as sustainable as possible.
The topic of sustainability is developing just as rapidly in sport as in all other sectors. Sponsors, advertising partners, volunteers, fans and, last but not least, athletes expect more commitment to ecological, social and ethical issues. Moreover, climate change requires vigorous action. 
However, the sustainable transformation can only be achieved as a joint task. The BMW BERLIN MARATHON offers an important platform for discussing the changing rules of the game with relevant stakeholders.

Contact for the media:
Dag-Stefan Rittmeister, +49 711 9881 15980, dag-stefan.rittmeister@de.ey.com

www.ey.com

*The name EY refers in this profile to all German member firms of Ernst & Young Global Limited (EYG), a company limited by guarantee under English law. Each EYG member firm is legally separate and independent and is not liable for the actions or omissions of any other member firm.

realbuzz - Believe in it. Run for it.

Guaranteed places for charity runners in the world’s most popular endurance events with realbuzz, from here in beautiful Berlin to Miami, London and Milan. Where will you run with realbuzz whilst doing something amazing for the causes closest to your heart?

With full training and fundraising support throughout, we will be with you every step of the way:

  • Guaranteed Race Entry
  • Fundraising Support
  • Rewards & Finishers Pack


Run for charity and make a difference. Run with realbuzz. Visit the website today  www.realbuzz.com, to learn more or follow us on Instagram to keep up to date with all the latest news @realbuzzcom.

Ready for the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON 2024? 

As an official partner, Zalando supports all athletes in achieving their goals. With our functional and stylish sportswear, you are perfectly equipped - whether for your daily training or on the race day.

On marathon day, at kilometer 40, our Cheering Point is waiting to support you on the last meters. You run through a wall of cheering fans, driven by music and a cheerful atmosphere. This final push gives you the energy you need for the last few meters.

Zalando is by your side every step of the way. Your run, your pace - and a community that celebrates you. Experience the ultimate motivational boost and let yourself be carried away by the enthusiasm that makes the BMW Berlin Marathon so special.

Running Shop.
 

RUNmance: Find your perfect running partner with Bumble


2024 is all about sports with multiple major sporting events happening. Bumble, the ‘women-first’ dating app, observed that sport is also playing an increasingly important role in dating. Almost half of singles in Germany (42%) look for a shared love of sport when choosing a potential partner - whether they actively participate or watch as spectators.*


Dr Caroline West, sex and relationship expert at Bumble, explains: “The many international competitions made sport one of the pop cultural topics of 2024 and we see this impact on dating too. According to Bumble’s research, singles, especially among Gen Z, actively rely on sport to socialise and date. Working out or watching a game together can be a bonding experience that makes it easier to build a real connection. In Germany, two thirds of Bumble members list their favourite sport on their Bumble profile - running, football and cycling are the most popular sports.”**


Here's how to put your best foot forward when it comes to sport:

  • Show your love for sport on your profile: Mention your favourite team, marathons or sports clubs to find like-minded people. With over 50 interest badges, Bumble offers plenty of opportunities to show your passion for sport. Singles in Germany who have at least one profile badge on their Bumble profile receive twice as many matches on average**.
  • Plan active and creative dates: Plan dates that match your interests and personality, such as watching a sporting event together or an outdoor yoga class. Dr Caroline West adds: ‘Almost one in four people in Germany enjoy going to a sporting event with a date, as it's easy to strike up a conversation and experience something bonding together. ’*
  • Take part in Bumble's Single Runs: To make dating ‘on the run’ easier, Bumble is organising Single Runs in Berlin and Cologne this summer (August - September). More information will follow on Instagram (@bumble_de)! (@bumble_de)!

press contact:press@teambumble.com

*Research conducted by Bumble via internal polling between September 21st - 26th, 2023 with 26,849 Bumble members worldwide, including Germany.
**Based on internal Bumble data of active users in Germany in September 2023.

History of the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON

24th September 2023

Tigst Assefa won the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON with a world record straight out of the realms of fairy tale. The Ethiopian crossed the finish line in a sensational time of 2:11:53, obliterating the world record of Kenya’s Brigid Kosgei who ran 2:14:04 in Chicago in 2019. The scale of improvement was huge, 2 minutes, 11 seconds, marking an achievement of historic proportions. The last time the women’s world record featured such an improvement was 40 years ago when the American Joan Benoit brought the time down from 2:25:29 to 2:22:43 in 1988. Tigst Assefa was faster than some of the men’s winners of the Berlin Marathon back in the 80ies. Belgium’s Karel Lismont clocked 2:13:37 in 1983 and a year later John Skovbjerg of Denmark took the race with 2:13:35. Tigst Assefa’s world record was the 13th in the history of the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON.

BMW BERLIN MARATHON 2023: Finish line of Tigst Assefa © SCC EVENTS / Jean-Marc Wiesner

The Ethiopian Tigst Assefa won in a fabulous world record time of 2:11:53 hours. © SCC EVENTS/Jean-Marc Wiesner

Eliud Kipchoge also continued his record breaking, if only in terms of the number of his wins in Berlin. The Kenyan achieved his fifth triumph here with his world-class time of 2:02:42. Although the 38-year-old finished well outside his world record of 2:01:09, this was nonetheless the eighth fastest performance of all time. In terms of the combined winners’ times, the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON became the fastest race at the distance in history with a total time of 4:14:35. It was the second time since 1999 that the race in Berlin held both marathon world records. Additionally for the first time Berlin became the fastest women’s marathon with an average of 2:17:27,4 (average of the ten fastest times ever run in a race).

BMW BERLIN MARATHON 2023: Eliud Kipchoge crosses the finish line © SCC EVENTS / Jean-Marc Wiesner

Eliud Kipchoge achieved his fifth Berlin win in a world-class time of 2:02:42 hours. © SCC EVENTS/Jean-Marc Wiesner

Amanal Petros also contributed a slice of German marathon history in smashing his own national record with 2:04:58 for ninth place. His time would have been worth a world record 20 years ago. It was also a first for the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON, never before had the race produced a national men’s record since its inception in 1974. Domenika Mayer surprisingly became the second fastest German women’s marathoner in history. She finished 14th with 2:23:47.

MEN: 1. Eliud Kipchoge (KEN) 2:02:42 (WR), 2. Vincent Kipkemoi (KEN) 2:03:13, 3. Tadese Takele (ETH) 2:03:24. WOMEN: 1. Tigist Assefa (ETH) 2:11:53, 2. Sheila Chepkirui (KEN) 2:17:49, 3. Magdalena Shauri (TAN) 2:18:41. WHEELCHAIRS: 1. Marcel Hug (SUI) 1:23:07 - 1. Catherine Debrunner (SUI) 1:34:16. HANDBIKERS: 1. Joseph Fritsch (FRA) 1:00:05 - 1. Julia Dierkesmann (GER) 1:17:51.

You can access the other annual documentation here.

These are the statistics on the number of entries, starters and finishers for the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON 2023.

Click here for the figures from the years before 2023.

In 2023, 43,010 runners (28,583 men, 14,392 women, 35 divers) crossed the finish line at the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON. Figures from previous years can be found here.

Participants will find out which motifs will adorn this year's medals after the finish at the latest. Further information on the medals and motifs from previous years can be found here.

On 24/09/2023 it was sunny with temperatures between 9 and 21 degrees and 88 - 70 %. Humidity. The data from previous years can be found here.

Statistics

In 2023, Tigst Assefa won the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON in a sensational 2:11:53, setting a new world record. 
Eliud Kipchoge became the record winner of the race. The Kenyan triumphed for the fifth time in Berlin and won with a world-class time of 2:02:42 hours. All other winners of the BERLIN-MARATHON can be found here.
 

Click here for the world and course records set in Berlin.

In 2023, Tigst Assefa won the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON in a sensational 2:11:53 hours, setting the current world record for women.

The Kenyan Kelvin Kiptum, who sadly passed away, set the current men's marathon world record on 8 October 2023 with a time of 2:00:35 hours at the Chicago Marathon.

The development of the marathon world records can be found here.
 

