2021: Review

Finisher
Magazine
ORGANISED BY
#BERLINLEGEND
#RESTARTRUNNING
RESTARTRUNNING
FOR TOLERANCE AND
COSMOPOLITANISM
THE BEST PICTURES, THE TOP STORIES

The title sponsor would
like to congratulate
everyone who took part!
The motto for this year’s
BMW BERLIN-MARATHON
was “Restart Running” to show
that it was finally possible for
the largest German marathon
to take place again – and you
were there in Germany‘s capital
city. Those 42.195 exhaus-
Bernhard Kuhnt
BMW Group Senior Vice President Market Germany
ting, challenging and ultimately
successfully kilometres are
now behind you. On behalf of
the BMW Group, I would like
to congratulate you on your
achievement!
I also want to thank the many
volunteers for all their hard
– 3 –

work. Once again this year,
they ensured everything ran
smoothly and runners and
spectators alike were able to
enjoy the marathon to the full.
We would also like to thank our
partner SCC EVENTS for once
again organising an outstanding
sporting event in the
professional manner to which
we have become accustomed.
In addition, they developed
a complex yet viable hygiene
concept to ensure the safety
and health of all participants.
The BMW Group has been a
dedicated partner for running
over many years. After
a delay of one year, we were
able to celebrate an anniversary
that we are very proud
of at the 2021 BMW BERLIN-
MARATHON. We were delighted
for BMW to be the title
partner for the tenth time.
The innovative and successful
efforts of the BMW Group
to implement the mobility
of the future were a leading
feature of this year’s BMW
BERLIN-MARATHON once
again. The full range of allelectric
models from the BMW
Group were involved as lead
cars and safety cars: the technology
flagship BMW iX, the
first all-electric BMW i4 Gran
Coupé, the Sports Activity Vehicle
BMW iX3 and the BMW
i3s, whose predecessors have
been on the market since 2013.
BMW Group sustainability
goals aim at putting ten million
vehicles with electrified
drive systems on the road
within the next ten years. By
2030, at least half of worldwide
sales will be all-electric
– 4 –

With the all-electric lead vehicles, the title sponsor‘s commitment
to the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON was clearly visible on race day
vehicles. Like a marathon, the
transition to electromobility
also depends on strength,
endurance and efficiency.
Hopefully you will be able to
cast your mind back to some
unforgettable moments when
reading this event brochure.
We are already looking forward
to next year and hope to
welcome you back to the next
BMW BERLIN-MARATHON!
Bernhard Kuhnt
BMW Group Senior Vice President
Market Germany
– 5 –

E V E N T V I D E O
T H E
Contents
08 Rabea Schöneborn‘s reflections
For Germany‘s best female runner, the 47th
BMW BERLIN MARATHON was not only her
first big city marathon, but also a hometown
event. The 28-year-old Berliner shares here
how she experienced it.
14 The best photos
The best shots from our photographers tell
the story of your marathon.
50 Facts & Figures
27,135 athletes from 139 nations competed
in the various events. Almost 94 percent
of them had been vaccinated against
Covid-19 or had recovered from the disease.
Check out these and many more statistics.
64 Too hot for records
Before the start, there was much speculation
about a possible world record. The men‘s
record pursuit ended at the half marathon
mark. Instead, this time it turned out to be a
super exciting race for victory.

88 A visit with friends
130 Fast-paced spectacle on wheels
Also
The BMW BERLIN-MARATHON is popular with
runners from all over the world. We asked some
of them at the finish line what makes the run
through Germany‘s capital so special.
The marathon of the inline skaters provided the
expected spectacle on Saturday. Not only at the
top, but also among the amateur skaters, it was a
fast-paced event. Reports and photos.
144 Hug. The seventh victory
Only a few weeks after the Paralympic Games
in Tokyo, the wheelchair and handcycle racers
were also in top form. Outstanding among
them was Marcel Hug from Switzerland, who
won the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON for the seventh
time.
150 Who‘s that running?
As the host of „Good Morning America“, Amy
Robach is a TV star in the USA. She finished
in Berlin with her husband. Read how it went.
86 — You can register here for the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON 2022
120 — Event tip: At the SwimRun Rheinsberg you can compete in a refreshingly different way
124 — Even more highlights: The next top events in Berlin and the surrounding area
154 — Who‘s that running? - Part II: How Tim Jansen and Robert Puppel fared

Rabea Schöneborn was the fastest female
German runner: In 2:28:49 hours, the
28-year-old Berliner from the club LG
Nord finished ninth in her home race
RABEA SCHÖNEBORN
on the 47th BMW BERLIN-MARATHON
» An important
message for the whole
running community «
– 8 –

The BMW BERLIN-MARATHON
was a great experience
for me. And as the global restart
for running, it sent out
a very important message for
the whole running community:
COVID can stop us for a short
time, but it cannot defeat us in
the long run. And now it’s time
to move on— not only for us
top athletes, but also for the
vast majority of recreational
runners who, unlike us, had to
do without any major events
for almost a year and a half.
I made the leap to become one
of the nation’s top runners almost
entirely during the pandemic.
At the end of 2019, I
was already among the top
ten in Germany in the ten-kilometre
road race and the half
marathon, but I didn’t run my
first marathon until December
2020 in Valencia—in the middle
of the winter wave of COVID.
After that, I was suddenly an
Olympic candidate for the marathon
races in Sapporo at the
2020 Tokyo Games that were
postponed by one year. As
long as no other events were
possible during the pandemic,
these elite races were fine. But
now it’s time for recreational
runners and top athletes to
compete together again because
we elite runners also
live off the enthusiasm that
events like the BMW BERLIN-
MARATHON generate within
the entire running community.
Running during the
pandemic is safe and fun
This is also super important
for my own motivation. With
its sophisticated hygiene and
safety measures, the BMW
BERLIN-MARATHON sent a
strong signal that despite the
ongoing pandemic, not only
can other running events take
place again safely, but they
can be fun too.
In the elite race in Valencia, I
ran my first ever marathon in
2:28:42. That explains why I’m
– 9 –

not really satisfied with my
performance in Berlin. Especially
after improving to a time
of 2:27:03 in Enschede in the
spring—again in an elite race—I
wanted my first city marathon
to be faster than the 2:28:49
that I ended up running in
Berlin. But, from the outset of
the race I struggled with some
muscle issues. My legs weren’t
quite in it; I had to fight
through it.
Electrifying
atmosphere
The many spectators along
the course were fantastic, supporting
me the whole way. The
atmosphere was electrifying.
And it didn’t just start on race
day. The BMW BERLIN-MARA-
THON is a home race for me,
and as a Berliner I had already
experienced the excitement in
the city in the days leading up
to the race. As soon as the blue
racing line was sprayed on the
streets, I was motivated again
and again in my everyday life
for the big upcoming race; I often
rode my bike exactly where
I would be striving for my
best time on Sunday.
Enjoying the race,
even if it was hard
On race day, thinking of the
many friends, colleagues and
family members who were
at the course to cheer me on
also gave me a boost. Then
there was the music and the
fact that so many people who
I didn’t even know were calling
my name. It makes you realise
how visible you can be as a
runner in Berlin. It was a great
feeling! I really enjoyed the
race, even though the end was
a really hard.
However, I also realised once
again that a marathon can be
quite long. Unfortunately, it’s
not in your best interest to
have these thoughts during the
race. Psychology teaches us
that if you want to run 42.195
– 10 –

© 2021 adidas AG
ADIZERO
ADIOS PRO 2.
WTFASTER.
FAST IS NOT ENOUGH.

kilometres fast, you should try
to focus solely on the next few
steps. And that’s what I’ll be
doing again in my next races,
because in 2022 I’d love to run
for Germany in a major international
marathon. In 2021,
I narrowly missed out on the
Olympic marathon in Sapporo.
But, with the European Athletics
Championships in Munich
and the World Championships
in Eugene, Oregon, in the USA,
which were moved from 2021
to 2022, I have two opportunities
next summer to do just
that. I want to take advantage
of one of them.
Steffen Uliczka was always close to
Rabea Schöneborn during the BMW
BERLIN-MARATHON. The former elite
steeplechase runner not only ensured
the right pace for the fastest German
woman in Berlin, but also that she
was always able to run on the ideal
line amidst the large men’s group

THE BEST PHOTOS
Happy runners after getting their race
bibs: Even though the COVID-style MA-
RATHON EXPO was different than usual,
the runners had a lot of fun

M O R E
E X P O
P I C S

THE BEST PHOTOS

Thousands of signatures on the Brandenburg Gate: Almost
everyone wanted to immortalise themselves at the MARA-
THON EXPO. And colourful marathon jackets dominated the
cityscape in the capital on the last weekend in September

A touch of Starlight Express blew through the city
on Saturday afternoon during the marathon weekend,
when more than 2000 inline skaters raced
along the course
M0RE
INFO
&
PICTURES

Don’t try this on race day *
* A bold statement from the brand that wants to sell you the product, sure. But getting used to nutrition is one thing
many athletes don’t prioritize in training. Some even risk it all by trying new products on race day. So, use whatever
you’ve trained with or get used to what you’re getting on-course. In this case the GEL 100 and DRINK MIX 160.
Find exclusive offers for registered athletes on: maurten.com/berlin

The selfie before the start has long
been a ritual at running events like
the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON

©SCC EVENTS/camera4
Wir gratulieren allen Teilnehmern.
Immer auf dem
Laufenden mit der
größten Zeitung Berlins.
Jetzt gratis testen.
Berlin authentisch erleben:
Der Marathon führt nicht
nur über die Vorzeigestraßen
der Hauptstadt

THE BEST PHOTOS
The calm before an eventful day: While the
Germans were called upon to elect a new Bundestag
on September 26, 2021, there was still
space on the lawn at the seat of the Bundestag
for all the marathon runners to get ready for
the 42.195 kilometres through the capital

