Press Release - Berlin Marathon - 8/15/24

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
	
                50th BMW BERLIN-MARATHON ON 29 SEPTEMBER:    

            New look elite field for Berlin's big jubilee race

The men's elite field for the 50th edition of the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON race 
comes with a change that reflects the recent development at the very top of 
elite marathon racing. It will be the first time since 2014 that you will 
not find the name of either Eliud Kipchoge or Kenenisa Bekele on the start 
list of the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON. However the Elite Race Director of the 
marathon where most world records (13) were broken, Mark Milde, can be 
confident that not so much will change regarding the outcome. Although 
world-records will not be the target on 29th September, the jubilee race 
could well deliver extraordinary fast times yet again. 

A record number of more than 50,000 runners are expected to run the 50th 
BMW BERLIN-MARATHON on 29th September. The race, that saw its first edition 
back in 1974 with 244 finishers, never had over 50,000 runners before.

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, who has 
a current PB of 2:04:48 and was inspired by former Berlin world record 
breaker Paul Tergat, 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.

The women's race could see a battle between Ethiopia's newcomer Tigist 
Ketema and Kenya's Rosemary Wanjiru. With their personal bests they are 
among the top ten on the marathon all-time list. Tigist Ketema took the 
Dubai Marathon this year with an unofficial world debut record of 2:16:07. 
She is a training partner of Tigst Assefa, who smashed the world record at 
the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON a year ago. Rosemary Wanjiru ran her marathon debut 
in Berlin two years ago and finished second with a brilliant 2:18:00. This 
year she improved to 2:16:14 when she was runner-up in Tokyo. 

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.

Elite Runners for the 50th BMW BERLIN-MARATHON:

MEN

Tadese Takele      ETH 2:03:24
Ronald Korir       KEN 2:04:22
Cybrian Kotut      KEN 2:04:34
Hailemaryam Kiros  ETH 2:04:41
Kibiwott Kandie    KEN 2:04:48
Bazezew Asmare     ETH 2:04:57
Samwel Mailu       KEN 2:05:08
Milkesa Mengesha   ETH 2:05:29
Haymanot Alew      ETH 2:05:30
Philimon Kipchumba KEN 2:05:35
Stephen Kiprop     KEN 2:07:04

WOMEN

Tigist Ketema    ETH 2:16:07
Rosemary Wanjiru KEN 2:16:14
Genzebe Dibaba   ETH 2:18:05
Yebrugal Melese  ETH 2:19:36
Mestawot Fikir   ETH 2:20:45
Azmera Gebru     ETH 2:20:48
Sisay Gola       ETH 2:20:50
Ababel Yeshaneh  ETH 2:20:51
Mizuki Matsuda   JPN 2:20:52
Fikrte Wereta    ETH 2:21:32

More information is available online at: www.berlin-marathon.com 

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