CategorieResultAthletePlaceYear
WORLD RECORDS2:00:35Kelvin Kiptum (KEN)Chicago2023
 2:11:53Tigist Assefa (ETH)Berlin2023
EUROPEAN RECORDS2:03:36Bashir Abdi (BEL)Rotterdam2021
 2:13:44Sifan Hassan (NED)Chicago2023
AFRICAN RECORDS2:00:35Kelvin Kiptum (KEN)Chicago2023
 2:11:53Tigist Assefa (ETH)Berlin2023
NORTH AMERICAN RECORDS2:05:36Cameron Levins (CAN)Tokio2023
 2:18:29Emily Sisson (USA)Chicago2022
SOUTH AMERICAN RECORDS2:04:51Daniel do Nascimento (BRA)Seoul2022
 2:24:18Florencia Borelli (ARG)Sevilla2024
ASIAN RECORDS2:04:43El Hassan El Abbassi (BRN)Valencia2018
 2:18:59Honami Maeda (JPN)Osaka2024
OCEANIC RECORDS2:07:31Brett Robinson (AUS)Fukuoka2022
 2:21:34Sinead Diver (AUS)Valencia2022
COMMONWEALTH RECORDS2:00:35Kelvin Kiptum (KEN)Chicago2023
 2:14:04Brigid Kosgei (KEN)Chicago2019
JUNIOR WORLD RECORDS2:04:32Tsegaye Mekonnen (ETH)Dubai2014
 2:20:59Shure Demise (ETH)Dubai2015
GERMAN RECORDS2:04:58Amanal Petros (Berlin)Berlin2023
 2:19:19Irina Mikitenko (Wattenscheid)Berlin2008
COURSE RECORDS2:01:09Eliud Kipchoge (KEN) 2022
 2:11:53Tigist Assefa (ETH) 2023
WORLD LEADING 20242:02:16Benson Kipruto (KEN)Tokio3.3.2024
 2:15:55Sutume Kebede (ETH)Tokio3.3.2024
EUROPEAN LEADING 20242:03:47Morhad Amdouni (FRA)Sevilla18.2.2024
 2:18:05Sifan Hassan (NED)Tokio3.3.2024
GERMAN LEADING TIMES 20242:06:05Amanal Petros (Marathon Team Berlin)Hannover14.4.2024
 2:21:47Melat Kejeta (Laufteam Kassel)Dubai7.1.2024

* World Athletics does not recognize junior records in the marathon. All statistical data was updated in August 2024. Please check at media centre for possible updates or more statistical information.

Men

ResultNameNationPlaceDate
2:02:16Benson KiprutoKENTokio3.3.
2:02:55Timothy KiplagatKENTokio3.3.
2:03:27Deresa GeletaETHSevilla18.2.
2:03:47Morhad AmdouniFRASevilla18.2.
2:04:01Alexander MunyaoKENLondon21.4.
2:04:15Kenenisa BekeleETHLondon21.4.
2:04:18Vincent NgetichKENTokio3.3.
2:04:24Bernard KoechKENHamburg28.4.
2:04:45Abdi NageeyeNEDRotterdam14.4.
2:04:50Amedework WalelegnETHRotterdam14.4.
2:04:53Gashau AyaleISRSevilla18.2.
2:05:01Addisu GobenaETHDubai7.1.
2:05:01Tadesse AbrahamSUIBarcelona10.3.
2:05:16Birhanu LegeseETHRotterdam14.4.
2:05:20Lemi DumechaETHDubai7.1.
2:05:30Haymanot AlewETHHamburg28.4.
2:05:33Mulugeta UmaETHParis7.4.
2:05:37Philemon KiplimoKENHamburg28.4.
2:05:41Ronald KorirKENHamburg28.4.
2:05:42Dejene MegersaETHDubai7.1.
2:05:43Kenneth KipkemoiKENRotterdam14.4.
2:05:48Titus KiprutoKENParis7.4.
2:06:05Amanal PetrosGERHannover14.4.
2:06:06Yemaneberhan CrippaITASevilla18.2.
2:06:07Enock OnchariKENRotterdam14.4.

Women

ResultNameNationPlaceDate
2:15:55Sutume KebedeETHTokio3.3.
2:16:07Tigist KetemaETHDubai7.1.
2:16:14Rosemary WanjiruKENTokio3.3.
2:16:16Peres JepchirchirKENLondon21.4.
2:16:23Tigst AssefaETHLondon21.4.
2:16:24Joyciline JepkosgeiKENLondon21.4.
2:16:34Megertu AlemuETHLondon21.4.
2:16:58Amane ShankuleETHTokio3.3.
2:18:05Sifan HassanNEDTokio3.3.
2:18:09Ruti AgaETHDubai7.1.
2:18:22Irine CheptaiKENHamburg28.4.
2:18:25Winfridah MosetiKENHamburg28.4.
2:18:51Workenesh EdesaETHOsaka28.1.
2:18:59Honami MaedaJPNOsaka28.1.
2:19:02Brigid KosgeiKENLondon21.4.
2:19:17Betsy SainaUSATokio3.3.
2:19:29Dera DidaETHDubai7.1.
2:19:30Ashete BekereETHRotterdam14.4.
2:19:31Sheila ChepkiruiKENLondon21.4.
2:19:33Rahma TusaETHHouston14.1.
2:19:52Degitu AzimerawETHBarcelona10.3.
2:19:55Vicoty ChepngenoKENHouston14.1.
2:20:45Mestawut FikirETHParis7.4.
2:20:48Enatnesh TirusewETHParis7.4.
2:20:57Viola KibiwotKENRotterdam14.4.

All statistical data was updated in August 2024. Please check at media centre for possible updates or more statistical information.

In 2023, Kelvin Kiptum (KEN) set the annual world best time of 2:00:35 in Chicago. In the women's category, Tigist Assefa (ETH) achieved this with 2:11:53 in Berlin. You can read more world leading times here.

Men

ResultNameNationYear
2:01:09Eliud KipchogeKEN2022
2:01:39Eliud KipchogeKEN2018
2:01:41Kenenisa BekeleETH2019
2:02:42Eliud KipchogeKEN2023
2:02:48Birhanu LegeseETH2019
2:02:57Dennis KimettoKEN2014
2:03:03Kenenisa BekeleETH2016
2:03:13Emmanuel MutaiKEN2014
2:03:13Wilson KipsangKEN2016
2:03:13Vincent KipkemboiKEN2023
2:03:23Wilson KipsangKEN2013
2:03:24Tadese TakeleETH2023
2:03:32Eliud KipchogeKEN2017
2:03:36Sisay LemmaETH2019
2:03:38Patrick MakauKEN2011
2:03:46Guye AdolaETH2017
2:03:59Haile GebrselassieETH2008
2:04:00Eliud KipchogeKEN2015
2:04:05Eliud KipchogeKEN2013
2:04:15Geoffrey MutaiKEN2012
2:04:16Dennis KimettoKEN2012
2:04:22Ronald KorirKEN2023
2:04:26Haile GebrselassieETH2007
2:04:42Haftu TekluETH2023
2:04:44Andualem ShiferawETH2023
2:04:49Amos KiprutoKEN2023
2:04:55Paul TergatKEN2003
2:04:56Sammy KorirKEN2003
2:04:56Philemon KiplimoKEN2023
2:04:58Amanal PetrosGER2023
2:05:05Bonface KiplimoKEN2023
2:05:08Patrick MakauKEN2010
2:05:10Geoffrey MutaiKEN2010
2:05:10Abraham TadesseSUI2023
2:05:20Okubay TsegayERI2023
2:05:21Eliud KiptanuiKEN2015
2:05:25Bazu WorkuETH2010
2:05:31Evans ChebetKEN2016
2:05:36James KwambaiKEN2008
2:05:42Josphat BoitKEN2023
2:05:44Tadu AbateETH2023
2:05:45Guye AdolaETH2021
2:05:56Haile GebrselassieETH2006
2:05:56Abera KumaETH2015
2:05:57Justus KangogoKEN2023
2:05:58Mark KorirKEN2022
2:06:05Ronaldo da CostaBRA1998
2:06:08Haile GebrselassieETH2009
2:06:09Mosinet GeremewETH2017
2:06:12Geoffrey KamwororKEN2012