THE BEST PHOTOS
Vielfalt der Nationen: Der BMW
BERLIN-MARATHON ist die wohl
internationalste Sportveranstaltung
Vaccinated, Deutschland. recovered Für die or 47. with Auflage a fresh negative
test 2021 for haben the coronavirus, sich Sportlerinnen runners und were finally
able Sportler to enjoy aus the über unique hundert atmosphere Ländern at the
start angemeldet of the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON: Without
distancing, but (still) with a mask

MORE MARATHON PICS

At the Siegessäule, everyone
still has energy for shenanigans:
Here, just a few hundred metres
lie behind the runners—and in
the glorious September weather,
running was pure joy

MARATHON
AM TAG,
LIEBLINGSCOUCH
AM ABEND.
HÖFFNER,
DIE GANZE WELT
DES WOHNENS
JETZT 23× IN
DEUTSCHLAND.
www.hoeffner.de
Höffner Möbelgesellschaft GmbH & Co. KG • Am Rondell 1 • 12529 Schönefeld

THE BEST PHOTOS

If for some reason you didn‘t get
any coffee in the morning, you can
make up for it during the race in
Berlin. In addition to the official
refreshment points, some Berliners
also serve treats along the course
that are not on the official nutrition
plan for a marathon

THE BEST PHOTOS
Wild boars have only recently proliferated in Berlin
to such an extent that they have become a plague
–but they have been part of the city for a long time.
In the 1920s, artist Paul Gruson created a bronze
sculpture of a wild boar eager to fight for the
square of the same name, which is passed shortly
after kilometre 28 at the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON
and is always a fun hotspot. This is also ensured
by the SCC cheerleading group, which has been cheering
on runners at the BERLIN-MARATHON
here since the 1990s

FA N
T V

THE BEST PHOTOS
“Anchor man” instead of “hammer
man”: We don‘t know where this
sailor finally dropped anchor, but
he was in a great mood even on
the often-critical section between
kilometres34 and 35, where
the proverbial “man with
the hammer” often strikes
as runners hit the wall at
the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial
Church during the marathon ...

At Potsdamer Platz, the finish
line is gradually approaching.
Once again, the atmosphere
here was fabulous at the
47th BMW BERLIN-MARATHON

Unicorn power helped
some almost take off

THE BEST PHOTOS

The combination of sightseeing, a great
atmosphere and experiencing world history is
what makes the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON so
unique. The backdrop of the Gendarmenmarkt
square is inspiring on the last one and a half
kilometres to the Brandenburg Gate

THE BEST PHOTOS
Between the Brandenburg
Gate and the finish line,
many are waiting to
enthusiastically
cheer on their
loved ones as
they conquer
the last few
metres

THE BEST PHOTOS
Pure happiness. This is what almost
all runners experience after they
have passed through the Brandenburg
Gate and are heading for the
finish

THE BEST PHOTOS
A marathon finish
in Berlin also has
to be processed ...

THE BEST PHOTOS
The Reichstag lawn as a pure chill-out
and relaxation zone: This only happens
on the afternoon after the BMW
BERLIN-MARATHON

THE BEST PHOTOS
A marathon finish is
twice as nice when
there are two of you

Was it an angel who ensured that all the finishers of the 47th BMW BERLIN
MARATHON got their medals? Gibt es In any eigentlich case, it irgendwo was darn auf close der this Welt time. ein schöneres On
page 58 you can read about Start-Ziel-Gelände how the medals als barely den made Berliner it to Tiergarten the finish beim in time
GENERALI BERLINER HALBMARATHON und beim
BMW BERLIN-MARATHON?
48

49

MARATHON IN REVIEW
A radiant
sunny day

The BMW BERLIN-MARATHON 2021 was the biggest marathon in the
world since the beginning of the Coronavirus pandemic. The race, which
is part of the Abbott World Marathon Majors series and was held under
strict hygiene rules, saw 23,097 runners reach the finish line. In addition,
there were 25 wheelchair athletes, 66 hand cyclists and, on the
day before, 2,114 inline skaters. At the start in the Tiergarten park, a
start gate glowing in the colours of the rainbow sent a strong signal for
cosmopolitanism, tolerance and acceptance.

The comeback
of great emotions
It glowed. And with it the nearly
25,000 runners, who started
at the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON
2021, glowed, as well. Everyone
liked the animated rainbow
start gate, which had a very special
task at the #restartrunning
of the biggest marathon since
the beginning of the pandemic.
Together with the runners and
partners, SCC EVENTS as the
organiser of the BMW BERLIN-
MARATHON sent out a signal
for cosmopolitanism, tolerance
and acceptance to the world
with the rainbow start gate—values
for which the BMW BERLIN-
MARATHON and its endurance
sports community have stood
for years. There were 24,796
runners from 139 nations who
set off on their 42.195-km sightseeing
tour of the capital on the
Strasse des 17. Juni in the bright
sunshine on big election Sunday
in the immediate vicinity of
the German Bundestag under
a strict hygiene concept after a
one-and-a-half-year break due
to the pandemic. This made the
race in Berlin the biggest marathon
in the world since the beginning
of the Coronavirus pandemic.
And it demonstrated that
– 52 –

Most of those who took part in the
BMW BERLIN-MARATHON 2021 after
the long forced break due to COVID
probably felt like jumping for joy.
After 42.195 kilometres,
a few were actually
able to catch some air

big running events under pandemic
conditions are not only possible
but can be just as much fun
as before COVID.
After months of deprivation
and social distancing, the BMW
BERLIN-MARATHON set a decisive
milestone. Through sport,
trust was regained among the
people, inhibition thresholds
were reduced. Openness to the
world, tolerance and acceptance
can finally be lived again. On
the way back to normality, society
needs precisely this kind
of emotions.
Finally, together again, letting the
emotions run free: Thanks to a
sophisticated hygiene concept, the
BMW BERLIN-MARATHON made
that possible during the pandemic
for those who were recovered,
vaccinated or had a recent
negative test for the virus
– 54 –

– 55 –

MARATHON IN REVIEW
70,000
B A N A N A S
pieces of
the yellow fruit
from organic cultivation
were served by the
always friendly
volunteers along
the route.
– 56 –
0
To avoid paper,
the magazine for
the event was only
P R O G R A M M E
B O O K L E T S
available in digital form.
With success: over
30,000 people
read it.

W AT E R
160,000
litres of water were
distributed to the
participants. This was
urgently needed due
to the heat
in Berlin.
The drinking cups at the
BMW BERLIN MARATHON
were made of recycled PET. A total of 800,000 of them were needed
to supply all participants with water.
M A S T E R C L A S S
9
participants in the
BMW BERLIN-MARATHON
2021 were over 80 years
old. They reached the
finish line with times
between 4:19:28 and
clearly over
six hours.

Almost three tons ...
... that’s how much the 25,000
or so medals distributed to the
finishers at the BMW BERLIN-
MARATHON weighed. But this
time, they just about didn’t reach
the finish at the Brandenburg
Gate. A good 36 hours before
the start of the race, the
medals were still in a container
in the port of Rotterdam,
which customs had not allowed
into the EU. In mid-June, the
precious medals had been ordered
from a company in the
Netherlands, which then had
them produced in China. It was
already late to have the medals
arrive in the port of Rotterdam
by freighter only one week before
the marathon, which had
to do with the worldwide transport
problems caused by CO-
VID. But the fact that they were
then stuck in customs for another
five working days brought
beads of sweat to the foreheads
of those responsible. A marathon
finish without a medal?
Unthinkable. A lucky coincidence
somehow saved the medal
finish. On Friday evening, the
medals were suddenly cleared
by customs. The medals were
allowed to enter the EU. That
was soon enough to organise
the transport of the heavy
cargo from Rotterdam to Berlin
by lorry so that the medals
were there in time for the marathon
on Sunday. However,
that would have been too late
for the 2,200 inline skaters
who were to receive their medals
on Saturday afternoon. A
– 58 –

solution was found by the boss
of the medal-producing company
himself. As soon as the
dockers’ shift started on Saturday
morning, he was in the
port of Rotterdam, found the
right container together with
the harbour master and loaded
the 2,200 medals intended
for the skaters into his car. The
car was able to withstand their
weight of almost 300 kilograms
and somehow
Bart van der
Bosch managed
to drive
the almost
700 kilometres
from
Rotterdam to
Berlin in less
than 5:30
hours. So only the fastest inline
skaters had to wait a bit for
their medals at the finish line -
and the “flying” Dutchman was
rewarded with his own very
special finisher’s medal and a
free start for 2022.
12,748 mm
Gemeinsam mehr bewegen.
www.sportvereintberlin.de
#sportVEREINtuns
Der Landessportbund Berlin startet mit
der Sportmetropole Berlin die Kampagne
#sportVEREINtuns. Sie schafft mit emotionalen
Bildern Aufmerksamkeit und
motiviert, Sport im Verein zu machen.
Unter www.lieblingsverein.de gibt
es Plakatmotive, die Vereine für eigene
Werbeaktionen kostenfrei nutzen bzw.
neu gestalten können. Gesucht werden
außerdem Fotos aus Vereinen, die das
soziale Miteinander und gemeinsames
Sporttreiben zeigen.
Diese Fotos können gesendet werden an
pressestelle@lsb.berlin.de
Die Kampagne startet bei den Familiensportfesten
in den Kiezen am
22. August 2021.
www.sportvereintberlin.de

MARATHON IN REVIEW
M A S S A G E
O I L
250
litres were spread
on the legs of the
tired runners to make
the massages on
the lawns behind
the finish line
a pleasure.
A total of 27,135 athletes from 139 nations
competed in the various events of the 47th
BMW BERLIN-MARATHON. Of these,
25.302 finished—including 23,097 runners,
2114 skaters and 91 handcyclists and
wheelchair athletes.
Top Ten Nations
Country Participants
Germany 10407
USA 2179
France 1244
Great Britain 1146
Netherlands 1067
Italy 889
Spain 755
Denmark 710
Poland 532
Mexico 451
– 60 –

G O O D
Q U O TA
93.8
percent of the
participants were
either vaccinated
against COVID-19 or
had recovered from
the disease.
At the finish line of the 47th BMW BERLIN MARATHON, 30,000
medical masks were distributed to protect against the Coronavirus.
At the MARATHON EXPO, a total of 2000 PCR-Tests were carried out
for participants and volunteers.
V O L U N T E E R S
7,500
volunteers helped
to make the
BMW BERLIN-
MARATHON a perfect
experience.
– 61 –
IMPRINT
Finisher Magazine
BMW BERLIN-MARATHON
Publisher
SCC EVENTS GmbH
Responsible for Content
Christian Jost, Jürgen Lock
Production
DLM RunMedia GmbH, Köln
Editorial Team
Gerte Buchheit, Vincent Dornbusch,
Christian Ermert, Norbert Hensen,
Anja Herrlitz, Julia Seifert,
Jochen Schmitz, Jörg Wenig
Graphics
CNG sports & media GmbH, Köln
Photos
If no other copyright indicated:
Archiv SCC EVENTS, SCC Skating, camera4,
sportografen, Petko Beier, Sebastian Wells/
Ostkreuz, Tilo Wiedensohler, Norbert Wilhelmi

Thank you!

