FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
BMW BERLIN-MARATHON on Sunday:
Hiwot Gebrekidan sets sghts on Berlin Course Record
The women's race at the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON on Sunday is looking
increasingly like an attack on the course record. The best time to date was
set three years ago when the Kenyan Gladys Cherono ran 2:18:11.
Half-a-dozen women will be on the start line who have run under 2:25 and
among them is the Ethiopian Hiwot Gebrekidan, the fastest women in the
world this year thanks to her personal best of 2:19:35 in winning the Milan
title in April. She will be making her debut in the Abbott World Marathon
Majors Series of which the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON is a part.
In the light of the continung Corona pandemic the number of starters for
this year has been considerably reduced. Around 25,000 runners are expected
to compete on Sunday. The BMW BERLIN-MARATHON will take place under strict
hygiene rules.
Any participant on the start line must have been vaccinated, or recovered
from the virus or be able to produce a negative PCR Test. Over 90% of
runners entered have been vaccinated. Spectators on the course will also be
requested to maintain social distance and wear a mask covering nose and
mouth.
"I've been preparing for the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON for a long time and want
to run my personal best on Sunday," said Hiwot Gebrekidan at Thursday's
press conference in Berlin. When pressed as to what pace she would like,
the 26-year-old answered: "I'd actually like to hold back in the first
half. But I nevertheless plan to go through halfway in just under 69
minutes." Such a split at halfway would put Hiwot Gebrekidan not only in
contention for the course record but also the Ethiopian national record,
currently held by Worknesh Degefa with her time of 2:17:41 in Dubai in
2019.
Her fellow Ethiopian Shure Demise also has a personal best in her sights.
She is a highly experienced marathon runner, having run a dozen of them.
"I've spoken with other women runners and know what a fast course is
Berlin. I have high expectations for myself and want to break my personal
record," said Shure Demise, whose best currently stands at 2:20:59 and
could well go under 2:20 for the first time.
"2:20 remains a breakthrough target for women in the marathon," said the
race director Mark Milde, adding in response to Hiwot Gebrekidan's
announcement of going for a super-fast time at halfway: "We'll have to wait
and see what times are actually run. But a pace like that would certainly
suit us. And a course record would be great."
A woman who has been a late addition to the elite field in Berlin but is
capable of a surprise is Fancy Chemutai. The Kenyan has a best of 2:24:27
and will be running only her second marathon. If she were able to convert
her enormous potential to good effect in the classic distance she may well
be in contention for the win. Her half marathon best of 64:52 makes her the
seventh fastest woman at the distance of all time. No other woman on the
Berlin start list has such a fast half marathon performance.
Rabea Schöneborn takes aim for Personal Best
Rabea Schöneborn from the local club LG Nord Berlin will be running a
marathon for the first time in her home town. The 27-year-old improved her
best to 2:27:03 in April in her second race at the distance, missing
selection for the Olympics by just nine seconds. This inadvertently created
the opportunity of turning that preparation to potentially good effect at
the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON. "Berlin is definitely a highlight, I'm really
looking forward to Sunday. Up to now I've only had the experience of elite
marathons but now I can see and feel what's it like to be part of a big
city marathon. Having spectators will definitely give me a lift," said
Rabea Schöneborn.
The Berlin athlete hopes to take advantage of the fast course and what
looks likely to be excellent weather conditions to improve her best time.
"I always try to hold back a little so I can run the second half faster.
That's also the plan on Sunday," explained Rabea Schöneborn. Nevertheless,
she is still looking at a fast halfway split: "Something between 73:10 and
73:20 is the plan."
WOMEN'S ELITE FIELD:
Hiwot Gebrekidan ETH 2:19:35
Shure Demise ETH 2:20:59
Helen Tola ETH 2:21:01
Ruth Chebitok KEN 2:23:29
Bethelhem Moges ETH 2:23:38
Fancy Chemutai KEN 2:24:27
Rabea Schöneborn GER 2:27:03
Iwona Bernardelli POL 2:27:47
Martina Strähl SUI 2:28:07
Izabela Paszkiewicz POL 2:28:12
Grace Momanyi KEN 2.28:18
Hanna Lindholm SWE 2:28.59
Edith Chelimo KEN 2:29:03
Beatie Deutsch ISR 2:31:39
Martha Akeno KEN 2:33:25
Nora Szabo HUN 2:35:00
Gotytom Gebreslase ETH Debut
More information is available online at: www.berlin-marathon.com
Please note: You may watch Friday's press conference with Kenenisa Bekele
at 11.00 am here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=UVygAV_bj68
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