Women

ResultNameNationYear
2:11:53Tigst AssefaETH2023
2:15:37Tigst AssefaETH2022
2:17:49Sheila ChepkiruiKEN2023
2:18:00Rosemary WanjiruKEN2022
2:18:03Tigist AbayechewETH2022
2:18:11Gladys CheronoKEN2018
2:18:34Ruti AgaETH2018
2:18:41Magdalena ShauriTAN2023
2:18:51Workenesh EdesaETH2022
2:18:55Tirunesh DibabaETH2018
2:19:07Zeineba YimerETH2023
2:19:12Mizuki NoguchiJPN2005
2:19:19Irina MikitenkoGER2008
2:19:21Senbere TeferiETH2023
2:19:24Dera DidaETH2023
2:19:25Gladys CheronoKEN2015
2:19:40Workenesh EdesaETH2023
2:19:41Yoko ShibuiJPN2004
2:19:44Florence KiplagatKEN2011
2:19:44Helen BekeleETH2023
2:19:46Naoko TakahashiJPN2001
2:20:09Gotytom GebreslaseETH2021
2:20:14Ashete BekereETH2019
2:20:18Tirfi TsegayeETH2014
2:20:21Mare DibabaETH2019
2:20:23Gladys CheronoKEN2017
2:20:27Feyse TadeseETH2014
2:20:30Aberu KebedeETH2012
2:20:41Ruti AgaETH2017
2:20:43Tegla LoroupeKEN1999
2:20:45Aberu KebedeETH2016
2:20:48Aberu KebedeETH2015
2:20:53Valary AiyabeiKEN2017
2:20:58Sisay GolaETH2022
2:21:06Sally ChepyegoKEN2019
2:21:13Florence KiplagatKEN2013
2:21:14Shalane FlanaganUSA2014
2:21:18Edna KiplagatKEN2018
2:21:19Tirfi TsegayeETH2012
2:21:23Hiwot GebrekidanETH2021
2:21:31Askale MagarsaETH2008
2:21:33Rosemary WanjiruKEN2022

Click here for the statistics of the fastest times ever.

Click here for the list of the fastest Europeans of all time.

Click here for the statistics of the best Germans of all time.

Men

ResultNameClubPlaceDate
2:06:05Amanal PetrosSCC / Marathon Team BerlinHannover14.4.
2:06:27Samuel FitwiSilvesterlauf TrierDubai7.1.
2:07:14Hendrik PfeifferTK HannoverHouston14.1.
2:08:29Haftom WeldayTB Hamburg EilbeckSevilla18.2.
2:08:51Sebastian HendelLG BraunschweigHamburg28.4.
2:09:18Richard RingerLC RehlingenParis10.8.
2:10:39Johannes MotschmannSCC / Marathon Team BerlinLondon21.4.
2:14:25Erik HilleLT Haspa MarathonSevilla18.2.

Women

ResultNameClubPlaceDate
2:21:47Melat KejetaLaufteam KasselDubai7.1.
2:23:50Domenika MayerLG Telis Finanz RegensburgHannover14.4.
2:24:54Deborah SchönebornSCC / Marathon Team BerlinHouston14.1.
2:24:56Katharina SteinruckEintracht FrankfurtOsaka28.1.
2:30:54Kristina HendelLG BraunschweigHouston14.1.
2:31:19Laura HottenrottPSV Grün-Weiß KasselParis11.8.
2:34:51Natascha MommersTSV 1863 HerdeckeHouston14.1.
2:35:07Rabea SchönebornSCC / Marathon Team BerlinHamburg28.4.

All statistical data was updated in August 2024. Please check at media centre for possible updates or more statistical information.

Irina Mikitenko and Amanal Petros hold the German marathon records with 2:19:19 and 2:04:58 hours respectively. The development of the German records can be found here

Eliud Kipchoge 2022

Eliud Kipchoge improved his own world record, which was also the course record, by exactly 30 seconds to 2:01:09.

DistanceTime (total)Time (section)
1 km2:492:49
2 km5:432:54
3 km8:332:50
4 km11:232:50
5 km14:142:51
6 km17:052:51
7 km19:542:49
8 km22:462:52
9 km25:342:48
10 km28:222:48
11 km31:102:48
12 km33:582:48
13 km36:482:50
14 km39:432:55
15 km42:322:49
16 km45:192:47
17 km48:102:51
18 km51:012:51
19 km53:502:49
20 km56:442:54
21 km59:332:49
HM59:50- - -
22 km1:02:252:52
23 km1:05:202:55
24 km1:08:142:54
25 km1:11:072:53
26 km1:13:592:52
27 km1:16:562:57
28 km1:19:552:59
29 km1:22:482:53
30 km1:25:392:51
31 km1:28:372:58
32 km1:31:292:52
33 km1:34:222:53
34 km1:37:152:53
35 km1:40:072:52
36 km1:43:052:58
37 km1:46:012:56
38 km1:49:033:02
39 km1:51:582:55
40 km1:54:522:54
41 km1:57:442:52
42 km2:00:362:52
42,195 km2:01:090:33

 

Tigst Assefa 2023

Tigst Assefa ran a phenomenal world record and became the first woman to achieve a sub 2:12:00 time. 

DistanceTime (total)Time (section)
1 km3:123:12
2 km6:233:11
3 km9:373:14
4 km12:473:10
5 km15:593:12
6 km19:093:10
7 km22:203:11
8 km25:273:08
9 km28:383:11
10 km31:453:07
11 km34:533:08
12 km38:013:07
13 km41:113:10
14 km44:203:09
15 km47:263:06
16 km50:293:03
17 km53:343:05
18 km56:403:06
19 km59:473:07
20 km1:02:523:05
21 km1:06:003:08
HM1:06:20- - -
22 km1:09:083:08
23 km1:12:223:14
24 km1:15:303:08
25 km1:18:403:10
26 km1:21:463:06
27 km1:24:553:09
28 km1:28:043:09
29 km1:31:073:03
30 km1:34:123:05
31 km1:37:183:06
32 km1:40:233:05
33 km1:43:283:05
34 km1:46:353:07
35 km1:49:413:06
36 km1:52:493:08
37 km1:55:543:05
38 km1:58:593:05
39 km2:02:073:08
40 km2:05:133:06
41 km2:08:163:03
42 km2:11:183:02
42,195 km2:11:530:35

In 2023, Tigst Assefa won the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON in a sensational 2:11:53 hours, setting a new world and course record.
The development of the women's course records and the current men's course record can be found here.
 

CityMenWomenMen (Name)Women (Name)
BERLIN2:01:092:11:53 (WR)KipchogeAssefa
CHICAGO2:00:35 (WR)2:13:44KiptumHassan
LONDON2:01:252:15:25KiptumRadcliffe
VALENCIA2:01:482:14:58LemmaShankule
TOKIO2:02:162:15:55KiprutoKebede
MAILAND2:02:572:19:35EkiruGebrekidan
BOSTON2:03:022:19:59G. MutaiB. Deba
SEVILLA2:03:272:18:51GeletaMegertu
DUBAI2:03:342:16:07MollaKetema
ROTTERDAM2:03:362:18:58AbdiGelana
AMSTERDAM2:03:392:17:20TolaAyana
FRANKFURT2:03:422:19:10KipsangJemeli
HAMBURG2:04:092:17:23B. KoechYehualaw
PARIS2:04:212:19:48RotichKorir
ABU DHABI2:04:402:19:15KipyegoKosgei
SEOUL (Frühjahr)2:04:432:18:04GeremewMelly
EINDHOVEN2:04:522:22:47KipkemoiJepkogei
LJUBLJANA2:04:582:21:05LemmaSenbeta
NEW YORK2:04:582:22:31TolaOkayo
TORONTO2:05:002:22:16RonoM. Masai
BUENOS AIRES2:05:002:25:46ChebetTanui
BARCELONA2:05:012:19:44AbrahamYimer
WIEN2:05:082:20:59MailuChepkirui

2023 4:14:35 (2:02:42 + 2:11:53).

The years before 2023 can be found here.

The result of certain placings is shown.

2023 (Men)
2:02:42
2:03:24
2:04:42
2:04:56
2:05:05

2023 (Women)
2:11:53
2:18:41
2:19:21
2:19:44
2:23:01

Further data on the performance trends can be found here.

49. BMW BERLIN-MARATHON
24.09.2023
Sunday, 9.15 a.m.

Men

1.Eliud KipchogeKEN2:02:420:00
2.Vincent KipkemboiKEN2:03:130:31
3.Tadese TakeleETH2:03:240:42
4.Ronald KorirKEN2:04:221:40
5.Haftu TekluETH2:04:422:00
6.Andualem ShiferawETH2:04:442:02
7.Amos KiprutoKEN2:04:492:07
8.Philemon KiplimoKEN2:04:562:16
9.Amanal PetrosGER2:04:582:18
10.Bonface KiplimoKEN2:05:052:23

Women 

1.Tigst AssefaETH2:11:530:00
2.Sheila ChepkiruiKEN2:17:495:56
3.Magdalena ShauriTAN2:18:416:48
4.Zeineba YimerETH2:19:077:14
5.Senbere TeferiETH2:19:217:28
6.Dera DidaETH2:19:247:31
7.Workenesh EdesaETH2:19:407:47
8.Helen BekeleETH2:19:447:51
9.Charlotte PurdueGBR2:22:1710:24
10.Fikrte WeretaETH2:23:0111:08
14.Domenika MayerGER2:23:4711:54


You can find the other years in this section here.