We would like to thank the following institutions
Senatsverwaltung für Inneres und Sport
Senatsverwaltung für Umwelt, Verkehr und Klimaschutz
Senatsverwaltung für Stadtentwicklung und Wohnen Abt. III — Geoinformation
Senatsverwaltung für Bildung, Jugend und Familie,
Tiefbauämter von Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf, Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg,
Mitte-Tiergarten, Neukölln, Tempelhof-Schöneberg, Steglitz-Zehlendorf,
Gartenbauämter von Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf und Mitte-Tiergarten
Der Polizeipräsident in Berlin | Berliner Feuerwehr
Berliner Leichtathletik-Verband e.V. | Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe (BVG)
S-Bahn Berlin GmbH | Deutsche Lebensrettungsgesellschaft (DLRG)
Johanniter Unfall-Hilfe e.V. | Evangelische Kirche | Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gedächtnis-Kirche
Landessportbund Berlin e.V. | Landesverwaltungsamt Berlin | Olympiastadion Berlin
Akademie für Sozial- und Gesundheitsberufe | Euroakademie Berlin
ILB-Medizinische Akademie Berlin | Krankengymnastik-Paxis Andreas Schwarz
Körperwerkstatt Berin | Rebabilitationszentrum Berlin
Staatlich anerkannte Lehranstalten für Physiotherapie und Massage
Prof. Dr. Med. Vogler Schule | Wannsee-Schule e.V. Schule für Gesundheitsberufe
alle Medien
Also, an additional thank you to the sponsors and promoters
who support the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON and SCC EVENTS
ADAC
Comline AG Berlin
Die Sportografen
Höffner Möbelgesellschaft
Weingut Castelfeder
Lichtenauer Mineralquellen
Mall of Berlin
Marathon-Photos
realbuzz
Rollerblade
ver.di Bezirk Berlin Fb. 9
Zoll Medical
Medienpartner
TV: ARD, rbb
Radio: inforadio, Radio Eins
rbb 88,8, Antenne Brandenburg
Print: Der Tagesspiegel
Our special thanks go to the many volunteers from
associations and schools in Berlin and from within SCC EVENTS,
whose great commitment behind the scenes and along the course
of the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON helps make this event possible.
A big thank you also to our many fans and spectators,
who enthusiastically support our participants along the course and
create the very special atmosphere of the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON.

THE ELITE RACES
T H E
R A C E
V I D E O
Too hot
for records

It was a triumphant day for the Ethiopian world-class runners at the BMW BER-
LIN-MARATHON, but the really great times failed to materialise this time. In
very warm weather with temperatures over 20 degrees Celsius for the last part
of the elite race, hopes for records melted away. Rarely in the history of the
race was it this warm during the first two hours. While Guye Adola triumphed
in 2:05:45, leaving superstar Kenenisa Bekele behind, a debutant was the big
surprise in the women‘s race: Gotytom Gebreslase won in 2:20:09 hours and
thus made a perfect Ethiopian double victory. The best German runners were
Philipp Pflieger (LT Haspa Marathon Hamburg) in 16th place in 2:15:01 hours
and local hero Rabea Schöneborn (LG Nord Berlin), who reached the finish at the
Brandenburg Gate in ninth place with a time of 2:28:49 hours.

THE WOMEN‘S RACE
Surprise winner
Gotytom Gebreslase, an
unexpectedly fast 26-year-old
debutant from Ethiopia,
was the surprise at the 47th
BMW BERLIN-MARATHON.
She had run a few good half
marathon races in the USA
and most recently improved
her time to 68:19 minutes in
Houston—but even this result
from January 2020 did not indicate
that she could triumph
in Berlin. Moreover, Gotytom
Gebreslase had not competed
in an international race since
that race in Houston due to
the Corona pandemic.
Nevertheless, Gotytom Gebreslase
bravely joined the
lead group, in which the pacemakers
ran at a pace that
would mean a finish under 2:19
hours for a long time. Behind
the favoured Ethiopian Hiwot
Gebrekidan, who had set
the current world best time
for the year with a time of
2:19:35, Gotytom Gebreslase
was joined by her compatriot
Helen Tola and Kenya‘s Fancy
Chemutai. This group reached
the half marathon mark after
69:19 minutes.
In the following kilometres,
Fancy Chemutai and Helen
Tola dropped back first. With
just under ten kilometres to
go, it was Gotytom Gebreslase
who picked up the pace and
pulled away from Hiwot Gebrekidan.
At kilometre 35, she
was still on course for a worldclass
finish time of 2:18:30
with an intermediate time of
1:54:54. And even the course
record set by Gladys Cherono
– 66 –

Few expected Gotytom Gebreslase to
win the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON. The
26-year-old from Ethiopia triumphed
in her marathon debut and celebrated
her victory at the finish line in front
of the Brandenburg Gate

THE WOMEN‘S RACE
of Kenya, who had clocked a
time of 2:18:11 in 2018, seemed
within reach. But in the final
kilometres, the newcomer also
struggled with the high temperatures.
Gotytom Gebreslase
slowed down considerably
and in the end missed a debut
time of under 2:20 hours by
only ten seconds.
„Although it was my first marathon,
my goal was to win the
race. I was very well prepared,
and it went exactly as planned,
just like in training,“ said Gotytom
Gebreslase, who clocked
2:20:09, the tenth-best time
ever run in Berlin. She finished
well ahead of her compatriot
Hiwot Gebrekidan (2:21:23 h).
Around ten kilometres before
the finish, Gotytom Gebreslase
took the sole lead. Hiwot
Gebrekidan (right), who was
the favourite before the
start, finished second

The Top Ten 2021
Place Runner Country Time
1. Gotytom Gebreslase ETH 2:20:09
2. Hiwot Gebrekidan ETH 2:21:23
3. Helen Tola ETH 2:23:05
4. Edith Chelimo KEN 2:24:33
5. Shure Demise ETH 2:24:43
6. Fancy Chemutai KEN 2:24:58
7. Izabela Paszkiewicz POL 2:27:41
8. Ruth Chebitok KEN 2:28:18
9. Rabea Schöneborn GER 2:28:49
10. Martina Strähl SUI 2:30:37

THE WOMEN‘S RACE
In third place, Helen Tola completed
an all-Ethiopian podium
with a time of 2:23:05.
„If the weather had been cooler,
I could have run faster. I
trust that I could achieve a
time of 2:18 or 2:19 hours. The
course in Berlin is very good,
and I would like to come back
here,“ said Gotytom Gebreslase,
who achieved a rare debut
victory. The last woman to run
to victory at the first attempt
in the history of the BERLIN-
MARATHON was Catherina
McKiernan. The Irishwoman
won in 1997 in 2:23:24 hours.
Rabea Schöneborn also struggled
with the heat. She ran
the first half in 73:56 minutes,
but then could not run a faster
second section as she had
hoped. She finished her third
marathon race with a time of
2:28:49, not in the range of
her best time of 2:27:03 hours.
„It was a great experience, although
I am not happy with the
time. I started quite cautiously
and consciously just ran without
paying attention to the
time. But my legs didn‘t want
to do it that way, and then I
– 70 –

Sifan Hassan lief 2019 den bisher schnellsten Halbmarathon
in Berlin. Danach avancierte sie zur aktuell besten Langstreckenläuferin
auf der Bahn und holte im selben Jahre Gold über
1500 und 10.000 Meter bei den Weltmeisterschaften in Doha
Even though Rabea Schöneborn was
not satisfied with her time—the Berliner
showed a strong race as the ninth
fastest woman
just made the best of it. It was
quite intense in the heat,“ said
the Berliner and added, „It was
enormously important that
this race took place. I think the
BMW BERLIN-MARATHON has
also sent a signal to other organisers.“
– 71 –

THE MEN‘S RACE
– 72 –

No world record—
but an exciting
race to victory
The pacemakers led the lead
group through the first part
of the race at a world-record
pace. Unexpectedly, Guye Adola,
who had surprised everyone
by finishing second in Berlin
four years ago when he set an
unofficial debut world record
of 2:03:36, and Kenenisa Bekele
were joined by four other
runners in the lead group: the
two Kenyans Philemon Kacheran
and Abraham Kipyatich as
well as the Ethiopians Tesfaye
Lencho and Olika Adugna. This
group passed the 10-kilometre
mark in 28:47 minutes. This
put them on course for a world
record finish time of just under
2:01:30 hours.
Olika Adugna was the first
runner unable to keep up
the pace, followed then surprisingly
by Kenenisa Bekele,
who dropped back a little.
The defending champion lost
contact with the leaders between
kilometres 17 and 18 as
he could not keep up the pace.
With an intermediate half marathon
time of 60:48 minutes,
the lead group was still on
course for a world record, but
Bekele, who passed this point
after 61:00 minutes, was no
longer in the running. The fact
that the three-time Olympic
long-distance champion made
it back to the front after about
27 kilometres was due to the
– 73 –

