The historic occasion which attracts athletes searching for quick occasions will take to the roads on Sunday as Calli Hauger-Thackery leads the Brits
The BMW Berlin Marathon is celebrating it’s fiftieth yr this weekend after establishing itself as a basis occasion within the marathon world, attracting runners from far and huge with its record-breaking performances.
A memorable second within the marathon’s historical past of 13 world information passed off in 2018 when Eliud Kipchoge grew to become the primary man to interrupt the two:02:00 barrier, finishing the race in 2:01:39.
The Kenyan returned in 2022 to as soon as once more push the bounds and shaved off 30 seconds from his personal document to complete in 2:01:09 – which is now the second quickest time in historical past behind Kelvin Kiptum’s 2:00:35 set in Chicago.
Final yr, historical past was made as soon as once more when Ethiopia’s Tigist Assefa obliterated the ladies’s world document with 2:11:53, setting the bar extraordinarily excessive.
Eliud Kipchoge (Getty)
With Kipchoge absent this yr after back-to-back victories, the boys’s race opens as much as new potentialities. Ethiopia’s Tadese Takele enters because the quickest runner on paper, boasting a private finest of two:03:24.
Having completed third final yr, he returns with the purpose of securing victory in a discipline the place 14 athletes have already run underneath 2:06:00, promising a extremely aggressive race which begins at Brandenburg Gate.
One other potential runner is Kenya’s Kibiwott Kandie. The previous half-marathon world record-holder (57:32) holds a marathon finest of two:04:48 and shall be chasing his first main win over the gap.
With no British set to compete within the elite males’s part this yr, Germany’s Hendrik Pfeiffer leads a gaggle of robust home runners having improved to 2:07:14 earlier this yr in Houston.
When it comes all the way down to the ladies’s race all eyes shall be on Ethiopia’s Tigist Ketema, coaching accomplice of Assefa.
Tigist Ketema (Colombo)
In her marathon debut this January, she clocked a powerful 2:16:07 in Dubai, making her the ninth-fastest marathon runner ever. As she seems to be to enhance on reducing her time even additional, coaching alongside world record-holder, Assefa shall be of big profit.
“I’ve ready to run a private finest and plan to run the primary half on Sunday in round 68 minutes,” mentioned Ketema. “I hope it received’t be too chilly since I run higher in hotter circumstances.
“Earlier than Dubai I used to be actually apprehensive concerning the distance however afterwards I requested myself, why was that?”
One other outstanding title is Genzebe Dibaba, the previous 1500m world record-holder with 3:50.07 from 2015.
Since switching to marathon operating, Dibaba posted a debut time of two:18:05 in Amsterdam two years in the past. This shall be her first time racing in Berlin, and her background in middle-distance operating provides intrigue to her efficiency.
“I’ve seen on TV how Haile Gebrselassie broke two world information in Berlin. Since then I’ve all the time wished to run right here and now I’ve the prospect,” mentioned Dibaba. “Success for me would imply breaking my private finest.”
Calli Hauger-Thackery will lead the British ladies with a finest of two:22:17, achieved in New York final yr. Hauger-Thackery was a non-finisher in Paris on the Olympics however has since claimed the UK 5km title and completed second behind Eilish McColgan on the Huge Half.
Calli Thackery (Getty)
Veteran runner Sonia Samuels, 44, continues to defy age with a finest time of two:28:04. Fellow Brit Phillipa Bowden can also be within the combine, aiming to enhance her 2:29:14.
Germany’s hopes relaxation on Melat Kejeta, who will purpose to grow to be solely the second German lady to interrupt the two:20:00 mark in Berlin, following within the footsteps of Irina Mikitenko, who ran 2:19:19 on the course in 2008.
She completed sixth within the 2021 Olympic marathon in Japan however dangerous luck precipitated a setback within the Paris Video games the place she needed to drop out because of abdomen issues.
In complete there are 50,000 entries for the fiftieth version of the race.
The Berlin Marathon will begin at 7:50am GMT on Sunday September 29.
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