2023Eliud KipchogeKEN2:02:420:312:03:13KENVincent Kipkemboi
2023Tigst AssefaETH2:11:535:562:17:49KENSheila Chepkirui

You can find the data from previous years here.

20230:09:11Eliud Kipchoge2:02:42Tigst Assefa2:11:53

You can find the time differences from previous years here.

World record 

2023Tigst AssefaETH1.2:11:53
 25 km1:18:40*
 30 km1:34:12*

Master world record (from 40 years) 

2023Tadesse AbrahamSUI11.2:05:10

Fastest time of the year 

2023Tigst AssefaETH1.2:11:53

African record 

2023Tigst AssefaETH1.2:11:53

You can find the other records here.

Äthiopien (ETH)
2023 Tigst Assefa
WR 1.2:11:53
Deutschland (GER)
2023 Amanal Petros
9.2:04:58
Hongkong (HKG)
2023 Wan Chun Wong
47.2:16:22
Kolumbien (COL)
2023 Angie Orjuela
16.2:25:35
Tansania (TAN)
2023 Magdalena Shauri
3.2:18:41


The other records in this section can be found here.

Time2:102:152:202:302:453:003:304:005:00Closing time
20232342752371.1103.2029.70020.27335.34643.050

The finishes for the years before 2023 can be found here.

4:14:19Chicago 2023Kelvin Kiptum2:00:35+ Sifan Hassan2:13:44
4:14:35Berlin 2023Eliud Kipchoge2:02:42Tigst Assefa2:11:53
4:16:46Berlin 2022Eliud Kipchoge2:01:09+ Tigist Assefa2:15:37
4:16:51Valencia 2022Kelvin Kiptum2:01:53+ Amana Shankule2:14:58
4:17:39Valencia 2023Sisay Lemma2:01:48+ Worknesh Degefa2:15:51
4:18:11Tokio 2024Benson Kipruto2:02:16+ Sutume Kebede2:15:55
4:18:42Tokio 2022Eliud Kipchoge2:02:40+ Brigid Kosgei2:16:02
4:18:42Chicago 2022Benson Kipruto2:04:24+ Ruth Chepngetich2:14:18
4:19:49Chicago 2019Lawrence Cherono2:05:45+ Brigid Kosgei2:14:04
4:19:50Berlin 2018Eliud Kipchoge2:01:39+ Gladys Cherono2:18:11
(10) 
4:19:58London 2023Kelvin Kiptum2:01:25+ Sifan Hassan2:18:33
4:20:16Valencia 2020Evans Chebet2:03:00Peres Jepchirchir2:17:16
4:20:17London 2024Alexander Munyao2:04:01+ Peres Jepchirchir2:16:16
4:20:42Dubai 2019Getaneh Molla2:03:34+ Ruth Chepngetich2:17:08
4:20:57London 2019Eliud Kipchoge2:02:37+ Brigid Kosgei2:18:20
4:21:08Dubai 2024Addisu Gobena2:05:01+ Tigist Ketema2:16:07
4:21:36Amsterdam 2021Tamirat Tola2:03:39+ Angela Tanui2:17:57
4:21:44London 2021Sisay Lemma2:04:01+ Joyciline Jepkosgei2:17:43
4:21:50Tokio 2023Chalu Deso2:05:22+ Rosemary Wanjiru2:16:28
4:21:55Berlin 2019Kenenisa Bekele2:01:41+ Ashete Bekere2:20:14
(20) 

At the Olympic Games in Paris (2024), Sifan Hassan (NED) and Tamirat Tola (ETH) won the marathon in 2:22:55 and 2:06:06 hours respectively.
You can find more Olympic marathon winners here.

All marathon world champions since 1983 can be found here.

All European marathon champions since 1934 can be found here.

Andorra (AND)
1997Toni Bernardo47.2:24:04
Angola (ANO)
2001Joao n’Tyamba10.2:11:40
Australia (AUS)
1990Steve Moneghetti1.2:08:16
Belarus (BLR)
1997Madina Biktagirova2.2:24:46
Belgium (BEL)
1995Vincent Rousseau2.2:07:20
1996Marleen Renders3.2:27:42
1998Marleen Renders1.2:25:22
1999Marleen Renders2.2:23:58
Brazil (BRA)
1991Janete Mayal5.2:31:27
1998Ronaldo da Costa, WR1.2:06:05
Canada (CAN)
2022Natasha Wodak12.2:23:12
Colombia (COL)
2023Angie Orjuela16.2:25:35
Costa Rica (CRC)
2010Gabriela Trana14.2:43:47
2011Gabriela Trana21.2:38:22
Cuba (CUB)
1991Emporatriz Wilson25.2:42:10
Ethiopia (ETH)
2006Haile Gebrselassie1.2:05:56
2006Gete Wami1.2:21:34
2007Haile Gebrselassie, WR1.2:04:26
2008Haile Gebrselassie, WR1.2:03:59
2016Kenenisa Bekele1.2:03:03
2019Kenenisa Bekele1.2:01:41
2022Tigst Assefa1.2:15:37
2023Tigst Assefa, WR1.2:11:53
Finland (FIN)
1989Päivi Tikkanen1.2:28:45
Georgia (GEO)
2015Daviti Kharazishvili34.2:16:17
Germany (GER)
1977Christa Vahlensieck, WR1.2:34:48
2008Irina Mikitenko1.2:19:19
2023Amanal Petros9.2:04:58
Greece (GRE)
1988Spiridon Andriopoulos2.2:12:04
1989Dimitra Papaspyrou6.2:34:25
Hongkong (HKG)
2023Wan Chun Wong47.2:16:22
Hungary (HUN)
1996Judith Nagy5.2:28:50
Iceland (ISL)
1985Sigurdur Sigmundsson25.2:19:46
1999Martha Ernstdottir11.2:35:15
2011Kaari-Steinn Karlsson17.2:17:12
Israel (ISR)
2016Elena Dolinen7.2:35:59
Ireland (IRL)
1997Catherina McKiernan1.2:23:44
Japan (JPN)
1999Takayuki Inubushi2.2:06:57
2001Naoko Takahashi, WR1.2:19:46
2004Yoko Shibui1.2:19:41
2005Mizuki Noguchi1.2:19:12
Kenya (KEN)
1995Sammy Lelei1.2:07:02
1999Josephat Kiprono1.2:06:44
1999Tegla Loroupe, WR1.2:20:43
2003Paul Tergat, WR1.2:04:55
2011Patrick Makau, WR1.2:03:38
2013Wilson Kipsang, WR1.2:03:23
2014Dennis Kimetto, WR1.2:02:57
2018Eliud Kichoge, WR1.2:01:39
2022Eliud Kipchoge, WR1.2:01:09
Marocco (MAR)
1995Rakya Maraoui3.2:28:17
Mongolia (MGL)
2010Ser-Od Bat-Ochir10.2:12:42
Peru (PER)
2014Ines Melchor8.2:26:48
Slovenia (SLO)
1995Helena Javornik9.2:34:29
1998Roman Keijzar11.2:13:24
Spain (ESP)
1994Antonio Serrano Sanchez3.2:09:13
1994Rocio Rios2.2:28:58
Switzerland (SUI)
2001Viktor Röthlin8.2:10:54
2015Maja Neuenschwander6.2:26:49
Taiwan (TPE)
2019Tsao Chun-Yu15.2:34:18
Tanzania (TAN)
2023Magdalena Shauri3.2:18:41
Turkey (TUR)
1999Serap Aktas7.2:31:43
Ukraine (UKR)
2012Olena Shurhno3.2:23:32
Uzbekistan (UZB)
2023Marina Hmelevskaya22.2:29:28
54.175Paris2024
53.863London2024
53.639New York2019
52.813New York2018
51.394New York2016
50.782Paris2023
50.773New York2017
50.530New York2014
50.266New York2013
49.595New York2015
48.788London2023
48.029Paris2019
47.839New York2022
47.323New York2011
45.932Chicago2019
45.103New York2010
44.600Chicago2018
44.511Chicago2017
43.987Berlin2019
43.660New York2009
42.592London2019
42.525Paris2018

Referring to runners who finished.