THE MEN‘S RACE
fact that the lead group had
slowed down considerably in
the now very warm temperatures.
Additionally, the support
of the pacemakers gradually
ended. With kilometre splits of
sometimes well over 3:00 minutes,
the world record very
quickly fell out of reach. Instead
of a chase for the record,
an exciting race for the victory
developed.
Following Tesfaye Lencho and
Abraham Kipyatich, Philemon
Kacheran then dropped back,
but Guye Adola broke away
from Kenenisa Bekele shortly
before the 35-kilometre mark
and looked like a sure winner.
But it got exciting again, because
Bethwel Yegon moved
from even further back up to
the front. At the 25-kilometre
mark, the Kenyan had still
been trailing 1:06 minutes behind
the lead group. About
twelve kilometres later, he
overtook Kenenisa Bekele and
then the surprised Guye Adola.
But the Ethiopian did not
let himself get shaken and followed
Bethwel Yegon. Shortly
before kilometre 40, Guye
Adola, who in Berlin in 2017
had only been beaten by Kenya‘s
superstar Eliud Kipchoge,
made further gains and fi-
Kenenisa Bekele had entered the
race intending to break the world
record. In the end, he could not
keep up with the eventual winner
Guye Adola all the way to the finish
and ran alone (picture left)
– 74 –

THE MEN‘S RACE
nally ran to the biggest victory
of his career. „I thought I had
a chance of beating Kenenisa
before the start. It was very
warm, and my feet were burning
in my shoes,“ said Guye
Adola, who won in 2:05:45
hours, well ahead of Bethwel
Yegon (2:06:14) and Kenenisa
Bekele (2:06:47).
Philipp Pflieger also struggled
with the unexpectedly high
temperatures. He had hoped
to improve his best time of
2:12:15 to a time between 2:11
and 2:12. With a half marathon
split time of 65:55 minutes,
he was on course. But from
kilometre 25 onwards, Philipp
Pflieger could no longer keep
up the pace. „After an hour it
became uncomfortably hot, so
my pace setters left the race
earlier than planned. I ran the
last 17 kilometres alone. And
then the last five were simply
about making to the finish,“
said Philipp Pflieger, who came
in 16th in 2:15:01 hours. „I am
not happy with the results.“
The Top Ten 2021
Place Runner Country Time
1. Guye Adola ETH 2:05:45
2. Bethwel Yegon KEN 2:06:14
3. Kenenisa Bekele ETH 2:06:47
4. Tadu Abate ETH 2:08:24
5. Cosmas Muteti KEN 2:08:45
6. Philemon Kacheran KEN 2:09:29
7. Okbay Tsegay ERI 2:10:37
8. Bernard Kimeli KEN 2:10:50
9. Hidekazu Hijikata JPN 2:11:47
10. Hosea Kipkemboi KEN 2:12:25
– 76 –

Philipp Pflieger had hoped to beat his best time of
2:12:15 hours. In temperatures too high for marathon
runners and after losing his pacemaker early on, he did
not succeed and finished 16th in 2:15:01 hours
– 77 –

IN FOCUS
GOTYTOM GEBRESLASE
The longer
the better
Gotytom Gebreslase surprised
not only her competitors
but also everyone watching
her with her victory at
the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON.
“It was my first marathon, and
it was also surprising for me
that it went so well,” said the
26-year-old Ethiopian, who
missed breaking the 2:20 barrier
by only ten seconds with a
time of 2:20:09—and that despite
the high temperatures.
Gotytom Gebreslase has competed
mainly in the USA during
her career so far. She
initially concentrated on the
longer track distances as well
as shorter road races (5 and 10
km). Her best performance on
the track was in the 10000m:
In Hengelo, Holland, she ran
a time of 31:14.52 minutes in
2016. However, she would have
had to run about 45 seconds
faster to qualify for the Olympic
Games in Rio.
Subsequently, Gotytom Gebreslase
moved more and more
towards road running. In 2018,
she ran her debut for the halfmarathon
distance in Boston
and finished second in 69:39
minutes. A year later, she was
second again in Boston, improving
to 68:58 minutes. In 2020,
she finished fourth in the very
competitive Houston Half Marathon
with another best time
of 68:19 minutes.
But Gotytom Gebreslase’s
times did not indicate that she
– 78 –

could be in contention for victory
at the BMW BERLIN-MA-
RATHON. Obviously, the 26-year-old
has much more potential
the longer the distances are. “I
will definitely concentrate on
the marathon now and not run
any more long-distance track
races,” announced Gotytom
Gebreslase. “The weather was
extremely warm, and it was a
challenge. I would like to start
again in Berlin and then run
under 2:20 hours.”
– 79 –

IN FOCUS
GUYE ADOLA AND KENENISA BEKELE
There’s still room
for improvement
It was not Kenenisa Bekele’s
great hour at the BMW BER-
LIN-MARATHON. Ethiopia’s superstar
had already missed the
respective world records twice
in Berlin by mere seconds: in
2016, he was six seconds short
of the respective world best
time and in 2019 a mere two
seconds short. This time, however,
he was more than five
minutes “too late”, as Kenenisa
Bekele crossed the finish
line in third place after 2:06:47
hours.
A compatriot of Kenenisa Bekele
triumphed ahead of him
at the Brandenburg Gate: Guye
Adola won the race in very
warm temperatures in 2:05:45
hours. The 30-year-old had not
run a marathon for almost two
years, and due to the Corona
pandemic had only competed
once internationally. In this respect,
his form was difficult to
assess. “I hadn’t run any competitions
for a long time, but I
had trained well,” Guye Adola
said after the biggest victory
of his career.
But his Berlin triumph was not
a big surprise. Guye Adola had
already run a sensational debut
for the 42.195 kilometres at the
BMW BERLIN-MARATHON four
years ago. At that time, he almost
broke the years-long dominance
of Olympic champion
Eliud Kipchoge. He was in the
– 80 –

This time it was Guye Adola who stood at the top of the podium at the BMW
BERLIN-MARATHON. Top favourite Kenenisa Bekele (right) finish third behind
the Kenyan Bethwel Yegon
lead until shortly before kilometre
40, but then Kenya’s exceptional
runner caught up with
him and won. Guye Adola ran
an unofficial debut world record
of 2:03:46. While he was unable
to beat Eliud Kipchoge then, he
now left his challenger Kenenisa
Bekele behind for the second
time. In 2017, Bekele dropped
out of the race in Berlin.
After his strong debut in 2017,
Guye Adola kept struggling
with injuries and was unable to
start in several scheduled races.
Among them was the 2019
BMW BERLIN-MARATHON,
where Kenenisa Bekele triumphed
in 2:01:41. Then in December
2019, Guye Adola ran
to a good third place finish in
Valencia, clocking a top time of
– 81 –

IN FOCUS
GUYE ADOLA UND KENENISA BEKELE
2:04:42. Now he proved in Berlin
that he is one of the world
elite runners. “The course is
good, I would like to run here
again next year,” he said after
his triumph. Guye Adola comes
from the Oromia region of Ethiopia
and grew up in a place
named the same as his family
name: Adola. He comes from a
large family and has seven siblings.
“I am the eldest and the
only one who is successful in
running. However, I was inspired
by a younger brother who
then gave up the sport. After
training for a while, I realised
I had talent,” Guye Adola shared.
While Guye Adola certainly
still has potential for further
improvement, Kenenisa Bekele,
despite now being 39 years
old, is not yet thinking of an
At the start, the runners had
to wear masks – but of course
they could take them off once
the starting signal was given

FOLLOW THE
#PULSEOFTHECITY
In das Herz einer Stadt einzutauchen und ihre Atmosphäre im Zuge einer
persönlichen Herausforderung aufzusaugen – diese Vision möchte Maurice
Lacroix als offizieller Zeitnehmer des BMW BERLIN-MARATHON
verwirklichen. Das Sportevent bringt begeisterte Läuferinnen und Läufer
zusammen, die unter anderem drei Merkmale teilen: Ambition, Fokus und
Leidenschaft. Merkmale, die auch Maurice Lacroix verinnerlicht hat und
die die urbane Marke folglich mit den Hochleistungssportlern teilt.
Vor dem Lauf verbringen die Teilnehmer viele Stunden damit zu trainieren
und ihre Leistungsfähigkeit zu steigern. Auch Maurice Lacroix hat viel
Zeit und Mühe in die Optimierung der eigenen Produkte investiert, um
erschwingliche Kreationen mit ausdrucksstarkem Design und hohem wahrgenommenen
Wert anzubieten. Ähnlich wie die Ausnahmesportler ist die
Marke innovativ und strebt nach Erfolg. Genau diese gemeinsamen
Werte machen Veranstaltungen wie den BMW BERLIN-MARATHON für
Maurice Lacroix zu einem ausgezeichneten Partner.

