Kenya’s legendary runner Eliud Kipchoge will not be part of this year’s Berlin Marathon after the organisers revealed the entries for the event set for September 29, 2024.
Kipchoge’s long-time rival, Kenenisa Bekele will not also participate after he, and the Kenyan, struggled in the Olympic Games marathon in Paris in August.
Kipchoge featured in Berlin’s 2023 edition and went on to make history after he claimed a fifth victory.
Between Kipchoge and Bekele, they have won the race seven times, with two of Kipchoge’s wins having been claimed in world records – but fast times will still be the target.
Meanwhile, Ethiopia’s Tadese Takele and Ronald Korir of Kenya, who placed third and fourth last year in respective personal bests of 2:03:24 and 2:04:22, are among those who will return to the German capital.
Cyprian Kotut ran his personal best of 2:04:34 when finishing second in Amsterdam last year and will make his Berlin Marathon debut. Ethiopia’s Hailemaryam Kiros and Bazezew Asmare have also broken 2:05 in their careers so far, respectively running 2:04:41 in Paris in 2021 and 2:04:57 in Amsterdam in 2022 and are also set to feature in Berlin.
Kenya will also be represented by Kibiwott Kandie, who will be racing the marathon for the third time. The former world half marathon record-holder, who clocked 57:32 for 13.1 miles in 2020, will be looking to build on the personal best of 2:04:48 he set in Valencia last year.
Samuel Mailu, another Kenyan representative, will also be looking for a podium finish. Mailu is a world half marathon bronze medallist who set a course record of 2:05:08 to win the Vienna City Marathon in 2023 and continues his comeback after injury.
Men’s Berlin Marathon line-up
Tadese Takele (ETH) 2:03:24
Ronald Korir (KEN) 2:04:22
Cybrian Kotut (KEN) 2:04:34
Hailemaryam Kiros (ETH) 2:04:41
Kibiwott Kandie (KEN) 2:04:48
Bazezew Asmare (ETH) 2:04:57
Samwel Mailu (KEN) 2:05:08
Milkesa Mengesha (ETH) 2:05:29
Haymanot Alew (ETH) 2:05:30
Philimon Kipchumba (KEN) 2:05:35
Stephen Kiprop (KEN) 2:07:04