53.639New York2019
54.175Paris2024
53.863London2024
45.932Chicago2019
43.987Berlin2019
36.751Tokio2023
35.868Boston1996

Abbott World Marathon Majors

About the Abbott World Marathon Majors  

For runners across the globe, competing in an Abbott World Marathon Majors (AbbottWMM) race is a significant accomplishment. Six of the largest and most renowned road races in the world—the Tokyo, Boston, TCS London, BMW BERLIN, Bank of America Chicago, and TCS New York City marathons—make up the  AbbottWMM. The organization delivers several unique benefits to runners:

  • Unparalleled experiences: Operational excellence at each race ensures a premium race-day journey for runners.
  • A professional series – the best professional athletes in the world competing to become the Series Champion.
  • Promotion of marathon running – AbbottWMM organizers aggressively champion anti-doping protocols and make many other efforts to move the sport forward.
     
History  

Organizers of the Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago, and New York City marathons joined together in 2006 to create World Marathon Majors with a mission of providing global leadership in elite and mass participation marathons. The Tokyo Marathon entered the collective in 2013. These industry-leading organizations are now united in their effort to advance the sport, raise awareness of marathons’ elite athletes and increase the level of interest in elite racing among running enthusiasts.

In October 2014, Abbott, a global healthcare company, and the announced a new partnership. Abbott became the race series' first-ever title sponsor, effective at the 2015 Tokyo Marathon.  

A new Abbott World Marathon Majors series format—a one-year cycle of qualifying races—was announced in February 2015, beginning at the 2015 Tokyo Marathon, replacing the previous two-year series format. In April 2015, it was also announced that the series would expand to include wheelchair athletes, starting at the 2016 Boston Marathon.  

In 2017, AbbottWMM announced an agreement with Dalian Wanda Group Co., Ltd to develop a ten-year strategic partnership aimed at expanding the Series in new regions such as Asia (outside Japan) and Africa. The Chengdu Marathon, Cape Town Marathon and Sydney Marathon are now official candidate races and are being assessed over a multi-year process to meet AbbottWMM’s stringent criteria before selection for the Series.   



AbbottWMM Wanda Age Group World Rankings  

The Abbott World Marathon Majors Wanda Age Group World Rankings began at the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON in 2018.

The inaugural AbbottWMM Wanda Age Group World Championships were held as part of the TCS London Marathon on October 3, 2021. The next final will be held at the TCS New York City Marathon on 2nd November 2025. 

Participants in an AbbottWMM Wanda Age Group World Ranking qualifying race earn points according to their age, time and gender, aligned with the following age groups for men and women: 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65-69, 70-74, 75-79, 80+.

 

Six Star Finishers 


The Six Star system was launched at the 2016 Tokyo Marathon. It was created for mass runners. Those who completed all six AbbottWMM races will receive the Six Star Medal. To take part runners have to register online at: www.abbottwmm.com

 

AbbottWMM Global Run Club   

 The AbbotWMM Global Run Club launched in August 2020 and aims to bring together the global community of marathon runners on a virtual platform. Alongside free monthly challenges and races, the club stages two virtual Global Marathons each year with top-ranked runners earning an invite to the AbbotWMM Wanda Age Group World Championships the following year.

For more information visit: www.abbottwmmglobalrunclub.com

 

Series Format

The champions of the Abbott World Marathon Majors are determined through a one-year cycle of Qualifying Races featuring unprecedented anti-doping protocols. The Abbott World Marathon Majors Series cycle consists of the six Majors along with the Olympic/Paralympic Marathon and the World Athletics/World Para Athletics Championships Marathon in the years that they occur.

 

Points System  

The champions of the AbbotWMM Series are the male and female athletes who score the greatest number of points from Qualifying Races during the Series. During each scoring period, points from a maximum of two Qualifying Races will be scored. An athlete must start in two Qualifying Races over the Series cycle to be eligible for the championship. If an athlete earns points in more than two events, the athlete's highest two finishes will be scored. The Wheelchair Series follows the same rules, but points from an athlete’s best four races count towards the total, or best five during years with Paralympic Games or World Championships.

Points are allocated following each race as follows:

  • 1st place    25 points
  • 2nd place    16 points
  • 3rd place      9 points
  • 4th place      4 points
  • 5th place      1 points

Doping Violations: Under AbbotWMM rules, no athlete who has been found guilty of any anti-doping rules enforced by World Athletics, World Anti-Doping Association (WADA), National Federations, or any of the individual AbbotWMM races is eligible to win the AWMM championship title. Athletes must comply with the AbbotWMM Code of Conduct.  

More information online at: www.abbottwmm.com
 

Men

RankingNameCountryPoints
1Benson KiprutoKEN34
2Sisay LemmaETH25
2Alexander MunyaoKEN25
2Tamirat TolaETH25
5Timothy KiplagatKEN16
5Kenenisa BekeleETH16
5Mohamed EsaETH16
5Bashir AbdiBEL16
9Emile CairessGBR13
10Evans ChebetKEN9
10Vincent NgetichKEN9
12Jonathan KorirKEN4
12Hailemaryam KirosETH4
12Mahamed MahamedGBR4
15Albert KorirKEN1
15Tsegaye GetachewETH1
15Hassan ChahdiFRA1
15Deresa GeletaETH1

 

Women

RankingNameCountryPoints
1Hellen ObiriKEN34
2Tigst AssefaETH32
3Sifan HassanNED29
4Peres JepchirchirKEN25
4Sutume KebedeETH25
6Sharon LokediKEN20
7Rosemary WanjiruKEN16
8Amane ShankuleETH10
9Joyciline JepkosgeiKEN9
9Edna KiplagatKEN9
11Buze DiribaETH4
11Alemu MegertuETH4
13Senbere TeferiETH1
13Betsy SainaUSA1
13Brigid KosgeiKEN1

Serie XVI

DateEvent
3.3.2024Tokio-Marathon
15.4.2024Boston-Marathon
21.4.2024TCS London-Marathon
10.8.2024Olympische Spiele in Paris - Männer-Marathon
11.8.2024Olympische Spiele in Paris - Frauen-Marathon

Remaining Races Series XVI

DateEvent
29.9.2024BMW BERLIN-MARATHON
13.10.2024Bank of America Chicago-Marathon
3.11.2024TCS New York City-Marathon

Tokio-Marathon 3.3.2024

Men
RankingNameCountryResult
1Benson KiprutoKEN2:02:16
2Timothy KiplagatKEN2:02:55
3Vincent NgetichKEN2:04:18
4Hailemaryam KirosETH2:05:43
5Tsegaye GetachewETH2:06:25
Women
RankingNameCountryResult
1Sutume KebedeETH2:15:55
2Rosemary WanjiruKEN2:16:14
3Amane ShankuleETH2:16:58
4Sifan HassanNED2:18:05
5Betsy SainaUSA2:19:17

 

Boston-Marathon 15.4.2024

Men
RankingNameCountryResult
1Sisay LemmaETH2:06:17
2Mohamed EsaETH2:06:58
3Evans ChebetKEN2:07:22
4John KorirKEN2:07:40
5Albert KorirKEN2:07:47
Women
RankingNameCountryResult
1Hellen ObiriKEN2:22:37
2Sharon LokediKEN2:22:45
3Edna KiplagatKEN2:23:21
4Buze DiribaETH2:24:04
5Senbere TeferiETH2:24:04

 

TTCS London-Marathon 21.4.2024 

Men
RankingNameCountryResult
1Alexander MunyaoKEN2:04:01
2Kenenisa BekeleETH2:04:15
3Emile CairessGBR2:06:46
4Mahamed MahamedGBR2:07:05
5Hassan ChahdiFRA2:07:30
Women
RankingNameCountryResult
1Peres JepchirchirKEN2:16:16
2Tigst AssefaETH2:16:23
3Joyciline JepkosgeiKEN2:16:24
4Megertu AlemuETH2:16:34
5Brigid KosgeiKEN2:19:02

 

