World Congress of AIMS 2026, Tromso, Norway

02/10/2026

The Kuala Lumpur Standard Chartered Marathon 2026 will proceed this weekend with the Full Marathon, ASICS Half Marathon, IHH 10km and 5km categories taking place as scheduled without Kids Dash categories.

After discussions with the relevant parties, we regret to announce that the Kids Dash races will be cancelled, in the best interest of the children. This decision is further supported by co-organisers, Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur, as well as the title sponsor, Standard Chartered Malaysia.

We appreciate the support that has been shown by our runners throughout this challenging weather situation. The race entitlements for the Kids Dash participants will be available for collection at the Information Counter at Dataran Merdeka on 3 October, between 8.00am and 12 noon. Parents must present their child’s race bib to claim the entitlements.

“We have continuously monitored the haze situation and have made this difficult decision after much careful deliberation. We are disappointed that we are unable to proceed with the Kids Dash events but we have to prioritise the health and safety of the children over letting them run in less than perfect conditions,” said Rainer Biemans, Project Director of the KLSCM and Director of Dirigo Events.

“We know that many runners are excited that the race will proceed. However, we would like to remind runners that they know their body best. If you have underlying health issues, we suggest that you weigh your options carefully before deciding to run,” he added.

We will also continue to monitor the race situation throughout Saturday, and hope for favourable conditions on Sunday.

The Race Entry Pack Collection and Active Lifestyle Expo will continue at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (MITEC) until tomorrow.

For more information and updates, please visit the KLSCM website at www.kl-marathon.com/ or our social media pages at:
• Facebook – www.facebook.com/KLSCMarathon
• Instagram – www.instagram.com/klscmarathon/
• TikTok – www.tiktok.com/

About the Kuala Lumpur Standard Chartered Marathon
The Kuala Lumpur Standard Chartered Marathon is owned and organised by Dirigo Events and will see participation from more than 40,000 runners, ranging from elite athletes to first-time distance runners. A truly international event, the Kuala Lumpur Standard Chartered Marathon boasts participants from all over Malaysia and over 70 countries. The Kuala Lumpur Standard Chartered Marathon remains Malaysia’s premier running event with top runners competing for a total of MYR 500,000 in prize money.

About Standard Chartered Malaysia
Standard Chartered Bank, a member of the Standard Chartered Group, was established in Malaysia in 1875. As Malaysia’s oldest operating bank, Standard Chartered leads the way through product innovation, consistent and strong growth performance and sustainability initiatives. The Bank provides a comprehensive range of financial solutions to corporates, institutions and individuals through its network of branches across Malaysia. The Bank has an Islamic banking subsidiary, Standard Chartered Saadiq; a global shared services centre, Standard Chartered Global Business Services; trustee services, SCBMB Trustee Berhad; a tele-calling services centre, Price Solutions and an offshore facility in Labuan. Standard Chartered employs over 6,500 employees in all its Malaysian operations.

For more stories and expert opinions, please visit Insights at sc.com. Follow Standard Chartered on X, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.

About Dirigo Events
The Kuala Lumpur Standard Chartered Marathon is owned by Dirigo Events Sdn. Bhd, an award-winning event management company founded in 2011 by Rainer Biemans and Gloria Ng. The event not only draws a large number of Malaysian runners but also attracts runners from more than 70 countries around the world. Rainer and Gloria have a combined experience of over 50 years in executing and creating world-class and impactful events for international clients around the world such as Europe, Brunei, India and Singapore.

For additional information, please contact:
Beverley Hon
Tel: +60 19 313 6011
Email: [email protected]

8168 Followers, 2 Following, 43.0k Likes - Watch awesome short videos created by klscmarathon

01/10/2026

THE FINAL COUNTDOWN TO THE 103RD KOŠICE PEACE MARATHON

Preparations for Europe’s oldest marathon are entering the final stretch.

More than 19,000 runners already have their race numbers ready.
The elite field is now complete.

