A world-class field will be in contention at the 51st edition of the BMW Berlin Marathon on September 21. Kenyans Sabastian Sawe and Rosemary Wanjiru head deep start lists with personal bests of 2:02:05 and 2:16:14, respectively. While they are considered favourites the men’s race features the defending champion Milkesa Mengesha of Ethiopia. He set his personal best of 2:03:17 in Berlin last year.
Ten men are on the start list with personal bests of sub 2:05:00, and six women have already achieved times of under 2:19:00. Based on these figures it is the best line-up in the history of the BMW BERLIN MARATHON. Once again, a very fast race can be expected on the flat Berlin course, which has seen a unique number of 13 world records during its 50-year history.
The organizers have also pulled off an extraordinary coup. Both Japanese record holders will be running in Berlin next week: Kengo Suzuki holds the national record with a time of 2:04:56, and Honami Maeda is the fastest Japanese woman of all time with 2:18:59. For around 25 years at least, no other organizer of a city marathon outside Japan has managed to get the two Japanese record holders to compete in one race. This reflects the enormous significance the BMW BERLIN MARATHON has in Japan, a country where long-distance running is hugely popular.
The Top 20
Sabastian Sawe KEN 2:02:05 1. Valencia 24
Gabriel Geay TAN 2:03:00 2. Valencia 22
Milkesa Mengesha ETH 2:03:17 1. Berlin 24
Haymanot Alew ETH 2:03:31 3. Berlin 24
Guye Adola ETH 2:03:46 2. Berlin 17
Leul Gebresilase ETH 2:04:02 2. Dubai 18
Daniel Mateiko KEN 2:04:24 3. Valencia 24
Haftu Teklu ETH 2:04:42 5. Berlin 23
Chimdessa Debele ETH 2:04:44 6. Valencia 24
Kengo Suzuki JPN 2:04:56 1. Otsu 21
Chala Regasa ETH 2:05:06 2. Rotterdam 25
Samwel Mailu KEN 2:05:08 1. Wien 23
Yihunilign Adane ETH 2:05:37 1. Osaka 25
Tariku Novales ESP 2:05:48 11. Valencia 23
Kyohei Hosoya JPN 2:05:58 4. Osaka 25
Yuhei Urano JPN 2:06:23 13. Tokyo 25
Shuho Dairokuno JPN 2:07:12 6. Otsu 21
Hendrik Pfeiffer GER 2:07:14 3. Houston 24
Yitayew Abuhay ISR 2:07:26 11. Sevilla 25
Ezra Tanui KEN 2:07:28 1. Doha 25
WOMEN:
Rosemary Wanjiru KEN 2:16:14 2. Tokyo 24
Degitu Azimeraw ETH 2:17:58 2. London 21
Dera Dida ETH 2:18:32 2. Dubai 25
Mestawut Fikir ETH 2:18:48 2. Berlin 24
Tigist Girma ETH 2:18:52 7. Valencia 22
Honami Maeda JPN 2:18:59 2. Osaka 24
Sharon Chelimo KEN 2:19:33 1. Barcelona 25
Aberu Ayana ETH 2:20:20 4. Berlin 24
Azmera Gebru ETH 2:20:48 3. Amsterdam 19
Kidsan Alema ETH 2:22:28 6. Sevilla 22
Violah Cheptoo KEN 2:22:44 2. New York 21
Betty Chepkwony KEN 2:23:02 1. Rom 23
Domenika Mayer GER 2:23:47 14. Berlin 23
Deborah Schöneborn GER 2:24:54 4. Houston 24
Aberash Demisse ETH 2:25:43 10. Frankfurt 24
Fabienne Königstein GER 2:25:48 8. Hamburg 23
Aleksandra Lisowska POL 2:25:52 28. Valencia 23
Samantha Harrison GBR 2:25:59 11. London 23
Irvette Van Zyl RSA 2:26:11 16. Valencia 22
Hanne Verbruggen BEL 2:26:32 7. Sevilla 23
