FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
50th BMW BERLIN-MARATHON ON SUNDAY:
Can Tigist Ketema become the latest Ethiopian Woman to cause a Sensation
in Berlin?
When the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON celebrated its first major anniversary in
1998, the 25th edition of the race was crowned with a world record which,
so to speak, fell from heaven. The pre-race discussion had barely brought
the name of Ronaldo da Costa into the reckoning. The Brazilian stormed his
way to a 2:06:05 world record which drew headlines around the globe. Will
the 50th anniversary of the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON also match those headlines
in the women's race for its 50th anniversary?
When Tigst Assefa ran her sensational world record of 2:11:53 a year ago,
it took the marathon into an entirely new dimension. The Ethiopian's
achievement set the bar extremely high for the Berlin race. Expecting a
world record is just as daring as it was before the 25th anniversary and
not realistic. Yet one woman in the elite filed could well be capable of an
absolutely world class performance and that is Tigist Ketema, a training
partner of Tigst Assefa. The latter won an Olympic silver medal in August
and hence will not be lining up to attempt her third consecutive win in
Berlin.
Tigist Ketema is certainly capable of an absolutely world class time. In
Januar she made her marathon debut in Dubai and produced a sensational
performance, winning in 2:16:07 and set an unofficial world record for a
women's marathon debut. It also made her the ninth fastest woman of all
time at the distance. "I have prepared to run a personal best and plan to
run the first half on Sunday in around 68 minutes. I hope it won't be too
cold since I run better in warmer conditions," she explained. Tigist Ketema
is still a newcomer to the event. "Before Dubai I was certainly
apprehensive about the distance but afterwards I asked myself, why was
that," she added. She goes into the women's race as the favourite.
"Tigist is expected to set off at a faster pace than the others. But the
elite field is closely matched and could produce a surprise," said Mark
Milde, the Race Director. He has brought together an elite women's field
with eleven athletes who have broken 2:22. That number has only been
reached once before in Berlin and that was in 2023. Much points to another
win to add to the Ethiopian success sequence. Their women have won the
title for the last four races and the six fastest competitors this year
come from this land of renowned runners.
Genzebe Dibaba, the former world record holder at 1500m and younger sister
of the Ethiopian running legend Tirunesh, is looking for a fast time in
Berlin. On her debut at the distance in Amsterdam in 2022 she achieved
2:18:05. Genzebe, the 2014 Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year, hasn't
been able to improve on that. "I've seen on TV how Haile Gebrselassie broke
two world records in Berlin. Since then I've always wanted to run here and
now I have the chance," said Genzebe Dibaba. "Success for me would mean
breaking my personal best."
Melat Kejeta, by some way the strongest German marathoner in recent years,
will be leading the home hopes on Sunday. "I have very good memories of the
race and am delighted to be running here again," said the 32-year-old, who
made her debut in Berlin in 2019 to spring a surprise with 2:23:57 for
sixth place. She impressed further with a strong performance for sixth in
the 2021 Olympic Marathon in Sapporo in Japan. Bad luck caused a setback in
the Paris Games this August where she had to drop out because of stomach
problems. This gave her the chance to run Berlin's anniversary race. "I'm
not in the kind of form to attack the German record (2:19:19 by Irina
Mikitenko in Berlin in 2008) but I hope to set a personal best. I had a
slight knee problem recently and shall have to see how it goes on Sunday,"
said Keleta, who improved her best to 2:21:47 in Dubai in January.
Elite Women for the 50th BMW BERLIN-MARATHON:
Tigist Ketema ETH 2:16:07
Genzebe Dibaba ETH 2:18:05
Yebrugal Melese ETH 2:19:36
Mestawot Fikir ETH 2:20:45
Azmera Gebru ETH 2:20:48
Sisay Gola ETH 2:20:50
Mizuki Matsuda JPN 2:20:52
Fikrte Wereta ETH 2:21:32
Ai Hosoda JPN 2:21:42
Melat Kejeta GER 2:21:47
Aberu Ayana ETH 2:21:54
Calli Hauger-Thackery GBR 2:22:17
Bekelech Gudeta ETH 2:22:54
Lisa Weightman AUS 2:23:15
Betelihem Afenigus ETH 2:23:20
Veronica Maina KEN 2:24:46
Bosena Mulatie ETH 2:26:59
Alisa Vainio FIN 2:27:26
Sonia Samuels GBR 2:28:04
Nora Szabo HUN 2:28:25
Philippa Bowden USA 2:29:14
Pauline Esikon KEN Debut
More information is available online at: www.berlin-marathon.com
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