Olympic champions and medallists from a range of sports will join the runners on the start line.

The main event will take place on Sunday, 4 October 2026.
The popular live-tracking service will once again be available through the official app.

Live TV coverage will bring the excitement of the race to audiences around the world.

This year, organisers are also inviting runners to Run in White, a symbolic initiative supporting the values of friendship, tolerance and peaceful coexistence.

The countdown is on – and Košice is ready to welcome runners and fans from around the world for another unforgettable edition of the Košice Peace Marathon.

https://www.kosicemarathon.com/

29/09/2026

Another Pioneers episode with Mike Nishi.

He's shared Chicago's lessons with race directors globally through the Race Management Program, Running USA, World Athletics and Abbott World Marathon Majors. Few people have shaped mass participation running as widely as Mike Nishi.

Mike's philosophy is simple: 'There's nothing new under the sun... why not help other people get there faster, share our plans, because it's only going to help grow the sport overall.'

Subscribe now and join the Let's Do This community!/ ‪...

27/09/2026

BMW BERLIN-MARATHON:

A painful course record for Tigst Assefa in Berlin

Tigst Assefa smashed the course record at the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON with 2:11:04. However the Ethiopian was extremely unlucky since she was well on course for the world record of 2:09:56 until around the 40 k mark. Due to a sudden Achilles tendon injury in her right leg she was then limping and ultimately fell well short of the mark. Nevertheless Tigst Assefa’s time of 2:11:04 was still the third-fastest ever recorded. She won by a large margin ahead of her compatriots Bedatu Hirpa and Dera Dida, who took second and third place with 2:16:53 and 2:16:55 respectively. Surprisingly the fastest German woman was Berlin’s Anna Langerwisch in 16th place with 2:27:31. Esther Pfeiffer hoped to break the German record of 2:19:19 but withdrew from the race after around 14 km.

In good but relatively warm weather conditions towards the end of the race, there was an Ethiopian victory in the men’s race as well: Guye Adola clocked 2:02:50, winning at the Brandenburg Gate for the second time since 2021. Fellow-Ethiopian Gemechu Diriba was second in 2:03:19 ahead of Gabriel Geay of Tanzania, who crossed the line in 2:03:59. The fastest German runner was Haftom Welday in 16th with 2:08:25, missing his personal best by just twelve seconds.

Adding the two winning times of the 52nd BMW BERLIN-MARATHON the race was the second fastest marathon in history. Only Chicago in 2024 (4:12:40) was faster than today’s marathon in Berlin with 4:13:54.

More than 56,000 runners from 162 nations entered the by far biggest and most spectacular marathon in German speaking territory. The BMW BERLIN-MARATHON is among the biggest raves over the classic distance worldwide.

The Women’s Race

Right from the start Tigst Assefa recorded split times that were consistently in the region of the world record. Running behind her pacers but unchallenged in the lead she passed the 10 k mark in 30:48, the half marathon in 64:57 and the 30 k point in 1:32:19. Then Tigst Assefa was even a couple of seconds further ahead in her chase to break the world record. With five kilometres to go the expected finishing time was 2:09:36. However at around the 40 k mark Tigst Assefa’s stride suddenly became uneven and shortly afterwards she began to limp noticeably. Her dream of a second world record in Berlin was shattered over the final 2,000 metres.

Having won the race in 2022 in 2:15:37, Tigst Assefa had stormed to the world record in 2023 with 2:11:53. On Sunday she won for the third time and set a course record for the third time as well – something that is unique in the history of the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON. However she was unable to celebrate her success and could not do any interviews after the race as she was taken to hospital and then later flew to Munich for treatment of her Achilles injury.

A second dream of a major record did also not materialize in Berlin: Esther Pfeiffer was aiming to break the 18 year-old German record set by Irina Mikitenko, who had won in Berlin in 2008 with 2:19:19. Led by her husband Hendrik Pfeiffer she started the race at a fast sub 2:20 pace. But at around the 14 k mark the 29 year-old had to pull out of her second marathon. “Unfortunately the enormous pressure of expectation took its toll today and affected her stomach, amongst other things. Esther set off at record pace, but due to her condition she was unable to continue. She will be back and still has big plans for the marathon,” said Hendrik Pfeiffer.

