2019: Review

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Freude am Fahren

THE 3
ELEKTRISIERT
BMW 330e Plug-in-Hybrid: Kraftstoffverbrauch in l/100 km (kombiniert): 1,9 –1,6; CO 2
-Emission in g/km (kombiniert):
43 – 37; Stromverbrauch in kWh/100 km (kombiniert): 15,4 –14,8. Die offiziellen Angaben zu Kraftstoffverbrauch,
CO 2
-Emissionen und Stromverbrauch wurden nach dem vorgeschriebenen Messverfahren VO (EU) 715/2007 in der
jeweils geltenden Fassung ermittelt. Bei diesem Fahrzeug können für die Bemessung von Steuern und anderen
fahrzeugbezogenen Abgaben, die (auch) auf den CO 2
-Ausstoß abstellen, andere als die hier angegebenen Werte gelten.
Abbildung zeigt Sonderausstattungen.

Unforgettable
Moments
You made it! The 46th BMW
BERLIN-MARATHON is over
and those 42,195 exhausting,
challenging and, hopefully,
successful kilometres
are behind you. On behalf of
the BMW Group, I would like
to congratulate you on your
achievement!
I also want to thank the around
7,500 volunteers for all their
hard work. Once again this
year, they ensured everything
ran smoothly and runners and
spectators alike were able to
enjoy the marathon to the full.
I would also like to recognise
you, the fans. About a million
people cheered the runners
on from the sidelines. It is
EDITORIAL
by Sebastian Mackensen
Head of Sales and Marketing BMW Germany
your enthusiasm and encouragement
that creates the unique
atmosphere of the BMW
BERLIN-MARATHON and spurs
athletes to perform at the very
highest level. It is always impressive
to see not just sportsmen
and women, but also running
enthusiasts, fans and the
whole city come together at
this event. Year after year –
4

and again in 2019 – the BMW
BERLIN-MARATHON serves as
a meeting place for ambitious,
enthusiastic and sheerly inspiring
people. Thank you for your
support!
The BMW Group has been a
dedicated partner for running
over many years, and we were
happy to be the title partner
of the Berlin Marathon for
the ninth time in 2019. Once
again, a BMW i3s drove ahead
of the pack as the official lead
car. This zippy and emotional
electric car is part of our contribution
to urban mobility,
sustainability and future viability.
The plug-in hybrid BMW
i8, a revolutionary sports car
with the consumption and
emissions of a small car, was
also used along the route. Like
a marathon, the transition to
electromobility also depends
on strength, endurance and efficiency.
I hope you enjoy reading
the detailed results and
highlights of the 46th BMW
BERLIN-MARATHON and that
you will be able to relive a few
memorable moments. I am already
looking forward to next
year and hope to welcome you
back to the next BMW BERLIN-
MARATHON!
5

E V E N T V I D E O
T H E
Contents
8 The Best Photos
Running, having fun, celebrating. And defying
the rain. This was the 46th BMW BERLIN-
MARATHON.
34 Numbers
You want to know how many octogenarians
crossed the finish line? Or who the fastest
ten men and women were? Then you have
come to the right place!
40 The Elite Race
We reviewed the great moments of the 46th
BMW BERLIN-MARATHON. How Kenenisa
Bekele missed the world record by two seconds.
And how Melat Kejeta became a new
German star.
78 On Prostheses
Jochen Wier was celebrating with some
friends in a bar. Someone dumped knockout
drops into his glass. When he woke up at the
hospital, both legs were missing. Now he finished
the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON.
6

82 The Skaters’ Race
Also
On Saturday, 3,767 inline skaters braved the
heavy rain showers and finished the 42.195 kilometers
at the Brandenburg Gate.
94 The World as a Guest in Berlin
The BMW BERLIN-MARATHON is popular with
runners from all over the world. We asked
some of them at the finish what makes the run
through Germany‘s capital so special.
124 Who is that Running?
In the event magazine of the 46th BMW
BERLIN-MARATHON we introduced a few participants.
We spoke to two of them again after
the marathon.
144 Until the Hands Bleed
15 participants hoped to win a Guinness World
Records title, one of them by dribbling two basketballs
the whole way. You can read how the
attempt turned out here.
72 — How the Top German Athletes Performed
122 — Registration for 2020 is Already Open
132 — The Most Important SCC EVENTS in 2019 and 2020
136 — The Race of the Wheelchair Athletes and Handbikers
121 — Imprint
7

The marathon capital just before the runner‘s start. No other place in the world has seen
so many world records for the 42.195 kilometres as here. The eleven world records were
deserving of an official certificate from the Guinness World Records, including an entry
in the Book of Records for the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON.

The seconds that crushed Kenenisa Bekele‘s dream of setting
a new marathon world record: at the end the clock indicated
2:01:41 hours for the winner from Ethiopia. The 37-year-old
missed the time of 2:01:39 that Eliud Kipchoge achieved a
year ago in Berlin by two seconds.
© Andreas Schwarz

M O R E
P H O T O S

We have known it for a long time: running in the rain
can make you especially happy. The best proof is the
over 44,000 marathon finishers who finished at the
Brandenburg Gate.

That wasn‘t part of the official finish area refreshments,
but somebody must have smuggled
a little nut nougat cream into the finish area. If
it helps to defeat your „inner demons“ ...