IN FOCUS
GUYE ADOLA UND KENENISA BEKELE
Kenenisa Bekele and Guye Adola ran together through the streets of Berlin for
a long time before Adola was able to pull away decisively at the end
end to his unique career. It was
not only the high temperatures
in Berlin that prevented a
top time from the three-time
Olympic long-distance champion.
Kenenisa Bekele admitted
after the race that “I missed
some training because of the
pandemic”. He himself contracted
the Coronavirus ear-
– 84 –

lier this year but had no severe
symptoms and recovered well.
Just six weeks after the BMW
BERLIN-MARATHON, Kenenisa
Bekele plans on running the
New York Marathon. After not
being in top form in Berlin, it
is certainly a gamble to run
another marathon after such
a short time. But Kenenisa
Bekele is also relying on new
shoe technology, which has
consistently proven to boost
performance. In addition, elite
runners can apparently also
recover better from demanding
training sessions because
of the carbon models. “Other
athletes have told me that it is
still possible to achieve good
results at the age of over 40—
you are not too old for the
marathon,” says Kenenisa Bekele.
That’s why he can imagine
starting a fifth time at the
BMW BERLIN-MARATHON: “If
I’m healthy and well prepared,
I’d like to try again in Berlin to
attack the world record.” At
this age, however, no runner
has ever advanced to such
performance levels.
– 85 –

R E G I S T E R
N O W !
Do it
again!
This way to your registration for the
48th BMW BERLIN-MARATHON
on September 25, 2022
87
www.bmw-berlin-marathon.com

Moments of
Mirian Cristina Tavares Rodrigues
travelled from Brazil.
It was her second time participating
in Berlin. She sewed
her own running outfit in
black, red and gold. „I made
it for the German spectators
who gave me such a warm
welcome and enthusiastically
cheered me on here.“ Mirian
finished the race in 4:08:16
hours.

happiness
Around 25,000 participants from 139 nations crossed the starting
line at the 47th BWM BERLIN-MARATHON. And at the finish line they
rightly celebrated themselves - and the great organizational efforts
that made it possible. We looked upon many happy faces.
Text: Norbert Hensen | Photos: Andreas Schwarz
The name „Tigers Running Club“ appeared more than 60 times in the results
lists. The large running community from Madrid was a symbol for the
new start for the international running scene. Berlin showed itself to be a cosmopolitan
capital and runners from all over the world were its guests. Alicia
Fernandez was just one of over 23,000 finishers. She completed her first
marathon in 4:00:03 hours, but was not angry for a second about missing the
sub-4:00. „It was such a great experience here, a terrific weekend of running. I
haven’t really come to grips with it all yet,“ said the spanish women.
#restartrunning

The man seems to be able to simply run a marathon in passing. „I missed the
long runs in my preparation,“ said Stefan Otto from Magdeburg. The fact that he
was able to celebrate his seventh consecutive finish in Berlin is also due to the fact
that he is permanently fit. „I run quite a lot, I like to do a 24-hour run now and then,
so I was totally missing the races,“ he said after his 3:29:00 finish. Now he wants to
join the Jubilee Club — in three years‘ time.
– 90 –

Well-trained power-women. Maria Eugenia Arredondo from Mexico City ran
the 42.195 kilometres like Swiss clockwork. No wonder she was very happy with
her race (3:30:35). „Such a great race, super spectators and perfect weather,“ said
the slender runner after her second time participating in the BMW BERLIN-MA-
RATHON. And despite the long journey from Central America, she is sure: this was
not her last time.
– 92 –

„We gave two interviews for rbb, even one while on the course,“ said Sören
Jung, who thoroughly enjoyed the run together with his brother Florian. „We
had to wait so long to be able to compete again, so now that that we made it, it just
feels great,“ said Florian. Their motto is: „Run together, suffer together.“ After two
years without a marathon, the two fellows from Rhineland-Palatinate entered the
race without any time goals. „We also stopped sometimes and took photos.“
– 93 –

Oranje boven! „We met by chance along the course,“ said Danya Emmelot from
Hoorn in the Netherlands, embracing Lizzy Verdonk, who came from Egmond
aan Zee, and won their personal competition with a time of 3:23:37, just ahead
of Danya (3:24:04 h). But that was not the point at all for the two women. „We
had fun, it was a super great race—a bit too warm for me,“ said Danya, who
had run in the Berlin rain two years ago. She recognised her fellow runner by her
orange shirt.
– 94 –

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Jesus Maria Canas Rico earned this kiss! He helped pull his partner Maria Cobo
to the finish. The two Spaniards finished in 3:46:10 hours. „He is the much faster
runner, but I am grateful to him for pulling me with him today,“ said Maria. „It was
so nice to do the race together, even though it didn‘t go perfectly today.“ Jesus
Maria, on the other hand, was able to enjoy every metre. His best time is a good
hour faster.
– 96 –

Jessica Rieger was part of the large group of US-Americans who lined up at
the start of the 47th BMW BERLIN-MARATHON. After races in Chicago and
Boston, the mother of two kids from La Grange, Illinois, ran her first marathon outside
the USA. „It was absolutely overwhelming, such a great atmosphere.“ With a
time of 3:05 hours, she increased her best time significantly. Her husband also ran
— their two daughters (3 and 6) stayed with their grandparents in Illinois.
– 97 –

The long journey was worth it! Camilo Betancur Zapata (left) and Felipe Posada
Restrepo flew to Berlin from Lima in Colombia. „It was our first major marathon,“
Felipe said proudly. He wanted to finish in under three hours. The project was a
success. The 32-year-old runner finished in 2:59:20 hours. His friend Camilo
(2:47:29 h) was waiting for his buddy behind the finish line. „Camilo was so strong
today, I was a bit tired after 30 kilometres,“ Felipe said. After four marathons in
Colombia, it was the first really big event for the two.
– 98 –

„A dream came true for me today,“ beamed Henry Wanyoike after his first
participation in the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON. The Kenyan went blind overnight
in 1995 due to a stroke. Afterwards, he continued to train and made a name
for himself with world records and successes at the Paralympics. His marathon
best time from 2005 (2:31:31 hours) was the world record for blind runners for a
long time. In recent years, the now 47-year-old has not run quite as much. „This
was my comeback today. I want to give people hope! What I can do, others can
do too,“ said Wanyoike, who finished with his companion runner with an amazing
time of 2:46:12 minutes.
– 100 –

At first glance, they don‘t look like typical marathon runners; and Jan and
Matti Waldner (left) are not. But the two Viennese men laid a good foundation
for endurance years ago as cross-country skiers. In the past few years, they have
become regulars in the weight room. They entered their club’s name as „Metall
macht prall“ (Metal makes you plump). „Matti is the better runner of us, he pushed
me quite a bit,“ laughed Jan, who had fulfilled part one of a „bet“ behind the finish
line. „To run the marathon in under three hours and then do 100 kilos in the
bench press - that‘s the plan,“ said Matti. After 2:52:56 hours, the boys had to
flex their muscles again...
– 101 –

Ran Liu loves travelling. And running. Her favourite thing is to combine her two
passions. The New Zealander lives in California. It was her premiere in Berlin, but
already her tenth marathon in total. „I love this city, it is so dynamic,“ Ran said. No
less dynamic than she herself — with a time of 3:17:04, she won the age group
W55. Less than 200 women crossed the finish line before her.
– 102 –

What talent! Manuela Lenk started running when she was 52. Just for fun.
Now she is 61 and fitter than ever. With a time of 3:17:44, the petite runner from
the Spreewald was the fastest in the W60 age group. And at the finish line she
looked fresh enough to start all over again. „Tonight, we‘ll have champagne as a
reward,“ she said. By the way, it was her best time—in the sixth marathon race of
her „career“. She wants to run fast, but she doesn‘t want to take it that seriously. „I
run four to five times a week, a maximum of 60 kilometres,“ says Manuela.
– 104 –

Ligia Casimiro and Joao Marques only ran into each other at the finish line.
Both had travelled from Portugal. „She just ran a new best time,“ said Joao, pleased
with the performance of his compatriot, who finished in 3:30:10. „What a great
marathon, what a great crowd,“ he said, full of praise for the organisers and the
Berliners along the route. It was his first time participating in Berlin. He has already
run a marathon well under three hours. But 2021 was all about the atmosphere
for him and finally being on a starting line together with thousands other runners.
– 105 –

The Misty Mountain Runners have a lot of catching up to do. 35 runners
from the New York club travelled to Berlin, most of them for the first time.
Like Yumei and Henry. „It was so great today and it‘s just the most fun in a
group,“ said Thao Jian, who accompanied the two. „And now it‘s on to London
and Boston,“ Yumei said, already full of anticipation for the next events. This
is definitely not the last time that the New York running community will be
running in Berlin.
– 106 –

Running connects people. Nina Krings and Joleen Gedwart prefer to run together
at events. That was also the case in Berlin. „That was super good. We flew
through Berlin for the first 25 kilometres. Sure, it gets tough at the end, but it was
super nice.“ The two sisters, who live in the Ruhr area, inherited the hobby
from their dad. „He was also a marathon runner,“ says Nina. Things went really
well for both of them in Berlin. Two best times. Joleen had stomach problems
shortly before the Brandenburg Gate and had to slow down a little. Nevertheless,
they both finished in 3:12 hours. Nina‘s time was 3:12:01 and Joleen‘s 3:12:59.
– 107 –

„I am small, so I always run in costume so that my relatives can spot me
on the course“, said Rita Solaro. What was once an obsession for the Berlin
native has long since become her trademark. The heat did build up under her
hat. „Be careful with your choice of costume and the weather forecast“, Rita
laughed. Despite a slight “heat-up”, she crossed the finish line in 4:19:51 hours.
Her costumes change every race. It was her eighth finish in Berlin—and definitely
not her last.
– 108 –

Matt Lenehan and Max Storms (left) put in a lot of training kilometres
together. They wanted to attack their best times on the fast Berlin course.
But the boys from San Francisco did not perform quite as well as they were
capable of. „But no matter, we enjoyed the race,“ said Max. „Yeah, we‘re just
happy that we were able to run a marathon again,“ added Matt, who has
a best time of 2:16 and finished here in 2:25:25. It was a little too warm and
windy for the runners from the US West Coast to run really fast times.
– 109 –

„The spectators gave us such great support, the atmosphere was unique,
I can hardly believe it,“ said Hanna Sharuk (right) from Kiev. The young
woman from Ukraine ran with her friend, and with a time of 3:44:56, she had
a great performance at her marathon premiere. „There were so many great
people from all over the world on the course, this was definitely not my last
time participating.“
– 110 –