Due to the situation - Laura Hottenrott had cancelled her start at the last minute - it was suddenly local Berlin runner Anna Langerwisch, who competes for the Marathon Team Berlin of the race organiser, who crossed the finish line as the top German runner. The 25 year-old finished 16th in 2:27:31, her first sub 2:30:00 time. This makes her the third-fastest German runner so far this year. “I am overwhelmed, because I never expected I could be the fastest German,” said Anna Langerwisch.

Finland’s European Marathon Champion Alisa Vainio dropped out already before the 10k mark.

The Men’s Race

Led by pacemakers a group of eight runners passed the half marathon mark in 61:01. Three Ethiopians then broke away shortly before the 30 k mark: Guye Adola, Gemechu Diriba and Selemon Barega. However this leading group stayed together only briefly, as Guye Adola picked up the pace just under ten kilometres from the finish and broke away. The 35 year-old eventually crossed the line in 2:02:50, significantly beating his nine year-old personal best of 2:03:46, which he had run on his debut in Berlin in 2017 when he finished second. “I am very happy – the race was good, but also tough. I was confident because I had trained well and my coach was optimistic too,” said Guye Adola who, like Tigst Assefa, is coached by Gemedu Dedefo in Addis Ababa.

Haftom Welday was the fastest German with 2:08:25. Unlike in previous races the 36 year-old held back a little this time and was more successful with this approach. Having dropped out in Berlin in both 2024 and 2025 he finished 16th this time. “My preparation did not go all that well, so I am happy and grateful to have achieved such a result today. Next spring, I want to improve on my personal best,” said Haftom Welday.

Results, Men:
1. Guye Adola ETH 2:02:50
2. Gemechu Dida ETH 2:03:19
3. Gabriel Geay TAN 2:03:59
4. Getaneh Molla ETH 2:04:55
5. Selemon Barega ETH 2:04:58
6. Asefa Boki ETH 2:05:32
7. Andamlak Belihu ETH 2:05:55
8. Shura Kitata ETH 2:06:04
9. Yuhei Urano JPN 2:06:09
10. Abate Tadu ETH 2:07:16

Women:
1. Tigst Assefa ETH 2:11:04
2. Bedatu Hirpa ETH 2:16:53
3. Dera Dida ETH 2:16:55
4. Bekelech Gudeta ETH 2:18:58
5. Alemitu Tariku ETH 2:19:01
6. Pascaline Jelagat KEN 2:20:23
7. Misgane Alemayehu ETH 2:20:27
8. Ludwina Chepngetich KEN 2:21:25
9. Evaline Chirchir KEN 2:21:32
10. Aminet Ahmed ETH 2:21:45

More information is available online at: www.berlin-marathon.com

Photos credit: Victah Sailer

25/09/2026

52nd BMW BERLIN-MARATHON ON SUNDAY:

Kipchoge’s course record under threat in Berlin

An open and tight men’s race is expected at the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON on Sunday. After the withdrawal of injured world record holder Sabastian Sawe, who will be in Berlin as a guest of honour, at least half a dozen of athletes look capable of winning Germany’s most spectacular road race. Without Sawe there will obviously be no attempt to break the two hour barrier, however a very fast race is still likely. The course record of Eliud Kipchoge is a target. Kenya’s superstar won the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON in 2022 with a world record of 2:01:09.

Five athletes on the start list have strong personal bests of under 2:05:00. “I expect a thrilling race and we have hopes for a course record. The pace for the first group will be towards 2:01,“ said Race Director Mark Milde. Once again the depth of Berlin’s elite field is very strong as well. A total of 26 runners have already clocked times of under 2:08:00 – a time that was still considered world-class some 25 years ago and was only beaten for the first time in Berlin in 1995. Three German are on the start list with PBs between 2:07:00 and 2:09:00 - Sebastian Hendel, Haftom Welday and newcomer Aaron Bienenfeld.

