News Archive

NEW YORK (November 5, 2006) - The World Marathon Majors (WMM) leader board saw plenty of movement following the results of today’s ING New York City Marathon. Held in near-perfect conditions, Jelena Prokopcuka (LAT) in the women’s race and an unexpected win by Marilson Gomes dos Santos (BRA) on the men’s side, saw the former move to the head of the WMM table, and the latter, install himself in a three-way tie for second with Haile Gebrselassie (ETH) and Felix Limo (KEN).

Every Finisher can watch the last moments of his or her 42,195 kilometres online and as a download. Simply enter your name or bib number at www.finisherclip.de – and your personal finish at the Brandenburger Tor will be shown. Finisher Clip is presented by T-Pay from T-Com.

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Haile Gebrselassie – men’s champion, real,- BERLIN-MARATHON 2006 in 2:05:56, the fastest time in the world this year: “The victory in Berlin has given me more confidence for the marathon at the Olympics, though I have to qualify for the Ethiopian team for Beijing first! I was confident before Berlin that I would run well and this performance shows that I’m one of the best in the marathon. I’m not bad at all!”

Haile Gebrselassie won the 33rd real,- BERLIN-MARATHON in the German capital Sunday morning. But what looked until the closing kilometres like a successful assault on his great rival Paul Tergat’s world record of 2.04.55, set in this same race in 2003, evaporated, and the tiny Ethiopian finished one minute and one second behind the Kenyan’s time, with 2.05.56. The race was run in bright sunshine throughout, with temperatures rising from 16C (59F) at the 9am start, to more than 20° C (68F) at the...

BERLIN: Haile Gebrselassie, the most famous name in long distance running joins the head of the World Marathon Majors (WMM) leaderboard following his victory in the real,- BERLIN - MARATHON in 2hr 05min 56sec on Sunday morning. The WMM - a union of the top five global marathons - is three races through the first year of its inaugural two year series, and multi-world record holder and Olympic and world titleist Gebrselassie joins Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot and Felix Limo, winners of the Boston...

The World Marathon Majors, the union of the top five global marathons, will get a boost in class and recognition if Haile Gebrselassie wins the third race in the series, the real,-BERLIN-MARATHON on Sunday morning. The Ethiopian track star, who has broken 21 world records in his long career sets out in his fourth marathon on the course where his great rival, Paul Tergat of Kenya set a world record of 2.04.55 three years ago.

If silence speaks louder than words, then Haile Gebrselassie may finally come to terms with the ultimate long distance race, when he runs in the real,- BERLIN-MARATHON on Sunday morning. By anyone else’s standards, the Ethiopian star’s first two marathons – a third in London ’02 in 2.06.35, and a win in Amsterdam ’05 in 2.06.20 – were top drawer. But his ninth place in London, in 2.09.05 six months ago was, as he admits, a disaster, albeit one he felt he could explain.

Everything changes, everything stays the same. The real,- BERLIN-MARATHON on Sunday is the third leg of the inaugural series of the World Marathon Majors (WMM), the union of the top five 42.2 kilometre events around the globe. But, as usual, Berlin, like Boston and London earlier this year is likely to develop into a ‘local derby’ between the East African super-runners, the Kenyans and Ethiopians. The Kenyans have the upper hand (or should that be foot?) at the moment, having won both men’s and...

Haile Gebrselassie (Ethiopia): “The conditions in London (where he finished 9th in 2:09:05 on April 23 this year – ed note) didn’t suit me. It was raining and when the road becomes slippery it affects my running style which is to land on the forefoot. Wet conditions can give me injury problems. But I’ve not changed my training, I’ve done exactly the same training as for London and feel very good.”

When the field races away from the starting line at the real,- BERLIN-MARATHON this coming Sunday, September 24, not only will it signify the beginning of yet another world-class battle on the streets of the German capital, it will also represent the resumption of the 2006 World Marathon Majors Series.

The Olympic Champion in the marathon, Mizuki Noguchi had to call off her participation in the 33rd real,- BERLIN-MARATHON on September 24 due to injury, Race Director Mark Milde announced today. The 28 year-old Japanese woman won the real,- BERLIN-MARATHON in 2005 with a course and Asian record time of 2:19:12, making her the third fastest female marathon runner of all time.

Britain’s Liz Yelling will come back to the German capital to run the real,- BERLIN-MARATHON on 24th September. Besides the Olympic Champion and course record holder Mizuki Noguchi (Japan/2:19:12) Gete Wami (Ehtiopia/2:22:19) and Sonja Oberem (Germany) will be among the contenders in a strong women’s field. 40,000 runners will take part in the 33rd real,- BERLIN-MARATHON. No further entries are accepted for the race.

Haile Gebrselassie will run against high class competitors at the real,- BERLIN-MARATHON. One of the Ethiopian rivals will be the second fastest marathon runner of all times: Sammy Korir. In 2003 the Kenyan finished only one second behind Paul Tergat, who was then running the current world record of 2:04:55 hours. Furthermore Sammy Korir leads the marathon top list in 2006. In April he won the Rotterdam Marathon in 2:06:38. This year nobody has run faster at the 42,195 k distance.

Spain’s Juan Carlos de la Ossa will be running his debut at the 33. real,- BERLIN-MARATHON on September 24th. The 29 year-old Spaniard will among others compete against Haile Gebrselassie at the third race of the World Marathon Majors series (WMM) in Berlin. 40,000 runners are already confirmed for the real,- BERLIN-MARATHON and no more participants are accepted. Further entries are not possible anymore.