The water cups at almost all refreshment points
at the 46th BMW BERLIN-MARATHON were made
of recycled material. This was one of the efforts
by SCC EVENTS to certify the largest German
marathon as particularly sustainable.

Gauls and Romans united on the road: the BMW
BERLIN-MARATHON makes possible what would
have been unthinkable in Caesar‘s days. You can
find every imaginative costume at city marathons,
but it‘s unusual for such a large group to
reach the finish line together.

The Golden Book is for some cities what the
Marathon Wall is for marathon runners in Berlin.
Some had to really reach to find a spot for their
names at the MARATHON EXPO.

M O R E
P H O T O S

Selfie time at a great setting: In Berlin, the day before
the marathon, there was already an opportunity for a
great running experience: The GENERALI BREAKFAST
RUN starts at Schloss Charlottenburg and ends on the
blue track of the Olympic Stadium.

M O R E
P H O T O S

Pure running pleasure. There is nothing more to say
about this snapshot in the middle of the 46th
BMW BERLIN-MARATHON field.
24

25

When the streets belong to the runners: Is there any more
impressive evidence of how popular running has become?
In Berlin, during the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON and a few
other running events many roads are completely closed.
And most people are happy about it.

The ponchos help keep you from cooling down after the
42.195 kilometres. And they make it possible for more
runners to participate in the BERLIN MARATHON. Due
to their usage there is more space at the Reichstag
between the finish area and the clothes return area,
so more space for participants to recover without
having to freeze.
28

29

30

M O R E
P H O T O S
The heavy showers on Saturday before the 46th
BERLIN-MARATHON could not deter the more
than 10,151 schoolkids at the mini-MARATHON,
nor the 5,081 registered inline skaters from
enjoying their sport.
31

And at the post-race party, the marathon runners turn
into party animals. You couldn‘t tell that they all had run
42.195 kilometres in the morning. There is no stopping
things when Kenenisa Bekele and the other marathon
stars celebrate with the rest of the runners.
32

M O R E
P H O T O S
33
© imago images/camera4

F I N
I S H E R
R E C O R D
44,065
runners reached the
finish line. 30,775 men and
13,290 women. In addition,
3,767 inline skaters
finished.
In total, the 46th BMW BERLIN-MARATHON recorded 62,444 registered participants
from 150 nations in the various competitions on Saturday and Sunday, as
well as around 11,000 participants in the breakfast race, for which no registration
was required.
Top Ten Elite Women
1 Ashete Bekere Ethiopia 2:20:14
2 Mare Dibaba Ethiopia 2:20:21
3 Sally Chepyego Kenya 2:21:06
4 Helen Tola Ethiopia 2:21:36
5 Sara Hall USA 2:22:16
6 Melat Kejeta Germany/LaufTeam Kassel 2:23:57
7 Sally Kipyego USA 2:25:10
8 Haftamnesh Tesfay Ethiopia 2:26:50
9 Martina Strähl Suisse 2:31:24
10 Nina Lauwaert Belgium 2:31:25
34

Top Ten Elite Men
1 Kenensia Bekele Ethiopia 2:01:41
2 Birhanu Legese Ethiopia 2:02:48
3 Sisay Lemma Ethiopia 2:03:36
4 Jonathan Korir Kenya 2:06:45
5 Felix Kandie Kenya 2:08:07
6 Yohanes Gebregergisch Eritrea 2:08:26
7 Guojian Dong China 2:08:28
8 Bethwel Yegon Kenya 2:08:35
9 Kenta Murayama Japan 2:08:56
10 Abel Kipchumba Kenya 2:09:39
YOU ARE A
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BMW BERLIN-MARATHON

PA C E
2:49
Winner Kenenisa Bekele
averaged 2:49 minutes per
kilometre for the last 2.195 kilometres
on the way to the finish.
That was faster than each of
the previous 40 kilometres.
T H E
M
I L L I O N T H
1
out of 44,065 runners
became the millionth
finisher in the history
of the BMW BERLIN-
MARATHON: Ali Crandall from
Toronto, Canada, finished at
14:07:33 after 3:55:16 hours
at the Brandenburg Gate.
36

37

D R I N K I N G
C U P S
1
million cups made from
recycled PET were filled with
water and distributed to the
participants. Many of them
ended up in the collection
containers provided.
O L D I E S
B U T G O L D I E S
19
of the 44,065 finishers
were over 80 years old. The
times of the runners in the
W-80 and M80 ranged from
4:31:52 to 7:03:26 hours.
38

S A F E T Y P I N S
272,000
safety pins were
distributed so participants
could not only pose with their
starting numbers, but
also attach them to
their shirts.
145,000 bananas were distributed to the participants. In addition there were
240,000 litres of water, 80,000 biscuits, 45,000 apples and 10,000 yoghurt
drinks. 45,000 copies of the 104-page programme were distributed to
participants and spectators.
P R I Z E
M O N E Y
50,000
Kenenisa Bekele missed out
on 50,000 Euros because he
had remained two seconds
above the world record. But he
still received 70,000 Euros
for the victory in a time
under 2:03:30.
D E D I C AT I O N
7,500
volunteers made the
BMW BERLIN-MARATHON
what it is. To all of them, we
say THANK YOU!
39

M O R E
P H O T O S
Two new record
numbers and almost
a record time
Text: Jörg Wenig
46,983 runners registered for the 46th BMW BERLIN-MARATHON.
44,065 of them reached the finish line at the Brandenburg Gate. Both of
these numbers are records. And Berlin almost experienced another world
record. The men‘s winner Kenenisa Bekele missed the record set by Eliud
Kipchoge in Berlin 2018 in a super exciting race in 2:01:41 hours by only
two seconds.