Organisers of the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON registered over 56,000 entries from 162 nations for the classic distance.

The fastest runner on the start list is now Gabriel Geay. With a time of 2:03:00 he holds the Tanzanian national record and ranks 17th on the list of the fastest runners of all time. “I am glad that I have a second chance to run in Berlin,” said the 29-year-old, who like a number of other athletes had to withdraw from the race a year ago due to the high temperatures. “I am in good shape and hope to run a very good time.”

A group of Ethiopian runners are among the favourites. Guye Adola is an athlete who set his outstanding personal best in Berlin and has also won the race before. In 2017 Adola finished second behind Kenya’s superstar Eliud Kipchoge. On that occasion he ran an unofficial world debut record of 2:03:46 which remains his personal best. In 2021 Guye Adola was Berlin’s winner. Among others he left Ethiopian superstar Kenenisa Bekele, who will not be able to run in Berlin on Sunday due to an injury, behind him. “I am very well prepared and in the best shape of my life,” said 35 year-old Adola, who won the Rotterdam Marathon this spring and came close to his PB with 2:03:54. Among his training partners in Addis Ababa is Yomif Kejelcha, who caused a sensation in London when he was runner-up in 1:59:41 and who recently broke the half-marathon world record. “During our training runs, I was only a little behind Yomif,” said Guye Adola.

Selemon Barega could produce a big personal best in Berlin. The 10,000 m Olympic Champion from Tokyo 2021 will run his third marathon on Sunday. So far his PB stands at 2:05:00. “I’ve trained well and want to improve further in Berlin,” said the 26 year-old. Two of his Ethiopian compatriots are also among the favourites: Getaneh Molla and Shura Kitata have impressive personal bests of 2:03:34 and 2:03:59 respectively.

No fewer than eleven Japanese runners with personal records ranging from around 2:06 to 2:08 feature on the final start list. It is expected that some of the group will attempt to challenge the Japanese record of 2:04:55.

The depth in this time range could benefit a trio of German elite runners. Sebastian Hendel surprised in Berlin two years ago when he clocked his PB of 2:07:33. Since then however he has been repeatedly hampered by health issues and injuries. “I am not yet in the sort of shape needed for a personal best; I’d be happy with a time of 2:09 or 2:08,” said Sebastian Hendel. Haftom Welday has already shown promising form this year, improving his time to 2:08:13 in Barcelona in March. “I’m fit and my aim is to beat my personal best,” said the 36-year-old, who has been training in Ethiopia.

Aaron Bienenfeld ran a brilliant debut in Hamburg at the end of April with 2:08:47 - the fastest debut time ever by a German. Now he wants to improve further and break into the 2:06 to 2:08 range. “I have trained better than before Hamburg, everything was a bit more professional,” said Aaron Bienenfeld, who is coached by John Green in Flagstaff (USA).

Elite Men for the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON:

Gabriel Geay TAN 2:03:00
Getaneh Molla ETH 2:03:34
Guye Adola ETH 2:03:46
Shura Kitata ETH 2:03:59
Erick Sang KEN 2:04:30
Selemon Barega ETH 2:05:00
Taresa Tolosa ETH 2:05:17
Tadu Abate ETH 2:05:38
Asefa Boki ETH 2:05:40
Kenya Sonota JPN 2:05:59
Tsubasa Ichiyama JPN 2:06:00
Kiyoto Hirabayashi JPN 2:06:14
Yuhei Urano JPN 2:06:23
Hidekazu Hijikata JPN 2:06:26
Naoki Koyama JPN 2:06:33
Andamlak Belihu ETH 2:06:40
Kazuya Nishiyama JPN 2:06:45
Gemechu Dida ETH 2:06:45
Abel Kipchumba KEN 2:06:49
Daisuke Uekado JPN 2:06:54
Jie He CHN 2:06:57
Sebastian Hendel GER 2:07:33
Haftom Welday GER 2:08:13
Aaron Bienenfeld GER 2:08:47

More information is available online at www.berlin-marathon.com and the English Media Guide is available here: https://www.bmw-berlin-marathon.com/en/media-section/media-guide

Selemon Barega, Guye Adola and Gabriel Geay (left to right) with the Siegessäule in the background as well as Sebastian Hendel, Haftom Welday and Aaron Bienenfeld at the press conference.