Lennart Gerard Pedersen from Denmark is always in good company in Berlin.
His compatriots often make up the largest group of foreign starters in Berlin. In
2021, however, the US-Americans were the best represented in terms of numbers,
with over 2000 participants. „Today was tough for me, the sun was getting to me
at the end,“ said the man from Søborg. „But it was also fantastic — just like I
expect it in Berlin.“ Lennart now has nine marathons on his finisher account — all
of which he completed in Berlin.
– 111 –

For four months Tabea Stiller-Unruh was dealing with an injury. An inflammation
in her hip slowed down the mother of three. „It was great that I
was able to run at all,“ said Tabea, who lives with her family in Cologne. And
what a race it was! Despite less-than-optimal preparation, she crossed the
finish line in 3:31:27 hours. „It was really fun, only the last kilometres were
a bit hard, but that’s the marathon,“ she laughed. Her husband skated the
course the day before.
– 112 –

Max Rahm from Baalborn ran his marathon debut on the streets of Berlin.
A few weeks earlier he had set a personal best here with a fast time of 1:12:39
at the GENERALI BERLIN HALF MARATHON. The 24-year-old young man is
part of the Zwift Academy and is coached there by US trainers. Max Rahm just
missed his goal of running his debut under 2:30 hours. „My conditioning was
there, but a few muscular problems prevented the sub 2:30,“ Max said.
With a time of 2:32:10, he conjured up a fast race on Berlin‘s streets.
– 113 –

„I can‘t say I didn‘t know what I was doing,“ laughed Michael Schatz at
the finish line. The Berliner has been part of the Jubilee Club of the BWM
BERLIN-MARATHON for many years. It was his 32nd finish this year! He took
part for the first time at the age of 20. „After that I said: never again.“ He kept
up his nonappearance for almost ten years. Then came the first marathon
through the Brandenburg Gate after the fall of the Wall. „I was at it again —
and I haven‘t missed a race since then.“ Michael is now 63 and still wants to
keep going. „I love this race.“
– 114 –

Philipp Rauch is a „Hamburg boy“. The St. Pauli fan starts for the club of
the same name and reeled off kilometre after kilometre well under a 4:00
pace. „I competed as a triathlete at the Ironman in Frankfurt six weeks ago
and qualified for Hawaii - so today I just wanted to see where I stood,“ Philipp
said. In the end, he stood high in the results list with a time of 2:39:37 hours:
Best time! „If I were to prepare properly for a marathon, I‘m sure I could
do even better.“
– 115 –

„I don‘t need a watch, I just want to have fun and entertain the others in
the race and on the side of the course,“ said Gilles Puech from Annecy,
France. When he runs, he runs in costume. Although his disguise was quite
breathable, he was sweating profusely. „For today it wasn‘t the best choice, but
anyway, it was a lot of fun.“ Even though he wasn’t wearing a watch himself, his
time was still recorded. After a brisk 3:40:46 hours, Gilles reached the finish
line behind the Brandenburg Gate.
– 116 –

Amanda Fuquay from Seattle, Washington, was beaming in the sun. „I improved
my time by 15 minutes; it was such a great race, the spectators were great,”
said the 33-year-old. Four friends of hers were also in the race, and her family cheered
along the course. After completing marathons in New York and Chicago, this
was her third time participating in a Majors marathon. Boston, London and Tokyo
are to follow in the next few years.
– 117 –

That tastes like more! Joe Dickson of the South West Road Runners from Devon
in the UK finished his third marathon in 4:16:14 hours. „It was my first race in
Berlin, and everything was perfect,“ he said. „Now I just need to find my partner so
we can celebrate together tonight — she’s faster than me“, he laughed, heading for
his finisher’s beer.
– 118 –

„I’ve missed running with others so much. I’m a social person, so I enjoyed it
incredibly today to be able to run alongside so many again,” said Houda El-
Messari. Her parents are from Morocco, and she grew up in Berlin-Steglitz, but
has also lived in Tokyo and Osaka. The fact that Houda missed her personal best
by about ten minutes with a time of 4:24:43 hours was of secondary importance
to her. „I’ll be back; my second marathon in Berlin will not be my last,” said the
31-year-old.
– 119 –

EVENT TIP: THE SWIMRUN RHEINSBERG
Refreshingly
different
A SwimRun combines athletic challenges with outstanding (nature)
experiences. Invented in Scandinavia, the outdoor format is currently the
fastest growing endurance sport internationally. In 2016, a world-class
event was introduced near Berlin, the SwimRun Rheinsberg. The capital
is not just about fashion trends and partying, but it (and the surrounding
area) is also a well-known hotspot for the sports world.
Text: Jochen Schmitz | Photos: SCC EVENTS

The first official SwimRun
competition took place in
Sweden in 2006 - also known
as Ö till Ö (island to island). The
name says it all: the original
course covers 23 islands and 75
kilometres. In a SwimRun event,
at least two alternating running
and swimming units must be
completed. Unlike a triathlon,
participants can start individually
or as a team. The latter is entirely
in the spirit of the inventors.
Grab a leash
Also different from the classic
triathlon: the length of the sections
on land and in the water
are not uniformly determined.
The races are adapted to their
respective „natural“ environments,
accordingly, the landscape
dictates the route. The
permitted outfit, including the
required equipment, i.e. gog-
gles, swim cap, swimsuit, paddles,
pull buoy, shoes and even
a „leash“ if necessary, must be
carried over the entire distance.
Fun fact: Many teams stretch
an elastic band (a “leash”) between
them. When swimming
with higher waves, the partner
can be pulled along in the desired
direction (also works when
running ;-). This also helps the
teams ensure that they do not
get more than ten metres away
from one another during the
SwimRun. If this happens, they
get disqualified.
Off to Rheinsberg
Fancy a swim? Then grab your
swimming cap, put on your
shoes and goggles and start
training. And—very important:
register now for the SwimRun
Rheinsberg on Sunday, July 3,
2022! 325 participants took off
– 122 –

SwimRun Rheinsberg
Whether swimming or running -
a beautiful forest and lake area
make for a beautiful venue for
the participants of the Swim-
Run Rheinsberg on July 3, 2022.
Registration is possible for the
super sprint (4.4 km run with 1
km swim) or the one-lap sprint
(11.3 km run with 2 km swim) or
two laps for the long distance
event (21.4 km run with 3.5 km
swim). In addition, there will be
youth races tailored to various
age groups. SCC EVENTS will offer
free training in advance of the
event.
www.swimrun-rheinsberg.de
© imago images/Camera 4
or, rather, jumped into the refreshing
water in 2021. Wonderful
forest paths characterise the
route, as well as the lake Grienericksee,
the enchanted village of
Warenthin in the middle of the
forest, and the Poetensteig (poet’s
trail), where author Theodor
– 123 –
Fontane walked during his excursions
through Brandenburg. By
the way, the views of the city and
the castle are the best shortly
before you reach the finish. Nature,
sports and lots of fun are
guaranteed on the most refreshing
day of the year!

HIGHLIGHTS 2021/2022
The most important
running events in
the capital and in
Brandenburg

OCTOBER 8, 2021
5 km – easy done!
teamstaffel-brandenburg.de
Run in a team of 4 on a wonderful lap through the historic city Brandenburg
an der Havel. The special team event at the beginning of autumn.
Distances
4 x 5 km relay
500 m/1.000 m bambini run
– 125 –
Team

OCTOBER 24, 2021
cross-challenge.de
Faster, higher, dirtier in „Döberitzer Heide“
Is “Back to nature” just your thing? Do you look forward to extensive
mud battles, 30 crazy obstacles and ultimate team spirit? Then let your
hair down at the Cross Challenge in the beautiful natural landscape of
the Döberitzer Heide.
Distances
YOUTH Challenge (5 k) | SPRINT Challenge (5 k) |
PINK Challenge (10 k) | BLACK Challenge (19 k) |
Cross
400 m / 800 m bambini run
– 126 –

DECEMBER 31, 2021
berliner-silvesterlauf.de
Get fit for the longest night — with „Pfannkuchen“
The ideal preparation for your wild New Year´s Eve party. Get fit for the
longest night of the year. You can choose if you want to climb one or two
peaks in the „Berliner Grunewald”. Enjoy your special party in Berlin!
Distances
2 k and 4 k for women and youth
6,3 k and 10,3 k for women and men
New years eve

APRIL 3, 2022
generali-berliner-halbmarathon.de
Half distance – double fun
The sensational season opener on the sightseeing course along many
of the Berlin highlights and over the finish line 200 meters behind the
Brandenburg Gate. As attractive as the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON, but
easier to run!
Distances
21,0975 k for women and men (running and skating)
500 m / 1.000 m bambini run
M
– 128 –

MAY 14, 2022
From strong women, for strong women
18.000 women celebrate their special party at Germanys biggest womens
run in the heart of Berlin.
Distances
10 k for runners, walkers and nordic walkers
5 k for runners, walkers and nordic walkers
500 m / 1.000 m bambini run
WEITERE SCC EVENTS
berliner-frauenlauf.de
StWB TEAM-Staffel Brandenburg June 9, 2022
Berlin Wasserbetriebe 5x5 k TEAM Relay June 15– 17, 2022
GERMAN MANAGEMENT RUN June 15, 2022
VeloCity Summer 2022
adidas Runners City Night July 30, 2022
Berlin Road Race „Generalprobe“ August 28, 2022
BMW BERLIN MARATHON September 24/25, 2022
Cross Challenge October 23, 2022
Berlin New Year‘s Eve Run December 31, 2022
– 129 –

#RESTARTSKATING AT THE BMW BERLIN-MARATHON
Seventh victory for
Bart Swings

As always, the inline skaters provided fast-paced action on
wheels! Almost 2,500 speed and fitness skaters celebrated their
comeback on the Berlin asphalt with a spectacular festival on
wheels. Not unexpectedly, two Belgians skated the fastest over
the marathon distance through the capital: Bart Swings and
Sandrine Tas.