Time and again, the BMW
BERLIN-MARATHON produces
huge upsets and sensational
races: This time it was Kenenisa
Bekele’s turn, the greatest
runner of all times. The Ethiopian
made a sensational return
to his international best with
a victory at the BMW BERLIN-
MARATHON, missing the world
record by just two seconds and
staging one of the greatest
comebacks in athletics’ history.
Bekele missed the world record
by a hair’s breadth: He crossed
the finish line at the Brandenburg
Gate in 2:01:41, just shy of
Kenya’s Eliud Kipchoge‘s world
record of 2:01:39 set here a
year ago. For good measure,
the 37-year-old Ethiopian set a
national record and achieved
the fastest time in the world
this year. Only his great rival
Eliud Kipchoge ranks above him
in the world all-time list.
Under good weather conditions,
Ashete Bekere contributed
her share to the Ethiopian
celebrations with victory in her
best time of 2:20:14. Melat Kejeta,
Ethiopian-born but since
March a German citizen, made
a scintillating marathon debut
to finish sixth in 2:23:57 and
become the second fastest German
woman ever in the marathon.
With regard to the combined
winning times of Bekele and
Bekere (4:21:55) the BMW
BERLIN-MARATHON was the
fourth fastest marathon of all
times. For the first time, Berlin
served as the final race in the
Abbott World Marathon Majors
(AWMM) series. Eliud Kipchoge
took the overall title while fellow-Kenyan
Brigid Kosgei won
the women’s title. The 46th edition
of the BMW BERLIN-MARA-
THON recorded a record number
of 44,065 finishers. 46,983
runners from 150 countries entered
the race. Only the races
in New York, Paris and Chicago
have ever had more finishers
than Berlin.
42

ULTRABOOST 19
MEHR KOMFORT. MEHR REAKTIONSFREUDIGKEIT. MEHR BOOST.

THE MEN’S RACE
Crazy fast and
crazy exciting
.
During the lead-up to the race,
people were focused on a potential
women’s course record. In
contrast, no one was thinking
about a possible world record
chase in the men’s race. But
that was what happened. The
BMW BERLIN-MARATHON has
a habit of producing spectacular
men’s races, and this was yet
another of the highest quality.
After reaching the halfway
mark in 61:05, a thrilling contest
developed between three
44

The fastest times in Berlin
Shortly before the 35k mark,
Kenenisa Bekele seemed to
be beaten and Birhanu Legese
looked like the sure winner.
But Bekele came back—and
how!
Time Runner Nation Year
2:01:39 Eliud Kipchoge KEN 2018
2:01:41 Kenenisa Bekele ETH 2019
2:02:48 Birhanu Legese ETH 2019
2:02:57 Dennis Kimetto KEN 2014
2:03:03 Kenenisa Bekele ETH 2016
2:03:13 Emmanuel Mutai KEN 2014
2:03:13 Wilson Kipsang KEN 2016
2:03:23 Wilson Kipsang KEN 2013
2:03:32 Eliud Kipchoge KEN 2017
2:03:36 Sisay Lemma ETH 2019
Ethiopians in the second half:
Kenenisa Bekele, Birhanu Legese
and Sisay Lemma.
Shortly after 30km, Bekele
dropped off the pace and a few
kilometres later Legese broke
away from Lemma. But then
Bekele recovered, although he
was around 80 metres back.
First he overtook Lemma, and
then between 37 and 38 kilometres
he passed the leader,
Legese. Kenenisa Bekele ran so
fast in this part of the race that
45

breaking the world record came
within reach. Compared to Kipchoge’s
split times during his
world record race, Bekele even
was two seconds ahead at 40
and 41k. But on the final 1.195k
he lost four seconds. Ultimately,
the Ethiopian missed it by mere
seconds.
Bekele knows all too well what it
is like to miss the world record
by a narrow margin. In 2016,
he won in Berlin with 2:03:03,
which was just six seconds over
the then world record. To compare
his missing the record with
what that would be in a 100m
race: Two seconds in the marathon
are around 0.005 in the
sprint. There are also historical
precedents for such narrow
misses in marathon history: in
1985 the Welshman Steve Jones
ran within one second of
the world record in Chicago.
Behind Kenenisa Bekele, his fellow
Ethiopian Birhanu Legese
finished second in 2:02:48 to
become the third fastest marathoner
in history. Never before
has a marathon runner clocked
such a fast time without winning
the race. Third place went
to Sisay Lemma, running a superb
personal best of 2:03:36
to complete the Ethiopian clean
sweep. The best German runner
was Jens Nerkamp of Kassel,
who ran a PB of 2:14:54 to
finish 37th.
“I knew that I was in top form,
although my preparation was
shorter than I would have hoped.
I know I can run faster,”
said Kenenisa Bekele, who has
three Olympic gold medals on
the track in the long distances
and is still world record holder
for the 5,000m and 10,000m.
He added: “I have shown that
my career is far from over.” Birhanu
Legese in second place
was far from disappointed at
missing the victory: “I am very
happy with my performance
and am also very happy for Kenenisa
– he is a great runner.”
The best European was the
46