Photo credit:
SCC EVENTS/ Petko Beier, Victah Sailer

22/09/2026

A legacy restored.

On September 15, at Montparnasse Cemetery in Paris, AIMS honoured Michel Bréal - the man whose idea gave birth to the first Olympic Marathon in 1896 - with the unveiling of his restored grave.

The ceremony also marked the first global Marathon Day, an AIMS initiative commemorating September 15, 1894, when Bréal wrote to Pierre de Coubertin proposing the race that would become the Olympic Marathon.

A particularly meaningful detail: the Bréal Cup featured on the ceremony booklet was reimagined as a collage by Henrietta Parsons , Michel Bréal’s great-great-granddaughter - connecting his legacy with a new generation.

The original cup was created at Bréal’s request and awarded to Spyridon Louis, winner of the first Olympic Marathon in Athens in 1896.

From an idea in 1894 to a global legacy - remembered, restored and carried forward 132 years later.

The ceremony brought together Paco Borao (President of AIMS), Prof. Heinz-Helmut Lüger, Henrietta Parsons, Alexander Kitroeff, Horst Milde, Benedikt Morandi and Hans W. Giessen, representing AIMS, the Michel Bréal Society, ARTMARATHON and the Bréal family.
Thank you to everyone involved in preserving this important piece of running history.

19/09/2026

Chicago announced its 2027 registration dates this week.

Applications open October 8 at 8am CT and close October 29 at 2pm CT.

Entry is $250 for US residents, $260 from abroad, unchanged from last year. Drawing results go out December 8.

Worth thinking a year ahead here. Chicago calls the 2026 edition its 48th running, which puts the 50th in 2028.

Runners who finish all three legs of the Chicago Distance Series in 2027, the Shamrock Shuffle 8K, the Chicago 13.1 and the marathon, get a guaranteed entry for the following year.

Registration for the 8K and the half is already open.

The other guaranteed routes are unchanged: time qualifiers, legacy finishers with five Chicago marathons in the last ten years, runners who cancelled a 2026 entry, charity teams and official tour operators. Everyone else goes into the drawing

18/09/2026

Historic World Championships set to put Copenhagen at the heart of international road running

Nearly 500 of the world’s best runners will line up at the World Athletics Road Running Championships Copenhagen 26 this weekend, putting Copenhagen at the centre of the international running world. Alongside around 60,000 mass participation runners, they will take on the one mile, 5 km and half marathon.

World Championships when the World Athletics Road Running Championships Copenhagen 26 sends 60,000 runners into the streets of Copenhagen this weekend.
World champions, Olympic medallists, world record-holders, experienced runners and people taking part in their very first race.

They will all be part of the same World Championships when the World Athletics Road Running Championships Copenhagen 26 take over the streets of Copenhagen on 19 and 20 September.

World Athletics, the international governing body for athletics, is behind the Championships, and its President, Sebastian Coe, attended the official pre-event press conference on Friday afternoon, where he thanked both the athletes and the host city:

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank the athletes for taking part, and I am delighted to see so many nations represented. I would also like to thank the city for allowing us to stage the Championships on its streets. Copenhagen is a beautiful city, and the local organisers are doing an excellent job, so we are looking forward to a great weekend of running.”

