New faces headline most open Berlin marathon in a decade

BERLIN: The next generation of running talent takes centre stage at Sunday´s Berlin Marathon, in the absence of stars including Kenyan Eliud Kipchoge and Ethiopian world record holder Tigist Assefa.

With most of the major marathon stars skipping the event in the wake of the Paris Olympics just over a month ago, the field is wide open in both the men´s and women´s races.

Since 2015, Kipchoge has won five times in Berlin, Kenenisa Bekele has won twice and Guye Adola once -- with all three missing on Sunday.

Kenyan Kibiwott Kandie and Ethiopian Tadese Takele are among the favourites for the men, while Olympic silver medallist Assefa´s training partner Tigist Ketema leads a quality field including 2014 Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year Genzebe Dibaba.

The favourable conditions in the German capital have produced 13 world records in the event´s 50-year history.

Two of those have come in the past two years, with Kipchoge breaking the world mark in 2022 and Assefa smashing the women´s mark a year later.

Suggestions the Kipchoge era is over may be premature, with the 39-year-old telling Germany´s Bild tabloid on Thursday he "wants to run fast and inspire people for a while longer".

There is little doubt however the Kenyan, who failed to finish in Paris due to injury, has entered the twilight of his career, making Berlin the perfect stage for the next generation to emerge.

Five of the men have run under 2:05 so far in their careers, highlighting how competitive Sunday´s race could be.

Takele´s time of 2:03:24, recorded last year in Berlin as he finished third, is the best in the field, although that was the last time the Ethiopian competed internationally.

"I was injured but I am fit now," Takele, just 22, said Friday. "I´ve trained very well and I expect to run a strong race."

One-time half-marathon world record holder Kandie is also expected to be among the best. Kenya´s Cybrian Kotut and Ethiopian duo Hailemaryam Kiros and Bazezew Asmare are the others to have run south of 2:05.

Kipchoge´s Berlin record of 2:01:09, set in 2022 as a world mark, was bettered by Kelvin Kiptum in October 2023 in Chicago, just months before the 24-year-old was killed in a car accident this past February.

Five-time Berlin champion Kipchoge, who broke the world record twice in Berlin, told Bild it would not be long until a runner cracked the two-hour mark in an official capacity.

"That moment is not far away," he said. "We just need the right people, who love the sport and push themselves every day... then the mark will fall quickly."

Ketema, 26, may be a newcomer to marathon running, but her time of 2:16:07 on her debut in January shows she belongs at the top level.

"I´ve prepared for a personal best," Ketema said Thursday.

Her challenger Dibaba, who ran 2:18:05 on her first attempt in Amsterdam in 2022, said she was fulfilling a lifelong dream by running in Berlin, inspired by countryman Haile Gebrselassie´s efforts.

"I saw (him) run two world records in Berlin on TV and since then I´ve always wanted to run in Berlin -- now the time has come. I want to run a personal best."

Although the chances of a third world record in a row are questionable, the 80,000 participants -- including 58,212 in the open running category -- will be the most to ever run the event.

Berlin´s flat terrain is perfect for marathon running and setting record times; the race does not exceed 53m above sea level and will not drop below 37m.

The city´s open boulevards mean there are fewer turns and the late September temperature ranges from 12C and 18C -- perfect conditions for running, while wind is limited.

The positive conditions have consistently attracted the best runners, which has in turn bred success, with the world´s top performers pushing each other to improve.