THE MEN’S INLINE SKATERS‘ RACE
Course record missed
by one second
In a spectacular solo run,
Bart Swings (POWERSLIDE
MATTER WORLD) once again
confirmed his world class. The
Belgian won the BMW BERLIN-
MARATHON Inline Skating for
the seventh time and reached
the finish line in the fabulous
time of 56:50 minutes. Only
one second separated Swings
from his own course record
from 2015.
In the race, a lead group with
skaters from all the teams had
initially formed and kept the
pace constantly high. Eight kilometres
before the finish, Bart
Swings successfully broke away
from his fellow skaters and
crossed the finish behind the
»
FELIX
RIJHNEN
Being the defending
champion with bib
number 1 at the start
line really increased
the pressure and
meant carrying a few
extra kilos on my
shoulders. Second
place feels like a
victory.“
– 132 –

BART SWINGS
»
I need to know my own records better.
I didn‘t realize I was that close to my
course record from 2015. It‘s obviously
a disappointment that I missed the
record by such a small margin, but I‘m
still very happy about this win.“

Brandenburg Gate more than a
minute ahead of his pursuers.
Jason Suttels following in
Bart Swings‘ footsteps?
The runner-up also celebrated
like a winner: Felix Rijhnen
(Powerslide Matter/58:04
min) won the sprint of the chasers.
Third place went to Martin
Ferrié (EOSKATES WORLD
TEAM/58:04 min.) from France.
Jason Suttels (POWERSLIDE
MATTER WORLD/58:05 min.),
only 20 years old, also attracted
attention in the chaser’s
group, finishing fifth. The Belgian
is currently regarded as one
of the greatest young talents
and is already being discussed
as the future successor of Bart
Swings. The reigning champion
quickly switched from asphalt
to ice after his victory in Berlin
to prepare for the 2022 Olympic
Games in Beijing.
– 134 –

The Top 3 - Men
Place Skater Time
1. Bart Swings (Belgium/POWERSLIDE/MATTER World Team) 56:50
2. Felix Rijhnen (Germany/POWERSLIDE/MATTER World Team) 58:04
3. Martin Ferrié (France/EOSKATES World Team) 58:04

THE WOMEN’S INLINE SKATERS‘ RACE
Sandrine Tas ahead
by a skate length
A
close finish to the race was
expected. In the end, four female
skaters finished at the same
time. As in 2015 and 2019, Sandrine
Tas from Belgium pushed her
skates across the finish line first.
Like her compatriot Bart Swings,
she still wants to qualify for the
Winter Games in Beijing in speed
skating in the coming weeks. In
the inline marathon, she already
demonstrated her top form on
skates. In Berlin she harmonised
perfectly with teammate Katharina
Rumpus (both POWERSLIDE
MATTER INTERNATIONAL). As
strong sprinters, Tas and Rumpus
relied on a mass sprint, which
they won by a razor-thin margin.
Four riders finished in 1:13:40
hours. The third-placed rider is
Aura Cristina Quintana Herrera
(COL/NL WORLD TEAM), fourth
was Giogia Bormida (ITA/ POW-
ERSLIDE MATTER INTERNATIO-
NAL).
»
SANDRINE TAS
I know I can rely 100
percent on Katharina,
and depending on how
the race is going we
adjust our tactics.“
– 136 –

© SCC Events/Petko Beier
The Top 3 - Women
Place Skater Time
1. Sandrine Tas (Belgium/POWERSLIDE/MATTER World Team) 1:13:40
2. Katharina Rumpus (Germany/POWERSLIDE/MATTER World Team) 1:13:40
3. Aura Cristina Quintana Herrera (Colombia/NL World Team) 1:13:40

WORLD- UND GERMAN INLINE CUP
Iten sensationally
takes victory in the GIC
As in previous years, the races
held as part of the BMW BER-
LIN-MARATHON also served as
the finals of the two most important
race series, the WORLD INLINE
CUP and the GERMAN INLINE
CUP (WIC and GIC). In the WIC, the
men‘s overall rankings resembled
the finish of the BMW BERLIN-MA-
RATHON: Bart Swings ahead of Felix
Rijhnen and Martin Ferrié. In the
women‘s race, marathon winner
Sandrine Tas also took the overall
victory in the WIC. In second and
The podium for the GERMAN INLINE
CUP fitness category
third place: Valentina Letelier Cartagena
(MEX/AC ROLLER TEAM)
and Marine Lefeuvre (FRA/ EOS-
KATES WORLD TEAM).
2007 Berlin winner
triumphs over Rijhnen
The Nicolas Iten of Switzerland
caused a sensation in the GIC.
He secured the overall victory
ahead of Felix Rijhnen and Severin
Widmer (CH). Iten, winner of
the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON in
2007, ended his career many years
ago and now only trains occasionally
on skates.
The overall women‘s classification
was once again won by Katharina
Rumpus, with Marine Lefeuvre in
second place ahead of Katarzyna
Otrebska. In the fitness categories
of the GIC, Katrin Leschner und
Michele Cicognani secured the
overall victories 2021.

Club of the Stars
Never before have there been so many former winners at the start
as there were at the 47th BMW BERLIN-MARATHON: In the men‘s
race, Pascal Briand (FRA), winner of the first edition in 1997, Nicolas
Iten (CH), winner of the legendary rain marathon in 2007, and Severin
Widmer (CH/2010) started alongside Swings and Rijhnen. In the
women‘s race, Manon Kamminga (NDL), winner in 2013, 2014 and
2016, just three months after giving birth to her son, did not miss the
opportunity to compete in Berlin alongside Rumpus and Tas.
– 139 –

THE RACE OF THE FITNESS SKATERS
The motivation team produces happy faces
Insiders have known it for years: The mood is always particularly good
at the end of the field. For ten years now, the motivation team from
Rollnacht Düsseldorf has been providing lots of fun for all those who
like to take it a little slower. This year, for the first time, they got
help from the equally experienced skaters from Skatenight Münster.
Of course, as always, Adrian was also there with his music van, which
provided the appropriate sound.
Also at the start again (photo below): the students of the Collegium
Gaesdonck on the Lower Rhine, who reached the finish together and
overjoyed.

Even in the ranks behind the world-class skaters, things moved extremely fast
down the streets of Berlin
E2 PRO 125 &
E2 110
E2 PRO 125 E2 110
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– 141 –
• SHELL: E2, carbon fiber, removable cuff,
vented sole, microfiber upper
• LINER: Precision High Performance
• FOOTBED: Precision Fit
• CLOSURES: Micro adj cuff and
45° buckles, laces
• FRAME: Extruded Alu 3x125, 320mm/12.6”,
racing axles, laterally adjustable
• WHEELS: Hydrogen 125mm/85A
Made in USA
• BEARINGS: Twincam ILQ-9 Classic Plus
• BRAKE: Available as aftermarket
• SHELL: E2, carbon fiber, removable cuff,
vented sole, microfiber upper
• LINER: Precision High Performance
• FOOTBED: Precision Fit
• CLOSURES: Micro adj cuff and
45° buckles, laces
• FRAME: Extruded Alu 3x110, 295mm/11.6”,
racing axles, laterally adjustable (fits 125mm)
• WHEELS: Supreme 110mm/85A
• BEARINGS: Twincam ILQ-7 Plus
• BRAKE: In the box
(does not work with 125mm set up)

THE RACE OF THE FITNESS SKATERS
And if one marathon wasn‘t enough...
... they did it again on Sunday. This time in
running shoes. Almost 50 athletes took up
the challenge of a double start. Philipp
Forstner mastered this feat particularly fast.
He won the men‘s double-start classification
(1:01:22 / 3:07:30; total: 4:08:52). Sandy Dinort
was fastest woman in the run-skate combination
(1:14:08 / 3:46:52 ; total: 5:01:00).
– 142 –

M O R E
I N L I N E- P I C T U R E S
– 143 –

Hug.
For the
seventh time!
Marcel Hug and Manuela Schär once again ensured a Swiss
double victory for the racing wheelchair athletes at the
BMW BERLIN-MARATHON. For Hug, it was already his seventh
victory on the BERLIN-MARATHON course, for Schär her sixth.
The handcycling competition was won by the German Yvonne
Pijahn and the Belgian Jonas Van de Steene.

THE RACE OF THE WHEELCHAIR ATHLETES
Switzerland’s Manuela Schär finished
1:23 minutes ahead of runner-up
Tatyana Mcfadden and celebrated her
sixth victory in Berlin

Swiss double victory
It’s so nice to be here again
and enjoy the marathon atmosphere
in Berlin”, Manuela
Schär said, visibly moved after
her race. It was also the
first road race with spectators
for the racing wheelchair
and handcycle athletes
after a long break. The
Swiss woman reached the finish
line (1:37:31) with a clear
lead over Tatyana Mcfadden
(USA/1:38:54 h), who improved
her personal best. “Today
it was very windy in parts, but
generally flat courses suit
me very well,” said Mcfadden.
Brazilian Aline dos Santos
Rocha (1:41:39) finished
third. Merle Menje, a 16-yearold
German girl who finished
fourth in her marathon debut
in 1:42:12, also attracted
special attention. “My rough
goal was to finish under 1:50
hours. I didn’t expect to be so
fast today,” said Menje. There
will hardly be any time to
recover for the athletes: on
October 3, London is on the
agenda as part of the Abbott
World Marathon Majors.
“I was surprised that we were
able to break away so early in
a group of three,” explained
Marcel Hug at the finish. With
Daniel Romanchuk (USA) and
Brent Lakatos (Canada), a
lead group formed in the first
kilometres, but they began to
break away more and more by
the halfway point. Hug crossed
the finish line in 1:24:03
hours, well ahead of Romanchuk
(1:24:47) and Brent Lakatos
(1:29:54).
– 147 –

THE RACE OF THE HANDCYCLISTS
Exciting race
The handcyclists’ race was
extremely exciting all the
way to the end. None of the
three German handcyclists,
Yvonne Pijahn, Katrin Möller
and Annett Zenker-Urban,
was able to break away on the
course, so victory was determined
in the final sprint: Here
Yvonne Pijahn showed her
– 148 –

At the start Jonas Van de Steene
(left) and Joseph Fritsch were still
close. Van de Steene won in the end,
and Fritsch came in third
sprinting strength and won in
1:22:03 hours ahead of Katrin
Möller and Annett Zenker-Urban
(same time in 1:22:06 h).
In the men’s field, too, a trio
initially kept close together
over large parts of the course:
Berlin local hero Vico Merklein,
Jonas Van de Steene
(Belgium) and Joseph Fritsch
(France). Van de Steene managed
to distance himself in
the second half of the course.
He won clearly in 1:01:40 ahead
of Merklein (1:02:26 h) and
Fritsch (1:02:37 h).