By participant numbers, the event is the largest international championship ever staged in Denmark – something Copenhagen’s Mayor for Culture, Leisure and Citizen Services, Christopher Røhl, highlighted at the press conference:

“Over the coming days, Copenhagen will be filled with around 60,000 runners of all ages. The World Half Marathon Championships in Copenhagen in 2014 were the first time we experienced this type of event, bringing the world’s best athletes and mass participation runners together at the same event. We are delighted to build on that legacy, and proud to welcome the global running community to Copenhagen.”

The World Championships weekend will be the culmination of three years of preparation by Danish Athletics and athletics and running club Sparta, working closely with the City of Copenhagen, Sport Event Denmark and Wonderful Copenhagen.

A World Championships for everyone

Copenhagen last hosted the World Half Marathon Championships in 2014, when more than 30,000 mass participation runners took to the streets alongside the world’s best athletes. Twelve years later, almost twice as many runners are now preparing to share the World Championships experience.

“Over the coming days, Copenhagen will become the centre of one of the most inclusive and unifying experiences international sport can create. Around 60,000 runners will arrive with their own stories, ambitions and dreams, while hundreds of thousands of people will experience the city through the World Championships. These are exactly the kind of events that show what Denmark can achieve when we open our doors and invite the world in,” says Lars Lundov, CEO of Sport Event Denmark.

With both shorter and longer distances on the programme, the World Championships invite runners of all ages and abilities to take part, setting the stage for one of the largest international mass participation running events ever held in Denmark.

Championships designed to leave a lasting impact

The ambition is also for the impact of the Championships to extend well beyond the race weekend itself. Through the Road to the World Championships initiative, a wide range of activities have been launched in the months leading up to the event to encourage more people across Denmark to become part of running and physical activity communities, regardless of age, ability or where they live.

“We are very excited to get started. What makes these Championships so special is that the world’s best athletes and mass participation runners will be part of the same celebration of running. It is a powerful illustration of how running can bring people together as a sport – from world-class competition to everyday exercise,” says Klaus Nørby Jakobsen, CEO of Dansk Atletik.

“The many activation initiatives we have launched for people of all ages in connection with the World Championships have also demonstrated what running can achieve when municipalities, volunteers and local clubs work together. Our ambition extends beyond the Championships themselves: we want to inspire even more people across Denmark to lace up their running shoes, get out on the roads and athletics tracks, and find their way into local clubs.”

A celebration of running in a popular destination

From the outset, the organisers’ ambition has been to create a major celebration of running throughout the weekend, rather than simply stage a World Championships. Music, entertainment and activities along the courses will bring the city into the experience and invite Copenhageners and visitors alike to join the celebrations.

“We are incredibly excited to give all the runners and spectators a great experience this weekend. We have been preparing thoroughly for a long time, and now we are ready to invite people out along the courses and let a very special celebration of running unfold in the heart of Copenhagen,” says Dorte Vibjerg, CEO of Sparta Atletik & Løb and Chair of the World Championships Steering Committee.

With tens of thousands of participants and visitors from Denmark and abroad, the Championships will also provide an opportunity to showcase Copenhagen to an international audience.

“By hosting the World Road Running Championships, the capital will welcome thousands of visitors this weekend, generate economic activity and have an excellent opportunity to showcase Copenhagen from many different perspectives, while also helping to make running more accessible as a form of exercise for new audiences,” says Søren Tegen Pedersen, CEO of Wonderful Copenhagen.

The Championships will be broadcast on DR. The first elite one mile race gets under way at 10:10 on Saturday, followed by the first 5 km elite race at 14:10. The half marathon takes place on Sunday morning, with the first elite race starting at 09:10.

Participant statistics ahead of the Championships

496 elite athletes from 85 countries are included on the final entry lists

Around 60,000 mass participation runners will compete across the three distances

The half marathon is the largest distance, with around 44,000 registered runners
53% of participants are international
The largest age group overall is 30–34.
In the one mile, however, the largest age group is 5–9

18/09/2026

Just one month left until the TCS Amsterdam Marathon and you can still be there!