Olympic Games in Paris 10./11.8.2024

Men
RankingNameCountryResult
1Tamirat TolaETH2:06:26
2Bashir AbdiBEL2:06:47
3Benson KiprutoKEN2:07:00
4Emile CairessGBR2:07:29
5Deresa GeletaETH2:07:31
Women
RankingNameCountryResult
1Sifan HassanNED2:22:55
2Tigst AssefaETH2:22:58
3Helen ObiriKEN2:23:10
4Sharon LokediKEN2:23:14
5Amane ShankuleETH2:23:57
SerieNameCountryPoints
Serie I (2006-2007)Robert K. CheruiyotKEN80
 Gete WamiETH80
Serie II (2007-2008)Martin LelKEN76
 Irina MikitenkoGER65
Serie III (2008-2009)Samuel WanjiruKEN90
 Irina MikitenkoGER90
Serie IV (2009-2010)Samuel WanjiruKEN75
 Irina MikitenkoGER55
Serie V (2010-2011)Emmanuel MutaiKEN70
 Edna KiplagatKEN65
Serie VI (2011-2012)Geoffrey MutaiKEN75
 Mary KeitanyKEN65
Serie VII (2012-2013)Tsegaye KebedeETH75
 Priscah JeptooKEN75
Serie VIII (2013-2014)Wilson KipsangKEN76
 Edna KiplagatKEN65
Serie IX (2015-2016)Eliud KipchogeKEN50
 Mary KeitanyKEN41
Serie X (2016-2017)Eliud KipchogeKEN50
 Edna KiplagatKEN41
Serie XI (2017-2018)Eliud KipchogeKEN50
 Mary KeitanyKEN41
Serie XII (2018-2019)Eliud KipchogeKEN50
 Brigid KosgeiKEN50
Serie XIII (2019-2021)Albert KorirKEN41
 Peres Jepchirchir / Joyciline JepkosgeiKEN50
Serie XIV (2022)Eliud KipchogeKEN50
 Gotytom GebreslaseETH34
Serie XV (2023)Kelvin KiptumKEN50
 Sifan HassanNED50

Duration of a series was two years from Series I to Series XIII and these series overlapped with the following one. From Series IX onwards there was a one-year cycle without overlapping with the next series. 

Men
WRAthleteAbbottWMM EventDate
2:00:35Kelvin Kiptum (KEN)CHI8.10.2023
2:01:09Eliud Kipchoge (KEN)BER25.9.2022
2:01:39Eliud Kipchoge (KEN)BER16.9.2018
2:02:57Dennis Kimetto (KEN)BER28.9.2014
2:03:23Wilson Kipsang (KEN)BER29.9.2013
2:03:38Patrick Makau (KEN)BER25.9.2011
2:03:59Haile Gebrselassie (ETH)BER28.9.2008
2:04:24Haile Gebrselassie (ETH)BER30.9.2007
Women
WRAthleteAbbottWMM EventDate
2:11:53Tigst Assefa (ETH)BER24.9.2023
2:14:04Brigid Kosgei (KEN)CHI13.10.2019

Women only race without male pacemakers

WRAthleteAbbottWMM EventDate
2:16:16Peres Jepchirchir (KEN)LON21.4.2024
2:17:01Mary Keitany (KEN)LON23.4.2017

Information about the Abbott World Marathon Majors Wheelchair Series can be found here

SerieMenWomen
Serie X (2016-2017)Marcel Hug (SUI)Tatyana McFadden (USA)
Serie XI (2017-2018)Marcel Hug (SUI)Manuela Schär (SUI)
Serie XII (2018-2019)Daniel Romanchuk (USA)Manuela Schär (SUI)
Serie XIII (2019-2021)Marcel Hug (SUI)Manuela Schär (SUI)
Serie XIV (2022)Marcel Hug (SUI)Susannah Scaroni (USA)
Serie XV (2023)Marcel Hug (SUI)Catherine Debrunner (SUI)
Serie XVI 2024
DateEvent
3.3.2024Tokio-Marathon
15.4.2024Boston-Marathon
21.4.2024TCS London-Marathon
8.9.2024Paralympics in Paris
Remaining Races Series XVI
DateEvent
29.9.2024BMW BERLIN-MARATHON
13.10.2024Bank of America Chicago-Marathon
3.11.2024TCS New York City-Marathon

The marathon races of the Paralympic Games and the Para Athletics World Championships will be included in the race schedule in the years they are held and as long as they are staged while a series is running.

[Translate to English:]

Männer
PlatzNameLandPunkte
1Daniel RomanchukUSA64
2Marcel HugSUI58
3Tomoko SuzukiJPN29
4David WeirGBR18
5Sho WatanabeJPN14
6Ryota YoshidaJPN4
7Josh CassidyCAN1
7Kota HokinoueJPN1
Frauen
PlatzNameLandPunkte
1Manuela SchärSUI65
2Eden Rainbow-CooperGBR49
3Catherine DebrunnerSUI25
4Susannah ScaroniUSA17
4Madison de RozarioAUS17
6Tatyana McFaddenUSA9
7Patricia EachusSUI1
7Aline dos Santos RochaBRA1
7Wakako TsuchidaJPN1

* Die Marathon-Wettbewerbe der Paralympics sind nicht berücksichtigt, weil die Wettbewerbe erst nach Redaktionsschluss stattfanden.

Tokio-Marathon 3.3.2024

Men
RankingNameCountryResult
1Tomoki SuzukiJPN1:23:05
2Daniel RomanchukUSA1:28:33
3Sho WatanabeJPN1:31:03
Women
RankingNameCountryResult
1Manuela SchärSUI1:40:10
2Eden Rainbow-CooperGBR1:40:28
3Susannah ScaroniUSA1:41:35

Boston-Marathon 15.4.2024

Men
RankingNameCountryResult
1Marcel HugSUI1:15:33
2Daniel RomanchukUSA1:20:37
3David WeirGBR1:22:12
Women
RankingNameCountryResult
1Eden Rainbow-CooperGBR1:35:11
2Manuela SchärSUI1:36:41
3Madison de RozarioAUS1:39:20

London-Marathon 21.4.2024

Men
RankingNameCountryResult
1Marcel HugSUI1:28:35
2Daniel RomanchukUSA1:29:06
3David WeirGBR1:29:58
Women
RankingNameCountryResult
1Catherine DebrunnerSUI1:38:54
2Manuela SchärSUI1:45:00
3Tatyana McFaddenUSA1:45:51

* The marathon races at the Paralympics are not included here. They took place after the editorial deadline.

Tokio-Marathon

Organized by the Tokyo Marathon Foundation, the inaugural Tokyo Marathon was held on 18 February 2007. Through its theme, “The Day We Unite.”, the Tokyo Marathon has gathered together runners, volunteers and spectators for 17 years. In 2011, the Tokyo Marathon implemented its own charity program, “Run with Heart” through which donors can contribute to various charitable activities. Since the 10th anniversary event in Tokyo Marathon 2016, the official race logo has been renewed to represent the portrayed images of the runners, volunteers and cheering crowds along the course, which signifies the race theme “The Day We Unite.”. In addition, Tokyo Marathon 2017 began a new course that finishes in front of the Tokyo station area, and in 2018 we saw a new Japanese record set for the first time in 17 years. Since the course change, the Tokyo Marathon has seen many record-breaking times for both men and women. As the race approaches its 20th anniversary in 2027, the Tokyo Marathon is committed to making the event even more thrilling for all participants. Their focus is on three core pillars: 'The safest and most secure race in the world,' 'The most exciting race in the world,' and 'The warmest and most friendly race in the world.' As a first step, the 2025 race will emphasize enthusiasm, adopting 'SPARK!' as the keyword to ignite excitement. This symbolizes how each participant's motivation fuels their passion, creating an explosion of emotion on the grand stage of the Tokyo Marathon.

  • Inaugural running: 2007
  • Largest field: 36,751 finishers (2023)
Recent participation:
YearFinishers Male / Female
202435.71026.899 / 8.811
202336.75128.090 / 8.661
202218.27215.061 / 3.211
2021

postponed because of the Covid pandemic

 

-
2020165118 / 47 (Elite only)
201935.46027.253 / 8.207
Course records: 
  • 2:02:16 KIPRUTO, Benson (KEN) 2024
  • 2:15:55 KEBEDE, Sutume Asefa (ETH) 2024
Most victories: 
  • Men: 2 – Dixon Chumba (KEN), Birhanu Legese (ETH)
  • Women: 2 – Berhane Dibaba (ETH)
Prize purse: 
  • ¥40,500,000JPY (ca 285.000 $$)
  • (Je ¥11,000,000JPY to male/female champions)
  • 1.000JPY = 7 $$
Wheelchair course records:
  • 1:20:57 Marcel Hug (SUI) 2023
  • 1:36:43 Manuela Schar (SUI) 2023
Most wheelchair victories:
  • Men: 5 – Masazumi Soejima (JPN)
  • Women: 9 – Wakako Tsuchida (JPN)
Wheelchair prize purse: 
  • ¥9,280,000JPY
  • (Je ¥2,000,000JPY to male/female champions)
Organisation:

Tokyo Marathon Foundation
Yasu Oshima, Race Director

www.marathon.tokyo/en


Media contacts:

Public Relations Division
Tel: +81 6279 0048 
E-Mail: press_tm@tokyo42195.org

Upcoming date: March 2, 2025 


Boston Marathon presented by Bank of America

Inspired by their experience at the 1896 Olympic Games, several members of the Boston Athletic Association founded their own marathon in 1897. The race has been run every year since (though the 1918 edition featured a military relay rather than an individual race and the 2020 edition was virtual), and is now recognized as the world’s oldest annual marathon. Both the start and finish lines have moved slightly over the years, but much of the original course remains exactly as it was originally designed. Since 1924, the race has begun in the town of Hopkinton, and from there the point-to-point course descends through Ashland, Framingham, Natick and Wellesley. Upon entering Newton, the course gradually rises to the famous Heartbreak Hill. As runners reach the top, they can see downtown Boston for the first time, four miles in the distance. After running through Brookline, the course enters Boston where it finishes on historic Boylston Street. Runners must qualify for entry by meeting time standards corresponding to gender and age, which is another aspect—besides its course and longevity—unique to the Boston Marathon.

