Ethiopians dominate with winning times of 2:03:17 and 2:16:42 as Great Britain’s Kali Hauger-Tuckery and Philly Bowden lead the big PBs.
In a race devoid of famous stars like Eliud Kipchoge, Tigist Assefa, Sifan Hassan and Kenenisa Bekele, it was Milkesa Mengesha and Tigist Ketema who made a name for themselves in the world.th Berlin Marathon Sunday (September 29).
The Ethiopian duo capped off a great day for their country, with runners from the East African nation taking three of the top five places in the men’s race and the top four in the women’s category.
Mengesha pulled away from Kenya’s Kibrian Kotut in the final half-mile to win by five seconds in 2:03:17, with Ethiopia’s Haymanot Alev third in 2:03:31 and Stephen Kiprop of Kenya fourth in 2:03:37.
On Berlin’s famous speedway, the men navigated 5km in 14:25 and 10km in 28:42 before crossing the halfway point in 60:57. There were still nine people in the lead group at 35km and they included Kibiwot Kandi, the former half-marathon world record holder, although he soon found himself among the dropouts, eventually finishing 13th.th. Likewise, Tadese Takele, another pre-race favourite, finished seventh in 2:05:13 in the closing stages as Mengesha led from strength to strength.
Milkesa Mengesha (Getty)
“Earlier this year I had to stop at the 38km mark in the London Marathon, so I was worried about it happening again here,” Mengesha said. “But I prepared well, so everything was fine. I had the opportunity to run in Chicago (October 14), but I knew the course was very fast in Berlin, so I’m glad I chose to run here.”
Just five years ago, Mengesha won the world under-20 title on a grueling course in Aarhus, Denmark. Jakob Ingebrigtsen was among the runners behind him on the day, with the Norwegian finishing in an exhausted 12th.th.
The 24-year-old ran 2:05:29 in his marathon debut in Valencia in 2022, then 2:10:43 to finish sixth at the 2023 world championships in Budapest, plus a DNF in London this year before enjoying this breakthrough. victory in Berlin.
Women’s winner Ketema began her running career as an 800m runner. The 26-year-old won bronze over the distance at the 2016 U20 World Championships in Poland and the following year in 2:02.00, but she has moved on to the roads and won the 2022 Ethiopian Grand Prix 10km. A right of passage for many up-and-coming runners from Ethiopia, and in 2023 he acted as pacesetter for Faith Kipyegon’s 5000m world record in Paris.
Tigist Ketema (Getty)
Ketema trains with her namesake, marathon world record holder Asefa, and started this year with the fastest marathon debut for a woman when he ran 2:16:07 to win in Dubai. He didn’t enjoy a great run in London in April as he clocked 2:23:21 for seventh, but here in Berlin he ran almost as fast again in 2:16:42.
After covering 10km in 32:14 and halfway in 67:53, Ketema broke away from her female rivals and surrounded by a large group of men, including her pacemakers, she finished just over four minutes ahead of Mestavot Fikir, who ran 2 : :18:48, third: Bosena Mulatien: 2:19.00
“I am very thankful that I was able to run here in Berlin and with God’s help I was able to win,” Ketema said.
Hauger-Tuckery and Bowden excel
Callie Hauger-Tucker dropped almost a minute off her PB of 2:22:11 to finish seventh in 2:21:24.
The 31-year-old’s best finish came at the McKirdy Micro Marathon in New York last December. This year, he won a bronze medal in the European half-marathon in Rome, but was excluded from the Olympic marathon in Paris. She was back in top form in Berlin, however, as she cemented her 2nd place in the UK all-time rankings behind Paula Radcliffe’s national record (2:15:25).
Lisa Weightman was also excellent as the Australian, who turned 45 in January, ran 2:24:40, just over a minute off her PB.
Philly Bowden, who tops the UK rankings for 2024 thanks to his 2:29:14 from Houston in January, improved his personal best to 2:25:47 in 15th place to move up to 9 in the UK all-time rankings. th place Just ahead of Véronique Marot, Sam Harrison and Natasha Cockram.
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Another Briton, Georgia Malir, also clocked a three-minute PB of 2:36:38 in 30 minutes.th.
Switzerland’s Marcel Hugue won his ninth Berlin Marathon wheelchair title in 87:18, ahead of second-placed David Weir of Great Britain in 89:05, as Kathryn Debrunner completed a Swiss double as she won the women’s wheelchair race from Suzanne in 95:23. Scaroni and Manuela Shar.
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