Peter Herzog from Austria was the fastest
European and qualified in 2:10:57 hours for
the Olympic Games in Tokyo in 2020.
© Norbert Wilhelmi
47

Austrian Peter Herzog, who finished
12th with a personal best
of 2:10:57, taking him well under
the Olympic qualifying time of
2:11:30.
It was the ninth time in a row
that the Berlin winner clocked
a world lead in the men’s race,
which is a record in itself. The
race has once again confirmed
its status as the fastest marathon
in the world. The depth of
very good times was also amazing.
Two runners finished sub
2:03, ten were under 2:10 and a
staggering 39 athletes clocked
sub 2:15 times. Both these figures
are records in the history
of the BMW BERLIN-
MARATHON.
The fastest podium in the
history of the marathon comes
entirely from Ethiopia: Kenenisa
Bekele won in 2:01:41 hours, ahead
of Birhanu Legese (2:02:48) and
Sisay Lemma (2:03:36).
48

49
© Norbert Wilhelmi

THE WOMEN’S RACE
When the dream of a
fourth victory bursts
50

Gladys Cherono only ran in the top
group in the initial phase of the race.
Later Ashete Bekere, Mare Dibaba and
Sally Chepyego took command.
The dream of becoming the
BMW BERLIN-MARATHON
record winner with a fourth victory
came to an untimely end
for Gladys Cherono. The Kenyan,
who improved the course
record to 2:18:11 a year ago, lost
contact to the leaders before
the 20k mark and then dropped
out around 30k. While the race
wasn’t as fast as expected, the
lead was shared for a long time
by the Ethiopians Mare Dibaba,
Ashete Bekere and Helen Tola as
well as by the Kenyan Sally Chepyego.
The last five kilometres turned
into a duel between Ashete Bekere
and Olympic bronze medal-
51

list Mare Dibaba. The 31-year-old
Bekere proved the stronger and
won with a personal best of
2:20:14. This is the fifth fastest
time in the world this year. Mare
Dibaba took second in 2:20:21,
while Sally Chepyego followed in
third in 2:21:06.
“I believe that I can run under
2:20 on this course,” said Bekere,
who has now won three marathons
in succession after Valencia
in 2018 and Rotterdam in April
of this year.
Ashete Bekere won the women‘s race.
With a time of 2:20:14, she achieved
the tenth fastest time in the history
of the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON.
The fastest times in Berlin
Time Runner Nation Year
2:18:11 Gladys Cherono KEN 2018
2:18:34 Ruti Aga ETH 2018
2:18:55 Tirunesh Dibaba ETH 2018
2:19:12 Mizuki Noguchi JPN 2005
2:19:19 Irina Mikitenko GER 2008
2:19:25 Gladys Cherono KEN 2015
2:19:41 Yoko Shibui JPN 2004
2:19:44 Florence Kiplagat KEN 2011
2:19:46 Naoko Takahashi JPN 2001
2:20:14 Ashete Bekere ETH 2019
52

53
© imago images/Andreas Gora

KENENISA BEKELE
Kenenisa Bekele‘s marathon career
seemed to be almost over, but then
he returned to the BMW BERLIN-
MARATHON with an amazing comeback.
In 2:01:41, the Ethiopian missed the
world record that Eliud Kipchoge had
set at the Brandenburg Gate the year
before by just two seconds.

Like a Phoenix
from the Ashes
Text: Jörg Wenig
The triple Olympic Champion from Ethiopian is the best ever
track long-distance and cross country runner. Finally, it seems
that he is able to show this superiority in the marathon as well.
If Kenenisa Bekele runs a world record or wins the Olympic gold
in the marathon there would be no more doubts: He would be the
greatest long distance runner ever.

And he could still make more
history. No one has ever held
the world records for the
5,000m, 10,000m and the marathon
simultaneously.
More than a few athletics journalists
were wondering before
the race if Berlin was going to
mark the end of Kenenisa Bekele’s
remarkable career. If he had
gotten injured and had to drop
out, as so often before, why
would he continue to torture
himself at the age of 37 in his
desperate search for success in
the marathon?
Looking back after one of
the greatest comebacks in
athletics, the man admitted
the despair he had felt in recent
years when every comeback
from injury was blighted:
“When you are injured you
are discouraged, you are not
in good condition and you get
heavy. You are not doing what
you want to do and it is a big
discouragement. I was trying
to fix things and sometimes
when I said things were fixed,
the injuries would happen
again.”
It was a long road, beset by
setbacks including dropping
out of the races in Dubai and
Berlin in 2017 and in Amsterdam
last October, but once the
body was in harmony, Kenenisa
Bekele was on the way back: “I
had some disparity in my body,
in my hip area, and my body
was not balanced. I went to
Holland and there we changed
that completely to the right
position. I worked out there for
two months.”
To complete the potential for a
comeback, Kenenisa decided to
join what he describes as “the
number one training group in
Ethiopia, the Haji group.” He’s
been part of their training for
just two months, but the connection
with Haji Adelo, coach
to numerous Ethiopian stars including
Tirunesh Dibaba among
many others, has already proven
successful.
56

Duel of the
Berlin Stars
at the Olympics
2020 in Tokyo?
Kenenisa has never forgotten a
conversation they had after he
ran 2:05:51 to finish fourth in
the Chicago Marathon in 2014,
not quite the time and position
he had hoped for: “He told me
in Chicago after the race, ‘Look,
Kenenisa, believe it or not, you
will break the marathon world
record, it will be yours in the future.
Trust me, you will do it 100
percent.’“
Perhaps even this coach would
be surprised at what Kenenisa
achieved with his victory in
2:01:41, a mere two seconds outside
the world record of Eliud
58