Register https://atleta.cc/e/nhIVWn50Rcez/tickets

17/09/2026

BMW BERLIN-MARATHON ON 27 SEPTEMBER:

Kenenisa Bekele returns to Berlin, Alisa Vainio added to elite field

Kenenisa Bekele will run the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON on 27 September. This was announced by the race organisers today. It will be the first race this year for the legendary Ethiopian athlete. At the age of 44 Kenenisa Bekele will hardly be a contender for victory, however a very strong performance is possible.

Kenenisa Bekele won the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON twice during his unique career, missing the world records by just a few seconds on both occasions. In 2016 he crossed the line in 2:03:03 and in 2019 he clocked 2:01:41. Had he been just two seconds faster seven years ago, he would have become the first runner in sporting history to hold the world records for 5,000 m, 10,000 m and the marathon simultaneously.

With Kenenisa Bekele perhaps the greatest runner of all time is returning once more to the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON. At least when it comes to track events and cross-country running, he is the number one. Kenenisa Bekele held the world records for the 5,000 m (12:37.35) and 10,000 m (26:17.53) longer than any other runner in history – for around 15 years. Bekele won gold in the 5,000 m at the 2008 Olympic Games and the 2009 World Championships, and in the 10,000 m at the 2004 and 2008 Olympic Games as well as at the 2003, 2005, 2007 and 2009 World Championships. He has took eleven gold medals at the World Cross Country Championships.

Two and a half years ago, at the age of 41, he almost pulled off a sensational feat. He was in the lead in the closing stages of the prestigious London Marathon. In the end, he finished second, setting the Masters world record (for the 40+ age group) of 2:04:15 – a record that still stands today – and was subsequently selected for the Olympic Games. However, in Paris in the summer of 2024, he only managed 39th place. For the first time since the Games, he could cross the finish line of a marathon again in Berlin on 27 September.

European Champion Alisa Vainio added to start list

There is a strong last-minute addition to the women’s elite field as well. European Marathon Champion Alisa Vainio will run the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON. A month ago the Finnish runner took the European Championships’ gold medal in Birmingham in commanding style and clocked a championships’ record time of 2:22:26. A year ago she was the best European runner at the World Championships in Tokyo with fifth place and then went on to set three consecutive Finnish national records. In February she improved to 2:20:39 when she won in Seville. She is now the fastest Scandinavian marathon runner in history, breaking the record of former world record-holder Ingrid Kristiansen (Norway/2:21:06).

Fastest Runners on the Start List

MEN:
Kenenisa Bekele ETH 2:01:41
Gabriel Geay TAN 2:03:00
Getaneh Molla ETH 2:03:34
Guye Adola ETH 2:03:46
Shura Kitata ETH 2:03:59
Erick Sang KEN 2:04:30
Selemon Barega ETH 2:05:00
Taresa Tolosa ETH 2:05:17
Tadu Abate ETH 2:05:38
Asefa Boki ETH 2:05:40
Kenya Sonota JPN 2:05:59
Tsubasa Ichiyama JPN 2:06:00
Kiyoto Hirabayashi JPN 2:06:14
Yuhei Urano JPN 2:06:23
Hidekazu Hijikata JPN 2:06:26

WOMEN:
Tigst Assefa ETH 2:11:53
Rosemary Wanjiru KEN 2:16:14
Bedatu Hirpa ETH 2:18:27
Dera Dida ETH 2:18:32
Zeineba Yimer ETH 2:18:47
Bosena Mulatie ETH 2:19:00
Misgane Alemayehu ETH 2:19:08
Bekelech Gudeta ETH 2:19:39
Evaline Chirchir KEN 2:20:33
Alisa Vainio FIN 2:20:39
Deshun Zhang CHN 2:20:53
Gadise Mulu ETH 2:20:59
Eebbisee Addunyaa ETH 2:21:13
Aminet Ahmed ETH 2:21:24
Rika Kaseda JPN 2:21:55

More information is available online at www.berlin-marathon.com

Photo credit: SCC Events