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≡ BERLIN MARATHON ≡
One of the truly iconic international road races is the Berlin Marathon, a World Marathon Major, which will celebrate its 50th anniversary on Sunday, with much faster racing than in 1974, when Gunter Hallas won the men’s race in 2:44:53 and Jutta von Hasse took the first of her three women’s titles in 3:22:01.
The race will also be without five-time winner and two-time world-record setter Eliud Kipchoge (KEN), yet the men’s field has more sub-2:06 marathoners than ever before: 15. They are:
● 2:03:34 in 2023: Tadese Takele (ETH)
● 2:04:22 in 2023: Ronald Korir (KEN)
● 2:04:34 in 2022: Cybrian Kotut (KEN)
● 2:04:41 in 2021: Haliemaryam Kiros (ETH)
● 2:04:48 in 2023: Kibiwott Kandie (KEN)
● 2:04:57 in 2022: Bazezew Asmare (ETH)
● 2:05:08 in 2023: Samwel Mailu (KEN)
● 2:05:29 in 2022: Milkesa Mengesha (ETH)
● 2:05:30 in 2024: Haymanot Alew (ETH)
● 2:05:35 in 2023: Philimon Kipchumba (KEN)
● 2:05:42 in 2023: Josphat Boit (KEN)
● 2:05:42 in 2024: Dejene Megersa (ETH)
● 2:05:47 in 2023: Enock Onchari (KEN)
● 2:05:51 in 2023: Oqbe Ruesom (ERI)
● 2:05:57 in 2023: Justus Kangogo (KEN)
The top two by time – Takele and Korir – were 3-4 in last year’s Berlin Marathon. Much attention is being paid to former Half Marathon world-record holder Kandie – 57:32 in 2020, still no. 2 all-time – who will be running his third marathon. He was ninth in New York in 2021 (2:13:43), but 2:04:48 for sixth in Valencia last December.
The women’s field is thinner, with four under 2:20 and seven under 2:21:
● 2:16:07 in 2024: Tigist Ketema (ETH)
● 2:17:36 in 2022: Tadu Teshome (ETH)
● 2:18:05 in 2022: Ginzebe Dibaba (ETH)
● 2:19:36 in 2018: Yebrugal Melese (ETH)
● 2:20:45 in 2024: Mestawot Fikir (ETH)
● 2:20:48 in 2019: Azmera Gebru (ETH)
● 2:20:50 in 2022: Sisay Gola (ETH)
● 2:20:52 in 2022: Mizuki Matsuda (JPN)
Ketema won the Dubai Marathon in January and ranks no. 2 in the world this year with her 2:16:07 winner. She only started running the marathon this year, winning in Dubai, then seventh in London in 2:23:21. Fikir won the Paris Marathon this year.
Dibaba, now 33, one of the greatest women’s distance stars ever – the 2015 Worlds 1,500 m winner, five World Indoor golds at 1,500 and 3,000 m, the 2016 Olympic women’s 1,500 m silver medalist, and no. 2 all-time at 3:50.07 – will be running her fourth career marathon. She’s had mixed success, running second at Amsterdam in 2022 in 2:18:05, then did not finish at London 2023 and was sixth in Chicago last year in 2:21:47. A breakout in Berlin?
Prize money is available to the top 10 finishers in both the men’s and women’s races at €30,000-15,000-10,000-8,000-6,500-5,000-4,000-3,000-2,000-1,500. There are also time bonuses for sub-2:02:30 for men or 2:16:00 for women of €30,000 and for sub-2:30:30 or 2:18:00 of €15,000.
More than 58,000 participants of all kinds are expected at the start, with a 9:15 a.m. runner’s start with cool temperatures in the high 40s (F), rising into the mid-50s, under sunny skies.
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