In 2018, Eliud Kipchoge from Kenya
improved the world record at the
BMW BERLIN-MARATHON to 2:01:39
hours. One year later, he was almost
dethroned by Kenenisa Bekele. Next
year, the Olympic Games could see the
ultimate showdown of the two best
runners of all time.
Kipchoge on this same course
last year: “He told me before
this marathon, your preparation
is not 100%, just go and
bring some results.” Kenenisa
Bekele certainly did.
Asked about the Olympic marathon
in Tokyo next year, Kenenisa
Bekele expressed interest in
running. “But it is not up to me
to decide,” he said, referring to
the selection process. The Tokyo
Olympics could well stage
the ultimate showdown of men’s
marathon racing, with Kenenisa
Bekele running against Eliud
Kipchoge.
59
© imago images/Andreas Gora

A New Star
MELAT KEJETA
in the
Marathon Skies
60

Text: Christian Ermert
© imago images/Pacific Press Agency
Melat Kejeta from Laufteam
Kassel made a fantastic marathon
debut: in 2:23:57, she
immediately became the thirdfastest
female German marathon
runner of all time and finished
sixth in the BMW BERLIN-
MARATHON. Only German record
holder Irina Mikitenko (2:19:19 in
Berlin in 2008) and Uta Pippig,
who achieved a time of 2:21:45 on
the non-record-compliant track in
Boston in 1994, have run it faster.
We would like to introduce Melat
Kejeta, who was born Ethiopian,
but became a German citizen in
March.
61

Her announcement at the
press conference ahead of
the 46th BMW BERLIN-
MARATHON generated
great astonishment. Melat
Kejeta said that she wanted to
finish her first marathon ever
in 2:22. Many of the running
experts in attendance even
thought it might have been a
misunderstanding, as Kejeta’s
German is not yet perfect. But
the runner knew exactly what
she was saying. And she also
knew that she could do it. After
a two-month training camp
in Kenya, Patrick Sang confirmed
his confidence in her. The
Kenyan estimated that her marathon
performance could lie
between 2:19 to 2:22, after observing
her training in Eldoret
for a few weeks. And Patrick
Sang knows his stuff. After all,
the former world-class steeplechase
runner is also the
man behind Eliud Kipchoge’s
great performances. The 1992
Olympic silver medallist coaches
the world record holder,
who improved the world record
at the BMW BERLIN-
MARATHON to 2:01:39 in
2018. Melat Kejeta was not
quite as fast as Sang had hoped
on the streets of Berlin. But her
© imago images/Zuma Press
62
Patrick Sang coaches world record
holder Eliud Kipchoge. Melat Kejeta
trained with his crew ahead of the
BMW BERLIN-MARATHON in Kenya.
He estimated her performance to
lie around 2:19 to 2:22. Kejeta thus
announced in the press conference
before the race that hoped to finish in
a time of 2:22.

© imago images/Andreas Gora
Start und Ziel zwischen Brandenburger
Tor und Siegessäule.
Der Generali Berliner
Halbmarathon versprach im
Vorfeld mit einer neuen Strecke
eine Sightseeing-Tour
durch die Stadt zu werden.
Das Versprechen wurde gehalten.
Party inklusive.

time of 2:23:57 is still the fastest
marathon debut of a German
runner. And only the two strongest
German marathon runners
over the past 30 years, with Irina
Mikitenko and Uta Pippig, have
ever been faster than the
athlete from Laufteam Kassel,
who celebrated her 27th birthday
two days before the BMW
BERLIN-MARATHON.
One of the 92 bands that played
along the roadside to entertain
both athletes and spectators
also noticed this. “Somewhere
at kilometre three I suddenly
heard a Happy Birthday song,
and that made me really happy,”
said the runner, who was
born in Ethiopia and has been a
German citizen since March.
After that, however, her full
attention was quickly back to
her race. She ran with the top
group of women for a long
while. When the later firstplaced
Ashete Bekere, Mare Dibaba
(both Ethiopia) and Sally
Chepyego (Kenya) picked up a

For most of the race Melat Kejeta was really relaxed. It didn’t become really
hard for Ethiopian-born Melat until after 37 kilometres.
pace toward a time of 2:20, she
kept on running her own race.
“It didn’t get really hard until
kilometer 37, when my muscles
started to hurt,” she says. But
marathon runners are good at
just pushing through the last
five kilometres. Melat Kejeta
learned that in Kenya. She
completed training runs of
up to 40 kilometres there at
altitudes of over 2,000
66

