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It beamed and how it beamed and with it beamed the 24,796 participants of the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON 2021. The writing is on the animated rainbow start gate, which had a very special task inside at the #restartrunning of the biggest marathon since the beginning of the pandemic. Together with the runners and partners, SCC EVENTS as the organizer of the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON sent out a signal for cosmopolitanism, tolerance and acceptance to the world with the rainbow start gate. Values for which the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON including its endurance sports community has stood for years. Thus emotionally charged, the recreational and top athletes set off on their 42.195-kilometer journey in sunshine and 18 degrees Celsius.

Ethiopians Guye Adola and debutant Gotytom Gebreslase won the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON in warm weather conditions. 30-year-old Adola, who was second in Berlin four years ago, clocked 2:05:45. While Bethwel Yegon of Kenya took second place at Brandenburg Gate in 2:06:14 it was not the day of Kenenisa Bekele. The Ethiopian superstar attacked the world record of Kenya’s Eliud Kipchoge, who ran 2:01:39 in Berlin in 2018, in the first part of the race but then had to settle for third with 2:06:47. Philipp Pflieger was the best German runner with 2:15:01 in 16th place.  With temperatures above 20 degrees Celsius during the final part of the race any hopes for record times faded. However Gotytom Gebreslase ran a superb debut marathon. The 26 year-old surprised the favourites and ran the third fastest time of the year with 2:20:09.  Hiwot Gebrekidan took second in 2:21:23 and Helen Tola completed an Ethiopian podium with 2:23:05. Germany’s Rabea Schöneborn finished ninth with 2:28:49. The 47th edition of the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON, which is part of the Abbott World Marathon Majors Series, took place under strict hygiene regulations.