The first names for the 2024 Berlin Marathon have been announced! At the end of September, former half marathon world record holder Kibiwott Kandie will be among those chasing records. Superstars Eliud Kipchoge and Kenenisa Bekele will be missing this time.
Jörg Wenig
The organizers of the BMW Berlin Marathon are expecting a record number of more than 50,000 runners on September 29th, when Germany’s most high-class and spectacular road race will take place for the 50th time. However, two names are missing from the start list this time: Kenya’s superstar Eliud Kipchoge and Ethiopia’s running legend Kenenisa Bekele. For the first time since 2014, neither of them will be taking part in Berlin.
For the 50th anniversary, the elite men’s field has a new look, which also reflects the current developments at the top of the world’s marathon. It is now other athletes who are causing a stir. In this respect, Berlin race director Mark Milde can be confident that the results will not change much in the end. Although there are no plans to hunt for world record number 14 in Berlin – no other marathon in the world has seen so many global best times – absolutely world-class times can be expected.
Kibiwott Kandie wants more
The Berlin organizers announced part of the international elite field on Thursday. Among the men, there is at least one Kenyan who has the potential to become the country’s next marathon superstar: Kibiowott Kandie is the former half marathon world record holder. His best time of 57:32 minutes suggests that he can become one of the fastest marathon runners in history, provided he manages to transfer his enormous potential to the 42.195 kilometers.
The 28-year-old, who currently has a marathon best time of 2:04:48 hours and whose role model is former Berlin world record runner Paul Tergat (Kenya), is one of six runners who will start with strong personal records of under 2:05:00.
Ethiopians promising
Returning to Berlin are Ethiopian Tadese Takele and Kenyan Ronald Korir, who finished third and fourth there last year, setting personal bests of 2:03:24 and 2:04:22 hours respectively. Kenyan Cybrian Kotut – a younger brother of former London and New York Marathon winner Martin Lel – will start the race with a PB of 2:04:34 hours. Ethiopians Hailemaryam Kiros (2:04:41 h) and Bazezew Asmare (2:04:57 h) are the other two athletes who have already run under 2:05 hours.
Another runner who has a chance of making the podium is Samwel Mailu. The Kenyan smashed the course record at the Vienna City Marathon last year with a time of 2:05:08. Due to an injury, the 2023 World Half Marathon bronze medalist was unable to run a marathon this spring. Stephen Kiprop, who won the Daegu Marathon in South Korea this year with an improvement to 2:07:04, is also very strong.
Newcomer Tigist Ketema can take off
In the women’s race, a duel could develop between Ethiopian newcomer Tigist Ketema and Kenyan Rosemary Wanjiru. They are already among the ten fastest female marathon runners in history. Tigist Ketema surprised everyone in January at the Dubai Marathon, which she won with an unofficial debut world record of 2:16:07 hours. She is a training partner of world record holder Tigst Assefa. Rosemary Wanjiru ran an excellent debut in Berlin two years ago, finishing second in 2:18:00 hours. In March, she improved to 2:16:14 hours in Tokyo, also finishing second.
Former 1,500-meter world record holder Genzebe Dibaba hopes to run a fast time in Berlin. She already ran 2:18:05 hours on her debut in Amsterdam in 2022. But Genzebe Dibaba, who was Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year in 2014, has not been able to improve any further since then. Her compatriot Yebrgual Melese is the fourth runner on the Berlin start list who has already run under 2:20 hours (2:19:36 h).
The ten fastest elite runners on the Berlin start list:
MEN
Tadese Takele | ETH | 2:03:24 h
Ronald Corir | KEN | 2:04:22 pm
Cybrian Kotut | KEN | 2:04:34 h
HailemaryamKiros | ETH | 2:04:41 h
Kibiwott Kandie | EN | 2:04:48 p.m.
Bazezew Asmare | ETH | 2:04:57 a.m
Samuel Mailu | KEN | 2:05:08 h
Milkesa Mengesha | ETH | 2:05:29 h
Haymanot Alew | ETH | 2:05:30 h
Philimon Kipchumba | KEN | 2:05:35 h
WOMEN
Tigist Ketema | ETH | 2:16:07 PM
Rosemary Wanjiru | KEN | 2:16:14 h
Genzebe Dibaba | ETH | 2:18:05 h
Yebrugal Melese | ETH | 2:19:36 h
Mestawot Fikir | ETH | 2:20:45 h
Azmera Gebru | ETH | 2:20:48 h
Sisay Gola | ETH | 2:20:50 h
Abel Yeshaneh ETH | 2:20:51 h
Mizuki Matsuda JPN | 2:20:52 p.m
Fikrte Wereta | ETH | 2:21:32 p.m