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metres — and always got
to train with some of the
strongest partners to be found
anywhere in the world. Her
weekly workload was around
180 to 200 kilometres. And
she even got used to Ugali, the
legendary maize porridge that
is the basic food of Kenyan
runners. She normally prefers
potatoes. Boiled potatoes with
spinach are her favourite dish,
as she has become “very German”
since she arrived here six
years ago. In Ethiopia, her family
struggled under the political
situation. She thus stayed in
Italy after a competition, came
to Germany and applied for asylum.
Her application was granted.
She later met her husband
while riding on the regional express
train between Kassel and
Frankfurt. And she began to run
again.
Then the former national
marathon trainer Winfried
Aufenanger discovered her. Since
then, he has been training
her in her new home city of Kassel.
She celebrated her greatest
success to date in 2018 with
her triumph at the Berlin Half
Marathon. A few weeks earlier
she had run her half marathon
best time in Venlo in 1:18:41.
Melat Kejeta’s development
has also been made possible
by a hobby runner from Kassel,
who supports top runners in his
hometown through his real
estate company. Lars Bergmann
is the owner of Immovation AG,
and his company uses almost
all of its sponsoring budget to
support the Kassel Marathon
and Laufteam Kassel,
where both Melat Kejeta and
Jens Nerkamp train.
The 30-year-old Nerkamp
was the best German in Berlin
after Philipp Pfliegers’ early
exit (due to back problems
that radiated into his right
leg). Finishing in 37th place in
2:14:54, he virtually pulverized
his old best time (2:17:18). The
student (German and Political
68

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MARATHON 2019.
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im Sport findet ihr im ERDINGER Alkoholfrei Aktiv.Blog.

70

Science) was a little disappointed
to have crossed the finish line
in Berlin almost anonymously.
“Normally, they put up another
finishing tape for the fastest
German, but when I crossed
the finish line, nobody noticed,”
said the 30-year-old.
For Melat Kejeta, this BMW
BERLIN-MARATHON will likely
be the starting point for a career
lofting into completely new spheres.
She has known for a long
time that she was made for the
very long distances. “In Ethiopia,
my coach once said to me: ‘You
have marathon legs.’” She has
been dreaming about big marathon
races ever since. And right
from the start she knew that just
“being there” was not enough.
As a teenager in the early
2000s, she watched the Dibaba
sisters Tirunesh and Ejegayehu
win plenty of Olympic and
World Championship medals for
Ethiopia. “I always wanted to be
like them,” she said fondly. She
became a little closer to that
wish here in Berlin.
The one difference is that her
success as a runner will not be
for Ethiopia, but rather for Germany.
She likely secured a ticket
to the Olympic Games 2020 in
Tokyo with her performance in
Berlin. And to ensure that she
gets there, she is planning on
running the London Marathon
in the spring. She does not
succumb to small goals. That
should be clear to everyone
following this Berlin Marathon
weekend.
One of the bands noticed that
Melat Kejeta had a birthday shortly
before the race, so they played her a
birthday serenade as she passed by.
71

THE GERMAN RUNNERS
An Unlucky Day
Melat Kejeta produced the German highlight of the BMW BERLIN-
MARATHON with her dream debut time of 2:23:57. In contrast, for the
members of the SCC EVENTS PRO TEAM the last Sunday in September
was a day to forget.
72

While Philipp Pflieger had to give up
his attempt at an Olympic qualifying
time after a strong start due to back
problems that radiated into his leg,
Jens Nerkamp of Laufteam Kassel
was the best German at the 46th
BMW BERLIN-MARATHON in 2:14:54,
finishing 37th.
Jens Nerkamp, who competes
for Laufteam Kassel, demonstrated
a nice improvement:
The 30-year-old had
previously had a personal best
of 2:17:18, which he improved
to 2:14:57. He finished in 37th
© imago images/Deutzmann

place and moved up to third
in the German season’s list.
Meanwhile, Philipp Pflieger of
LG Telis Finanz Regensburg
was less fortunate. His target
was the international qualifying
time of 2:11:30 for the
Olympic Games next year. He
was on course during part
of the race, but then he had
to drop out at 33k. “I had
problems before 30k and then
pain developed in my right leg,”
explains Philipp Pflieger.
Some weeks prior to the BMW
BERLIN-MARATHON, Philipp
Baar had to cancel his start.
The runner for the SCC
EVENTS PRO TEAM pulled a
calf muscle and could not get
back to proper training in time.
He will now target a spring
marathon. However, it seems
unlikely that he will be able
to run the Olympic qualifying
time at his first and only
attempt. With his PB of 2:16:17,
it would be a huge improvement
to get below 2:11:30.
Before the BMW BERLIN-
MARATHON, it looked likely
that at least Baar’s training
partner Valentin Pfeil would
be able to reach the Olympic
standard. The Austrian, who
moved to Berlin this year to
train with the SCC EVENTS
PRO TEAM, developed
problems in his left foot during
the race. He was on course for
the qualifying time, but from
around 30k onwards he could
barely make a step with his left
foot, which was swollen as well.
He still managed to finish in
2:14:17, in 28th place.
While Lisa Hahner could not
compete due to inflammations
caused by the removal of two
wisdom teeth, her twin sister
Anna experienced a horrible
day. During the first part of the
race, she briefly fainted three
or four times. She somehow
managed to stay on her feet
and surprisingly decided to
carry on. She became more
stable during the race, but
74

the Olympic qualifying time
of 2:29:30 was out of reach.
Anna Hahner finished 23rd in
2:36:34.
“Of course this is very
disappointing — especially if
you think about the amount of
work we all put in to prepare for
this race,” says Dieter Hogen,
the coach of the SCC EVENTS
PRO TEAM. “But we will not
give up. There will now be a
recovery period and then we will
prepare for a spring marathon.
Most likely it will be one in
April.” Dieter Hogen’s longterm
goal is to include young
athletes into the team and develop
them to reach the top
level.
© Norbert Wilhelmi
76

