Ethiopians Milkesa Mengesha and Tigist Ketema claimed the top honours, winning the elite men’s and women’s titles, in the 50th anniversary race of the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON on Sunday.
In excellent weather conditions, cool and sunny, Milkesa Mengesha triumphed in 2:03:17, the third fastest time in the world this year.
Finishing second to the 24-year-old was Cybrian Kotut of Kenya in 2:03:22 while the Ethiopian Haymanot Alew finished third in 2:03:31. The top times didn’t end there since Stephen Kiprop of Kenya ran 2:03:37 for fourth.
The best German finisher was Sebastian Hendel who sprang a surprise for a highly creditable improvement of his best to 2:07:33. This performance made him the fifth fastest German marathoner of all time.
Tigist Ketema dominated the women’s race for victory in 2:16:42, the third fastest women’s time in the 50-year history of the race.
She led her Ethiopian compatriots Mestawot Fikir and Bosena Mulatie home, the second and third placers finishing in 2:18:48 and 2:19:00 respectively. The leading German finisher was Melat Kejeta with 2:23:40 for eleventh place.
Overall the race still produced outstanding performances although no major records were broken.
Taking both winning times into account, their aggregate of 4:19:59 made the 50th edition the twelfth fastest marathon in history and the fourth fastest ever in Berlin.
For the first time in Berlin, four men went under 2:04. The 50th anniversary edition in 2024 attracted 58,212 starters from 161 countries.
Men’s Race
The pace was very fast from the start of the men’s race. Led by three pacemakers, 12 runners went through 10km in 28:42, on course for a finishing time in the region of Eliud Kipchoge’s course record of 2:01:09.
The tempo proved to be too ambitious and after reaching halfway in 60:57 and the departure of the pacemakers by 25km, the pace slowed appreciably.
Several kilometre splits were timed at over three minutes each – highly unusual for the Berlin race. The leading group was still sizeable by 30km with eight men going through in 1:27:21.
Five kilometres later the group had been reduced to four: the Kenyans Stephen Kiprop and Cybrian Kotut as well as the Ethiopian pair of Milkesa Mengesha and Haymanot Alew.
While Alew and Kiprop dropped off the pace, the decisive point only came in the final kilometre shortly before the Brandenburg Gate.
Milkesa Mingesha broke away from Cybrian Kotut to achieve the greatest win of his career.
“It was good that I didn’t come here as one of the big favourites so I could run without any real pressure. This personal best also shows what a huge advance I’ve made,” said Mengesha, whose previous fastest time was 2:05:29.
Women’s Race
In contrast to the men, the women’s race proved almost a start to finish solo win for Tigist Ketema, whose personal best of 2:16:09 made her the fastest on the start list by some distance.
For a time she ran a pace on course for a sub 2:16:00 finish. Her fellow Ethiopian Azmera Gebru was the only rival who attempted to match her pace but she dropped back shortly before 20km while Ketema went through halfway in 67:53 on the way to achieving the second win in a major marathon this year, having triumphed in Dubai in January.
“I actually wanted to run a personal best but I am so pleased with the win and also the time,” said the 26-year-old Tigist Ketema.
Ethiopians claimed the top three places with Mestawot Fikir finishing second in 2:18:48 followed by Bosena Mulatie in 2:19:00. Both improved their personal bests by several minutes, neither having broken 2:20 previously.
Leading Results – 50th BMW Berlin Marathon 2024
Men:
- Milkesa Mengesha ETH 2:03:17
- Cyprian Kotut KEN 2:03:22
- Haymanot Alew ETH 2:03:31
- Stephen Kiprop KEN 2:03:37
- Hailemariyam Kiros ETH 2:04:35
- Yohei Ikeda JPN 2:05:12
- Tadese Takele ETH 2:05:13
- Oqbe Kibrom Ruesom ERI 2:05:37
- Onchari Enock KEN 2:05:53
- Derseh Kindie ETH 2:05:54
Women:
- Tigist Ketema ETH 2:16:42
- Mestawot Fikir ETH 2:18:48
- Bosena Mulatie ETH 2:19:00
- Aberu Ayana ETH 2:20:20
- Ai Hosoda JPN 2:20:31
- Mizuki Matsuda JPN 2:20:42
- Calli Hauger-Thackery GBR 2:21:24
- Yebregual Melese ETH 2:21:39
- Fikrte Wereta ETH 2:23:23
- Sisay Gola ETH 2:23:36
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