WHO‘S THAT RUNNING?
Amy Robach crossed the finish line in Berlin in 4:25:33 hours
together with her husband, actor Andrew Shue. It was her
second marathon. In 2019, she completed the 42.195 kilometres
for the first time in New York

Texte: Christian Ermert & Anja Herrlitz
» Breathing the
history Berlin «
Amy Robach is a US breakfast television star on ABC News. And an
avid marathon runner. Last Sunday, her programme was called
“Good Morning Berlin“. She enjoyed the run through the German
capital with about 25,000 other runners. The run through the
Brandenburg Gate will remain especially unforgettable for the
TV celebrity.
Text: Norbert Hensen | Photos: sportografen
It was her first visit to Berlin. “I
literally breathed in the history
of the city. Running across the
former border where the Berlin
Wall once stood was overwhelming
for me,“ Amy Robach said
after the race.
She could hardly wait to run
through the Brandenburg Gate.
“The history of Berlin is unique,
to see that up close was really
an extraordinary experience.“
She spent five days in the capital
with her husband and best
friend. „We were out and about
a lot, trying to see as much as
possible, shopping and even dipping
into the nightlife a bit,“ the
TV host told us. She has been to
Germany many times, and part
of her family lives there. “Actually,
I’m 90 percent German,“ Amy
said with a laugh. But up until
now, she hadn’t made it to Berlin.
It was certainly not her last
visit to the capital. Amy Robach
– 151 –

US TELEVISION STAR AMY ROBACH
would have liked to have been
able to stay longer but was already
back in front of the camera
in New York on Tuesday after
the marathon.
The 48-year-old was also thrilled
by the atmosphere along the
route. “I heard my name being
called out so many times, it was
so motivating.“ Her time was secondary
for the US-American.
Two years ago, she was nine
minutes faster than in Berlin.
“In 2019, in New York it was 20
degrees cooler, which suited me,
but the time of 4:25:33 is really
okay,“ said Amy. “The second
half was a bit too warm for me.“
“I want to finish healthy
and have fun“
And where is she running her
next marathon? “Chicago interests
me; maybe next year. But
I won’t aim for more than one
marathon a year,“ Amy Robach
said with certainty. She was diagnosed
with breast cancer in
2013, and she beat it. Since then,
she has run with only one goal:
“I want to finish healthy and
have fun.“
The 48-year-old is a power woman.
In Berlin, she was accompanied
by her husband Andrew
Shue. “He can actually run much
faster, so for him the race was
relaxed, but it gave him time to
take lots of photos.“ For their
photo album, so that she can
look back fondly at her trip to
Berlin.
– 152 –

WHO‘S THAT RUNNING?
» The
20th
finish in
Berlin was
a great
party «
Tim Jansen loves the 42.195-kilometre
distance. He has been at the start in
Berlin without interruption since 2001.
For the 42-year-old, this was also his
100th marathon. Along the way, he
collected money for children in need
dressed as Spiderman.
Text: Norbert Hensen

With a trophy and money
box heading towards the
finish: Tim Jansen from
Flensburg finished his
100th marathon in Berlin.

“SPIDERMAN“ TIM JANSEN
Shortly before the start, “Spiderman“ Tim sent messages to friends who had
wished him good luck for his 100th marathon.
He was not bitten by a spider
and has no superpowers.
But Tim Jansen has great stamina
and an iron will. As he has
done so many times before, he
entered the 47th BMW BERLIN
MARATHON in the costume of
the superhero Spiderman from
the Marvel comics of the same
name. The 42-year-old from
Flensburg likes the character
that the shy Peter Parker slips
into to free New York from
many villains. And good things
are also on Tim Jansen‘s mind
when he is standing at the
starting line. But the 2021 marathon
in the capital was not
just one of many - it was a very
special one for Tim Jansen. It
was his 100th time at the start
of a marathon, and he had completed
19 of his previous races
in Berlin. He actually wanted to
run his 20th BMW BERLIN MA-
RATHON last year. “In 2020, of
course, that would have been
even more fitting,“ Tim said.
But, as we all know, everything
turned out differently. “Coro-
WHO‘S THAT RUNNING?

na changed so many things in
our lives, so it‘s like a dream
that we can all stand here today
and run together again - I
enjoyed every metre,“ he said
enthusiastically.
Usually he runs about
an hour faster
And Tim took his time. “Today
I didn‘t care about the time at
all, usually I run an hour faster,
but I collected a bit of money
on the way,“ Tim told us after
crossing the finish line with
the donation box in one hand
and a balloon in the shape of
a trophy in the other. He had
added two zeros to the number
“1“ on his balloon. “I still have
to count the money, but I will
definitely be able to add to the
almost 200 euros I raised for
a campaign that supports children
in Schleswig-Holstein.”
“Spiderman“ from the far
north has a personal best time
of 2:47. “But back then I trained
a lot more.“
For Tim Jansen, his 100th marathon
is far from the end. “I‘ve
always wanted to reach 100, so
if I can manage that, I‘m sure
there will be a few more marathon
medals to come.“ Tim
is already looking forward to
his 25th BMW BERLIN-MARA-
THON. “If I live to be 100 and
can say that I‘ve finished the
marathon in Berlin over a quarter
of my life, then I‘ve done
everything right.“
There it is: Tim Jansen is happy about
his 20th finisher medal in Berlin

WHO‘S THAT RUNNING?

Texte: Christian Ermert & Anja Herrlitz
With pleasure
Sport didn’t use to be Robert Puppel’s thing. Then he started running,
and on Sunday he finished the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON for the
13th time. After the Corona break, it was a very special run through
the German capital for the Berliner, which he enjoyed very much.
Sport? It wasn’t really Robert
Puppel’s thing in the
past. But in 1997, during a holiday
in Australia, the Berliner
discovered his passion for running—and
stuck with it when he
returned to Germany. In 2001,
he finished the Berlin Marathon
for the first time. And this
year, of course, he was there
again, for the 13th time.
It was a special BMW BERLIN-
MARATHON for Robert too,
who is a member of the Jubilee
Club, which all runners who
finish at least ten times at the
BERLIN-MARATHON can join.
“Especially in the starting area,
the atmosphere was really special,”
says Robert Puppel. As
always, he talked with a lot of
complete strangers, jokes were
made, conversations about not
being in shape were exchan-
– 159 –

WHO‘S THAT RUNNING?
ged. “And this year I had the
feeling that there were twice
as many people to talk to. People
needed to catch up after
the COVID-induced break from
running.”
And not just the runners. “It
seemed to me that the spectators
were also famished and
finally wanted to roar again.
Some of them went crazy, did
100-metre laola waves and
shouted their hearts out. That
was really special!”
Robert Puppel noticed that
there were fewer bands on the
course this year because of
COVID. “But that didn’t hurt
the atmosphere at all. It affected
things just as little as the
fact that there were fewer runners
on the course. There was
still enough going on.”
And even the relatively high
temperatures didn’t bother
him much. “For once, I wasn’t
running for the overall victory
this year,” he says with a laugh.
“I’m sure the temperatures
were hard on people who were
chasing records. I just poured
a little more water over my
head.”
Running with a smile
For him, Sunday was less about
achieving a specific time than
about enjoying the BERLIN-
MARATHON again to the fullest
after the months off from competitions
due to COVID. “I’m
more of a pleasure runner,” he
says. “I want to run through
with a smile, watch the spectators,
and I’m happy when beautiful
women are cheering me
on.” Running can be that simple
and that beautiful.
There was only one thing he
regretted on race Sunday.
“That there was no finisher
party. I only live about five minutes
from the location where
the party usually takes place.”
The party had to be cancelled
– 160 –

ROBERT PUPPEL
due to hygiene regulations in
the context of the pandemic.
But there was a little celebration
after all. “My parents traditionally
come over after the
marathon and then we have
dinner together.” Robert Puppel
puts on his finisher’s shirt
and his medal. “And my father
tells everyone else that I just
ran the marathon, so he makes
them congratulate me,” he
adds with a laugh. But most of
them are happy to do so. Maybe
they were among the spectators
who were just as happy
about #restartrunnning as the
runners.
– 161 –

BEHIND THE SCENES
BURKHARD
ZIMMERMANN
With 100 children and youth along the course
For more than 30 years, Burkhard Zimmermann and up to 100 children
and youth have been distributing programme booklets or information
flyers along the course at the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON so that the
spectators can also be well informed. The money that he and the kids
receive for their work is used by the group for educational trips, for
example to the former concentration camp in Auschwitz. For many
years, the 70-year-old has been committed to the youngest members of
society—out of conviction. And because he knows that they are the ones
who are so often forgotten. On race day of the BERLIN-MARATHON,
everyone who helps distribute booklets and flyers along the course
meets afterwards to eat pizza, talk and simply be together.
– 162 –

Thanks for
being part
of it!
See you
in Berlin!