As the patron of this event, I would like to extend a hearty welcome to all of the participants, the organisers, the trainers and coaches, the accompanying friends and family, and the numerous spectators of the real,- BERLIN-MARATHON. The BERLIN-MARATHON now has a permanent spot in the event calendars of many runners from around the world. It is thus no surprise that once again tens of thousands of runners, wheelchair competitors, hand cyclists, and power walkers from 100 countries will come to...

Marathon Olympic Champion Mizuki Noguchi presented herself in top shape on Sunday. The 27 year-old Japanese, who is preparing for the real,- BERLIN MARATHON on September 24th as the defending champion, won the Sapporo Half Marathon despite windy weather conditions in a new course record of 68:14 minutes. She bettered the old record set by Olympic marathon runner-up Catherine Ndereba by nine seconds. The Kenyan, who had won the race last year ahead of Noguchi, was running as well in the strong...

Haile Gebrselassie’s next marathon will be the 33rd real,- BERLIN-MARATHON on September 24th. This announcement was made by Berlin’s Race Director Mark Milde today. The signing of Ethiopia’s superstar is among the most high-carat commitments ever in the history of the biggest German marathon race which belongs to the formation of the World Marathon Majors (WMM). Haile Gebrselassie is the second star runner signed for this year’s real,- BERLIN MARATHON. On September 24th Japan’s Olympic Champion...

The Olympic Marathon Champion Mizuki Noguchi will run the real,- BERLIN MARATHON for the second time in a row. The Japanese officially announced her participation at the biggest and most spectacular German marathon, held on September 24th. The real,- BERLIN MARATHON is part of the new World Marathon Majors Series (WMM). The organisers of the 33rd edition of the real,- BERLIN MARATHON already have 30,000 registrations. Only 10,000 bib numbers are left. As soon as the limit of 40,000 registrations...

Deena Kastor after her superb Flora London Marathon victory is keeping her options wideopen about a possible clash later in the year with Paula Radcliffe. "I will take a couple of weeks to reflect on my next goal," said Kastor, after becoming the fourth fastest-ever woman with her winning time of 2:19:36 hours. “I haven't discussed what's next for me yet," said the 33-year-old American, adamant she will not rush into deciding where to contest her next marathon.

For many MARATHON runners, this Jubilee Club is still new territory, and they bring with them the certificates and lists of results from the past to document that they have successfully crossed the finish 10 — or more — times at the BERLIN-MARATHON.

There are now 109 women, 1,472 men, and 16 male wheelchair athletes, making a total of 1,597 Jubilee Club members from 14 countries, with 15 more aspirants who have already submitted their documents. In addition, 37 runners have submitted proof...

The Kenyans Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot and Rita Jeptoo won the 110th BAA Boston Marathon. In good weather conditions 22,517 athletes participated in the race which has a point-to-point course from Hopkinton to Boston. The BAA Boston Marathon was also the premiere of the new World Marathon Majors Series (WMM). Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot won with a new course record of 2:07:14 hours ahead of his countryman Benjamin Maiyo (2:08:21) and US American Meb Keflezighi (2:09:56). Rita Jeptoo won in 2:23:38...

The 110th Boston Marathon, held today over the celebrated course from Hopkinton to downtown Boston, was also the first event in the newly instigated World Marathon Majors Series. Comprising five events – the Boston Marathon, the Flora London Marathon, the real,-Berlin Marathon, the LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon and the ING New York City Marathon – the series spans a two year period and offers $1,000,000 in prize money to be divided between the winning male and female competitors.

The World Marathon Majors, an innovative series with a $1,000,000 prize purse, will get underway when the gun fires at the 110th Boston Marathon on Monday, April 17th. The two-year, five-marathon series will divide $1,000,000 between the overall male and female winners and will continue on Sunday, April 23rd, when the Flora London Marathon takes place on the streets of the English capital.

Kenyan distance runners broke the Australian’s hearts for the second night in a row at the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne when Lucy Wangui and Evelyne Wambui broke free of the crowd’s great hope Benita Johnson with three laps to go in the women’s 10,000m. Wangui outkicked her team-mate for the gold, finishing in 31:29.47. Johnson came in fourth.

The BAA Boston Marathon, Flora London Marathon, real,- BERLIN-MARATHON, LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon and the ING New York City Marathon have officially launched the World Marathon Majors (WMM) on Monday. They also presented the idea of a new series to promote the sport of marathon – the World Marathon Major Series (WMM Series) at press conferences held in Boston and London on 23rd January. Participating in this interview were the race directors of the BAA Boston Marathon (Guy Morse), the Flora...

The world’s five premier international marathons—the Boston Marathon, the Flora London Marathon, the real,- Berlin-Marathon, the LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon, and the ING New York City Marathon—have joined forces to collectively present the top echelon in the sport of marathon running. These five events now present themselves as the World Marathon Majors® (WMM).

Kenenisa Bekele with a last gasp sprint for the line thwarted the efforts of Saif Saaeed Shaheen to win the VisitScotland Great Edinburgh Cross Country title today. Bekele who has never lost a cross country race as a senior athlete and in the process has won four successive world long and short course title, underwent the biggest-ever test in his already illustrious career.

The online registration for the 33rd real,- BERLIN-MARATHON has started. Preparations for the real,- BERLIN-MARATHON are already in full progress. As usual the 33rd edition of the real,- BERLIN-MARATHON will be staged on the final weekend of September (23rd and 24th).

Paula Radcliffe faces even more world class opposition when bidding to win a fourth Flora London Marathon title on April 23. Radcliffe the defending champion will face Kenya's Margaret Okayo who preceded her as title holder and Deena Kastor, the Olympic bronze medallist, when additions to the line-up were made today. Kastor continuing her Athens form won, last October's Chicago marathon although she was desperately hanging on in the final stages, before holding off Constantina Dita, the 2004...