Berlin Marathon record-breaking star Eliud Kipchoge will not be part of this year’s edition set to take place on Sunday, September 29, 2024.

Kipchoge won the race last year when he claimed his record fifth victory, and that means the country’s hope this time around will lie in others: Cybrian Kotut, Kibiwott Kandie, and Samuel Mailu.

As usual, Kenya’s main threat will come from Ethiopia, with Tadese Takele being the main rival. In the last edition, the Ethiopian finished third with a personal best of 2:03:24.

Although that was his most recent race due to injury, Tekele says he is now fit and ready to run.

“I’ve trained very well and expect to run a strong race,” he said, as quoted by World Athletics.

Meanwhile, Kotut is among four men to have dipped under the 2:05 who feature on the entry list. The Kenyan ran his personal best of 2:04:34 when finishing second in Amsterdam last year.

Others are Ethiopia’s Hailemaryam Kiros and Bazezew Asmare, who respectively clocked 2:04:41 in Paris in 2021 and 2:04:57 in Amsterdam in 2022.

Former world half marathon record-holder Kandie races the marathon for the third time and will be looking to build on the personal best of 2:04:48 he set in Valencia last year as he hunts for a first win over the distance.

Mailu, the world half marathon bronze medallist who set a course record of 2:05:08 to win the Vienna City Marathon in 2023, will hope for a successful comeback after recovery from an injury.

Ethiopia’s Milkesa Mengesha, who finished sixth at the World Championships last year and who has a best of 2:05:29, will also be a star to watch.

Men’s elite entry list

Tadese Takele (ETH) 2:03:24

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

Josphat Boit (KEN) 2:05:42

Dejene Megersa (ETH) 2:05:42

Enock Onchari (KEN) 2:05:47

Oqbe Ruesom (ERI) 2:05:51

Justus Kangogo (KEN) 2:05:57

Haimro Alame (ISR) 2:06:04

Ashenafi Moges (ETH) 2:06:12

Asbel Rutto (KEN) 2:07:04

Samuel Tsegay (SWE) 2:06:53

Yohei Ikeda (JPN) 2:06:53

Stephen Kiprop (KEN) 2:07:04

Hendrik Pfeiffer (GER) 2:07:14

Kento Kikutani (JPN) 2:07:26

Melaku Belachew (ETH) 2:07:28

Godadaw Belachew (ISR) 2:07:45

Yuhei Urano (JPN) 2:07:52

Guojian Dong (CHN) 2:08:12

Filimon Abraham (GER) 2:08:22

Haftom Welday (GER) 2:08:24

Sebastian Hendel (GER) 2:08:51

Olonbayar Jamsran (MGL) 2:08:58

Haftamu Gebresilase (ETH) debut