  • Inaugural running: 1897
  • Largest field: 35,868 finishers (1996)
  • Estimated number of spectators: 500,000
Recent participation:
YearFinishers Male Femalenon-binary
202425.64014.63710.95548
202326.66415.19111.44924
202224.83414.26210.572-
202115.3867.9427.444-
2021 (virtuell)22.87610.48612.348-
2020 (virtuell)16.1838.7447.439-
Course records: 
  • 2:03:02 Geoffrey Mutai (KEN) 2011
  • 2:19:59 Buzunesh Deba (ETH) 2014
Most victories: 
  • Men: 7 – Clarence DeMar (USA)
  • Women: 4 – Catherine Ndereba (KEN)
Prize purse: 
  • $ 901,000 (Includes Open, Masters, and Para Athlete)
  • $ 150,000 for the male and female champions

Wheelchair course records:

  • 1:15:33 Marcel Hug (SUI) 2024
  • 1:28:17 Manuela Schär (SUI) 2017
Most wheelchair victories:
  • Men: 10 – Ernst van Dyk (RSA)
  • Women:  5 – Jean Driscoll (USA)
Wheelchair prize purse: 
  • $ 308,000
  • $ 40,000 to male/female champions

Organisation:

Jack Fleming, President & Chief Executive Officer
Boston Athletic Association
185 Dartmouth Street, 6th Floor
Boston, MA 02116 USA
www.baa.org

Media contacts:

Chris Lotsbom, Race Communications & Media
clotsbom@baa.org

Lorna Campbell, Head of Public Relations
lcampbell@baa.org

Upcoming date: April 21, 2025
 


TCS London-Marathon

In 1979, after running the New York City Marathon with John Disley, Chris Brasher questioned whether London could stage such a festival: “We have the course . . . but do we have the heart and hospitality to welcome the world?” Later that year, Brasher travelled to America and witnessed the Boston Marathon and revisited the New York City race, studying their organisations and finances. On his return, Brasher and Disley secured a three-year contract with Gillette for £75,000, established the organization’s charitable status, and set down six main aims for the event. The first London Marathon was then held on March 29, 1981 when there were 6,255 finishers, led home by American Dick Beardsley and Norwegian Inge Simonsen who crossed the finish line hand in hand. Joyce Smith broke the British record to win the women’s race.   
The London Marathon has subsequently raised more than £1billion for charity since 1981 and had more than one million finishers. The race is viewed in more than 196 countries worldwide and watched by between four and five million viewers in the UK via the BBC.  
 The Covid-19 pandemic meant the London Marathon was held in October for three years (between 2020 and 2022) before returning to its traditional April slot for the first time in 2023. The most recent edition in April 2024 saw the event set a new record for number of participants with 53,980 people taking part and, following that, a world-record breaking 840,318 people from across the globe applied to take part in the 2025 event.
 

  • Inaugural running: 1981
  • LARGEST FIELD (TOTAL FINISHERS), 53,980 finishers (2024)
  • estimated number of spectators: 750.000

Recent participation:

YearFinishers Male Femalenon-binary
202453.98031.06422.87044
202348.78828.48420.21688
2023 (virtuell)4.4502.3752.06112
202240.62723.73916.888-
2022 (virtuell)7.4933.7343.759-
202135.83821.43614.402-
2021 (virtuell)23.19311.60112.312-
2020 (nur Elite)472918-
2020 (virtuell)37.96619.22318.743-
201942.59224.80417.788-
Course records: 
  • 2:01:25    Kelvin Kiptum (KEN) 2023
  • 2:15:25     Paula Radcliffe (GBR) 2003 (mixed)
  • 2:16:16     Peres Jepchirchir, KEN, (2024) (Women only)

Most victories: 
  • Men: 4 – Eliud Kipchoge (KEN)
  • Women: : 4 – Ingrid Kristiansen (NOR)
Prize purse: 
  • Elite men and women (open division): $313,000  
  • $55,000 apiece for the male and female champions + time and record bonuses  
Wheelchair course records:
  • 1:23:44        Marcel Hug (SUI) 2023
  • 1:38:24        Catherine Debrunner (SUI) 2022   
Most wheelchair victories:
  • Men: 8 – David Weir (GBR)
  • Women:  6 – Tanni Grey-Thompson (GBR)
Wheelchair prize purse: 
  • Elite men and women (wheelchair division): $308,000
  • $55,000 apiece for the male and female champions + record bonuses 
Organisation:

Hugh Brasher, Event Director 
London Marathon Events 
Marathon House 
190 Great Dover Street 
London SE1 4YB 
www.tcslondonmarathon.com 
 

Media contacts:

Penny Dain, Marketing & Communications Director 
Ryan Goad, Head of Communications and TV 
Media@londonmarathonevents.co.uk 

UPCOMING RACE DATES: April 27, 2025    

 

BMW BERLIN-MARATHON

A group of runners from one of Germany’s most prestigious athletics clubs, SC Charlottenburg, organized the first BERLIN-MARATHON in 1974. It was not until 1981 that the race moved from the Grunewald (a big forest) into the city center of West Berlin. Supported by the three western allied forces (Britain, France and USA) it quickly developed into Germany’s biggest and best quality marathon. A new era started after the fall of the Berlin Wall in November 1989. On 30 September 1990, three days before reunification, the course of the BERLIN-MARATHON led through Brandenburg Gate and both parts of Berlin for the first time. In 2001 Naoko Takahashi became the first woman to break the 2:20 barrier in Berlin. The flat and fast loop course was then changed significantly for the 2003 race. Paul Tergat, who ran a world record of 2:04:55 (first sub 2:05 time ever), became the first man to cross the new finish line, passing through Brandenburg
Gate shortly before – the symbol for reunification. The BMW BERLIN-MARATHON developed into one of the world’s best quality road races. In 2008 Haile Gebrselassie (Ethiopia) improved the world record for a second time, clocking 2:03:59. Patrick Makau (Kenya) broke Gebrselassie’s world record in Berlin in 2011 with 2:03:38. Four more world records by Kenyans followed: Wilson Kipsang (2:03:23 in 2013), Dennis Kimetto (2:02:57/2014) and then Eliud Kipchoge twice. He clocked 2:01:39 in 2018 and improved the former mark by 1:18 minutes, the biggest advance in the men’s marathon world record for over 50 years. He topped this in 2022 by bettering his own mark by exactly half a minute (2:01:09). In 2023 Tigst Assefa from Ethiopia ran a phantastic world record clocking 2:11:53 (mixed races). A staggering total of thirteen world records were broken in the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON, which is unique.