Anna Hahner from SCC EVENTS PRO
TEAM was the second top German female
runner in the field. But things didn’t go
super well for the 29-year-old. Shortly
after the start she had a short blackout,
but she fought on — supported by the
fast men around her — all the way to the
finish. With a time of 2:36:34, however,
she was far from the desired qualifying
time for the Olympics, 2:29:30.
77

His biggest concern before the
marathon was not his fitness.
He had that. Jochen Wier
knew that. The 28-year-old
had meticulously prepared
himself for his third 42.195
kilometre run. His greatest
concern was technology. And
that’s why Jochen Wier made
sure he had an Allen key in his
pocket before he made his way
to the start of the 46th BMW
BERLIN-MARATHON.
The man from Heidelberg is
dependent on two prostheses
to walk since he had to have
both his lower legs amputated
seven years ago after a tragic
accident.
He has almost no memories
of the evening nine years ago.
He was celebrating with a few
friends in a bar. He remembers
that. Then he is missing
four complete days. When he
regains consciousness, he is in
the hospital. The doctors tell
him that they had to amputate
both legs and one arm to save

With an Allen
key in his pocket
Nine years ago Jochen Wier was celebrating with a few friends in
a bar. Then someone dumped knockout drops into his glass. When
he woke up at the hospital, both of his lower legs and one arm were
missing. This year the 28-year-old finished his third marathon on
prostheses at the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON. In 3:26:35 hours.
Text: Christian Ermert | Photos: Andreas Schwarz
his life. “I had severe burns,
and the dead tissue had to be
removed,” says Jochen Wier.
He can’t remember exactly
how it all happened. “Someone
dumped knockout drops
into my glass. The substance
was detected in my blood in
the hospital, but the perpetrator
was never caught,” he
says. The next morning he was
found seriously injured up on
the roof of a standing subway
train. He must have gotten too
close to the overhead line, because
the burns were caused
by high voltage current. How
he got there was never explained.
After that, he was in the
hospital for half a year. “It
looked really bad in the
79

beginning, but I fought my way
back into life,” he says. And
how.
He travelled by car from Heidelberg
to the BMW BERLIN-
MARATHON. On his own. “A
friend wanted to come with
me, but he got sick.” Like most
of the other runners, he took
public transit from the hotel to
the start in the morning to get
to his starting block on time.
His training is also oriented
toward that of nonhandicapped
runners — with
the difference that he is more
consistent than most others in
his strength and stability training
for the torso. He trains
six days a week. Often in the
morning and evening. “I have
to make sure that I run evenly
all the way to the end of the
marathon, otherwise the prostheses
wear out too quickly.
And for that I need stability”.
But he doesn’t trust the technology
that much. “One screw
has already come loose on
the prostheses,” he says. And
that’s why he carries an Allen
key with him during the race.
The special prostheses were
also the reason why he only
started running three years
ago, even though he actually
wanted to try it out much
earlier. “Sports prostheses
are not covered by health
insurance, they only cover the
costs of prostheses for everyday
life,” he says. Only since
he was accepted into a marathon
project, in which prostheses
made by his sponsor
Össur are made available to
him free of charge, can he
afford the sport that is so
simple and inexpensive for
non-disabled people.
Jochen Wier can no longer
imagine a life without running.
“I just need this as a balance
to my job, in which I usually sit
in front of the computer and
make a lot of phone calls,” says
the clerk, who is employed at
the city council in Heidelberg.
80

After competing in several
10k and half-marathon
competitions, he finished his
first marathon in Bremerhaven
two years ago. In 3:59
hours. And since then he has
continuously improved his
time. After finishing in a time
of 3:44 in spring of 2019 in
Kandel, Germany, he followed
now with a time of 3:26:35 in
Berlin. The biggest difficulty
for him was the frequent manoeuvring
at the beginning of
the race: “I started a bit too far
behind in the block, so I had to
pass many runners. That was
a bit like running a slalom and
not easy with prostheses.” The
rain also gave him a hard time.
“It was slippery in the corners.
The treads of the prostheses
are completely worn out. But
I’m happy that I got through
so well.”
Jochen Wier’s prostheses
also took a beating on
the wet roads.

INLINE SKATING
T H E
R A C E
V I D E O
Immediately before the start, heavy rain showers
caused the inline skating race to be postponed. But
the more than 5,000 registered skaters proved that
they are not just good weather athletes! The wet and
slippery roads weren’t going to stop them. And they
were rewarded – with sunshine on the home straight
and overwhelming feelings of happiness. A race for
everyone, who became a #berlinlegend at the
46th BMW BERLIN-MARATHON.

Water Fight
on Wheels

What a race, what a victory!
Felix Rijhnen (1:10:30 hours)
from the Powerslide Matter
World Team was the first German
to triumph at the BMW
BERLIN-MARATHON Inline Skating.
In a furious mass sprint,
he outclassed the competition
and relegated the two Frenchmen
Nolan Beddiaf (EOSKATES
World Team, 1:10:30 hours) and
Elton De Souza (CASTELLON
SPAIN ROLLER MARATHON,
1:10:30 hours) to second and
third place. This was also the end
of the winning streak of the sixtime
winner Bart Swings.
“The streets of Berlin really
didn’t make it easy for us
today. That was probably the
most slippery, rainy race of my
career, but in the end it doesn’t
matter. Nevertheless, all of the
good guys were at the front
and you have to cope with all
kinds of conditions as a skater.”
T H E
L I V E
S T R E A M

Lucky
Felix!