  • Inaugural running: 1974
  • Largest field: 43,987 finishers (2019)
  • Estimated number of spectators: 1 million
Recent participation:
YearFinisherMen/Women/Non-binary
202343.01028.583 / 14.392 / 35
202229.62923.256 / 6.366 / 7
202123.09716.731 / 6.366
2020Cancelled because of the Covid pandemic-
201943.98730.742 / 13.245
201840.65128.378 / 12.273
Course records: 
  • 2:01:09 Eliud Kipchoge (KEN) 2022
  • 2:11:53 Tigst Assefa (ETH) 2023
Most victories: 
  • Men: 4 – Haile Gebrselassie (ETH), Eliud Kipchoge (KEN)
  • Women: 3 – Uta Pippig (GER), Renata Kokowska (POL), Aberu Kebede (ETH),
    Gladys Cherono (KEN)
Prize purse: 
  • ca. 170.000 $ (30.000 to male/female champions)
Wheelchair course records:
  • 1:21:39 Heinz Frei (SUI) 1997
  • 1:34:16 Catherine Debrunner (SUI) 2023
Most wheelchair victories:
  • Men: 20 – Heinz Frei (SUI)
  • Women: : 5 – Edith Hunkeler (SUI)
Wheelchair prize purse: 
  • 37.700 Euro
  • the winners receive 7,500 Euros each
     
Organisation:

Christian Jost, Jürgen Lock, Geschäftsführer
Mark Milde, Race Director
SCC EVENTS GmbH
Hanns-Braun-Straße / Adlerplatz
14053 Berlin
Germany
+49 (30) 3012 8810
www.berlin-marathon.com

Media contacts:

Robert Fekl
robert.fekl@scc-events.com
Jochen Schmitz
jochen.schmitz@scc-events.com

Upcoming dates: 29. September 2024


Bank of America Chicago Marathon

In 1976 a small band of running enthusiasts met at the Metropolitan YMCA on LaSalle Street to plan a marathon in Chicago. This founding group realized their vision on 25 September 1977, hosting 4,200 local participants in the first Chicago Marathon. It has since expanded to more than 48,000 registered runners and an estimated 1.7 million on-course spectators. The flat course begins and ends in Chicago’s historic Grant Park, sweeping through 29 diverse and culturally colorful neighborhoods including Lakeview, Greektown, Little Italy, Pilsen, Chinatown, and Bronzeville. The loop course and abundance of public transport options enable friends and family to cheer their runners on at many locations along the course. The Chicago Marathon has a long history of hosting the world’s fastest runners and has been the site of three men’s world records ((Steve Jones, 2:08:05, 1984; Khalid Khannouchi, 2:05:42, 1999; and Kelvin Kiptum, 2:00:35, 2023) and three women’s world records (Catherine Ndereba, 2:18:47, 2001; Paula Radcliffe, 2:17:18, 2002; and Brigid Kosgei, 2:14:04, 2019).

  • Inaugural running:1977
  • Largest field: 48,472 finishers (2023)
  • Estimated number of spectators: 1.7 million Zuschauerzahl: 1,7 Millionen
Recent participation:
YearFinishers Male Femalenon-binaryprefer not to say
202348,47225,76522,54310460
202239,38720,87618,42685 
202126,10914,22711,882  
Course records: 
  • 2:00:35 Kelvin Kiptum, KEN, 2023
  • 2:13:44  Sifan Hassan, NED, 2023

Prize purse: 
  • $ 820.500
  • $ 75.000 to male/female champions
Wheelchair course records:
  • 1:22:37 Marcel Hug, SUI, 2023
  • 1:38:44 Catherine Debrunner, SUI, 2023

Organisation:

Carey Pinkowski, Executive Race Director
Bank of America Chicago Marathon
110 North Wacker Drivel
Chicago, IL 60606
+ 1 312 904 9800
www.chicagomarathon.com

Media contacts:

Alex Sawyer, Communications Director
+ 1 312 992 6618
alex.sawyer@bankofamerica.com

Upcoming date: Sunday, October 13, 2024
 


TCS New York City Marathon

The TCS New York City Marathon is one of 60 adult and youth races produced annually by nonprofit New York Road Runners,attracting elite athletes and a vast range of competitive, recreational and charity runners alike for the challenge and thrill of a lifetime. The race has grown tremendously since it began in 1970 with just 127 runners racing four laps of Central Park. Today usually more than 50,000 participants from all over the globe flock to New York City for the race held on the first Sunday of November. Runners tour New York City’s five boroughs, starting on Staten Island at the foot of the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, and running through the neighborhoods of Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx, before ending in Manhattan at the iconic Central Park finish line. Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), a leading global IT services, consulting, and business solutions organization, is the premier partner of NYRR and the title sponsor of the TCS New York City Marathon. To learn more, visit www.tcsnycmarathon.org.

  • Inaugural running: 1970
  • Largest field: 53,639 finishers (2019)
Recent participation:
YearFinishers Men/Women/Non-binary
202351,45428,519 / 22,843 / 92
202247,83926,608 / 21,186 / 45
202125,02013,634 / 11,370 / 16
Course records: 
  • 2:04:58 Tamirat Tola (ETH) 2023
  • 2:22:31 Margaret Okayo (KEN) 2003
Most victories: 
  • Men: 4 – Bill Rodgers (USA)
  • Women: : 9 – Grete Waitz (NOR)
Prize purse: 
  • 700.000 US-Dollar
Wheelchair course records:
  • 1:25:26 Marcel Hug (SUI) 2022
  • 1:39:32 Catherine Debrunner (SUI) 2023

Most wheelchair victories:
  • Men: 6 – Marcel Hug (SUI)
  • Women: : 5 – Edith Hunkeler (SUI), Tatyana McFadden (USA)
Organisation:

Rob Simmelkjaer, Chief Executive Officer
Ted Metellus, Senior Vice President, Events and Race Director
New York Road Runners
156 West 56th Street, 5th Floor
New York, NY 10019 USA
www.tcsnycmarathon.org

Media contacts:

Stuart Lieberman
646-770-6987
slieberman@nyrr.org

Upcoming date:  November 3, 2024
 

Miscellaneous

 

ItemPeriodAmount
Programme booklets1974-20192.18 million
Biscuits1974-20242.28 million
Biscuits20243500
Drinking cups1974-202430.3 million (We have been using cups made from recycled PET since 2021)
Drinking cups made from recycled PET20241,250,000 (Largely returned to the recycling process)
Reusable drinking cups made largely from renewable raw materials202475,000 (Used at 1 refreshment point)
Volunteers1974-2024186,778
Volunteers20246000
Massage oil used1974-20247,397 litres
Massage oil used2024250 litres
Safety pins1974-20247.99 million
Safety pins2024312,000
Bananas eaten1974-20244.0 million
Organic bananas2024120,000
Apples consumed1974-20241.57 million
Apples from regional cultivation202480,000
Drinking water distributed1974-20247.13 million litres
Drinking water (quality-tested groundwater)2024250,000 litres
Weight of medals1974-2024112.9 tonnes
Weight of medals20249765 kg
Route signs2024600
CategoryNumbers
Runners58212
Skaters3397
Wheelchair athletes62
Handbiker81
mini-MARATHON10000
Bambini1350
GENERALI 5K as part of the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON10500
Nations161 => New record

Click here for the overview of participant development.

Nationality TOP 15Total all categories161 Nationen
Germany25253
USA7781
United Kingdom4034
Mexiko1801
Brazil1745
France1722
Italy1691
Netherlands1471
China1362
Spain1197
Denmark1104
Poland1097
Ireland858
Indonesia855

all marathon distance categories (running, skating, wheelchair, handbike)

GenderNameNumbers
Most common first name for menMichael752
Most common surname for menMüller140
Most common first name for womenSarah209
Most common surname womenWang55

Without them, nothing would work at Germany's biggest marathon. Volunteers are the scaffolding on which this largest German one-day sporting event is built. This is the volunteer structure of the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON 2024 in figures:

BMW BERLIN-MARATHON Sunday 

NumbersJob
850as course marshals and course security
1730volunteers for catering (refreshment stations)
400volunteers at the start
160volunteers at the finish
320volunteers at the clothing drop
100volunteers with the massage
80volunteers with the driving service
130department heads, route section heads and supply point heads

Saturday GENERALI 5K as part of the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON and inline skating 

NumbersJob
350as course marshals and course security
170volunteers for catering
280volunteers at the startd
70volunteers at the finish
60volunteers at the clothing drop
50volunteers with the massage
90volunteers at the mini marathon

MARATHON EXPO

810 volunteers at the MARATHON EXPO (race number distribution, merchandise sales, info point, Bambini run...)

MOVE and Opening Ceremony for the 50th anniversary

150 volunteers

The Jubilee Club of the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON was founded in 1997 and since then has united all runners, wheelchair users and handbikers who have completed the BERLIN-MARATHON 10 times or more in their respective category. Those who belong to the Jubilee Club receive a special green bib number. This special race number is valid for life.

The Jubilee Club currently has over 6,250 members from more than 30 countries in the above-mentioned categories. Winfried Köhnke leads the men's ranking with 47 participations, Sabine Fimmel (35) is currently in the lead among the women. Membership is free, is not automatic and offers the community numerous benefits.



All information about the Jubilee Club can be found here.

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