The Inline Skater Podium
1. Felix Rijhnen (Powerslide Matter World Team) GER 1:10:30
2. Nolan Beddiaf (EOSKATES World Team) FRA 1:10:30
3. Elton De Souza (CASTELLON SPAIN ROLLER MARATHON) FRA 1:10:30
Felix Rijhnen’s victory is spectacular
in several respects: after
six years, he ended Bart Swings’
winning streak, who has been
at the top of the podium since
2013. At the same time, he is
the first male German to win
the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON.
And not only that. Rijhnen, who
already finished third in 2012
and 2017, is the only male German
to ever have been on the
podium at the world’s most
important marathon.
86

» It’s simply a great feeling
to win such a crazy race. «
Felix Rijhnen
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M O R E
P H O T O S
Perfect
Teamwork
Sandrine Tas and Katharina
Rumpus excel together. Inline
skating is truly a team
sport. The best example: the
Powerslide Matter World Team
with Sandrine Tas from Belgium
and Katharina Rumpus
from Darmstadt. During the
race, they ensured that none
of the other women were able
to break away, even after Katharina
Rumpus experienced
a moment of shock at kilometre
eight. She crashed, but
managed to get back into the
field. After the peloton approached
the final metres in
a tight group, Tas and Rumpus
managed to get the best
positioning. Sandrine Tas
(1:25:49 hours), who was already
at the top of the podium in 2015,
crossed the finish line first,
while her teammate Rumpus
(1:25:49 hours) followed in her
slipstream – a reverse in order
from last year. Yi-Hsuan Liu
from Taiwan (1:25:49 hours)
finished third immediately
behind them.
88

The Inline Skater Podium
1. Sandrine Tas (Powerslide Matter World Team) BEL 1:25:49
2. Katharina Rumpus (Powerslide Matter World Team) GER 1:25:49
3. Yi-Hsuan Liu TWN 1:25:49
89

ROLLING CLASSROOM
“Thanks for the great event –
our group enjoyed it very much
despite the adverse conditions,
and everyone finished without
anyone falling”, says sports
teacher Hartwig Cardell, who
started with a group of students
from the Theodor Storm Schule
in Husum.
“We all made it across the finish
line, all very happy. It was
a real water fight”, says Pawel
Zalweski, sports teacher at
the Collegium Augustinianum
Gaesdonck and a regular guest
in Berlin for years. This year he
showed up with more than 100
current and former students.
90

You‘re all
T H E
S TA R S
O F T O M O R R O W
Still under perfect skies, the
youngsters were the first ones
to hit the course. As part of
Kids Skating, 115 children between
ages three and 13 showed
us what we can expect for
the future in front of the Brandenburg
Gate.
A great atmosphere can be
found at the end of the field,
too. Adrian provides the rhythm
with his music wagon that you
just can’t help enjoying. And the
skaters from Rollnacht Düsseldorf
also had a lot of tips, tricks
and encouragement ready for
all those who struggled as they
faced their inner demons.
L O N G
S I N C E
C U LT
#berlinlegend
91

BACKWARDS SKATING RECORD
“Fastest marathon backwards
on inline skates” – Tõnis Paalme
from Estonia now dons this
Guinness World Records title.
The 35-year-old founder of an
inline skating school completed
the entire distance in reverse.
With a time of 1:38:40 hours,
he beat the previous record by
almost a minute.
92

Looking
Forward
April 5, 2020
GENERALI BERLINER HALBMARATHON Inline Skating
August 1, 2020
adidas RUNNERS City Night Inlineskating
September 26, 2020
BMW BERLIN-MARATHON Inlineskating
Come on and join me!
Share your enthusiasm for the
BMW BERLIN-MARATHON Inline
Skating with your friends and family.
Bring your friends to Berlin and
they will receive a special welcome
offer! Each inline skater who
has never participated in the BMW
BERLIN-MARATHON Inline Skating
before can register for only half
the price by naming the full-paying
person who recruited them.
2020 Skating Package
Berlin is always worth a trip, and
the SCC EVENTS inline skating
races are a must for every skater
... as is the 2020 season package!
That means that you can participate
in all three races for only 119
Euros and save up to 47 Euros visà-vis
the individual prices. Experience
three times the prickles at
the start, three times the sightseeing
tours on skates and of
course three times the ultimate
goose bumps at the finish.
R E G I S T E R
N O W !

Legends
Over 44,000 runners made it to the finish at the Brandenburg Gate.
Most of them were completely soaked after the run through the Berlin
rain. Some of the finishers at the Brandenburg Gate shared how happy
running a marathon makes them, even in such weather.
Text: Norbert Hensen & Natascha Marakovits Fotos: Andreas Schwarz
More than 600 runners from all parts of the world who are part of
the large community of adidas Runners competed in the BMW BERLIN-
MARATHON. These six met by chance at the finish. “It’s great to be part of
such an international team and to meet so many interesting people,” said
Milos from the Czech Republic. In the finish area, he was looking forward to
two things: “Dry clothes and a beer”.
#berlinlegend

#berlinlegend
The two runners from South Korea were beaming with excitement. Seokgeun
and Hyoseok had made the long journey from Seoul to be on the starting
line for the first time in Berlin. Only a few minutes separated the two
runners at the finish line. Even if it wasn’t enough to set a best time, the two
were overjoyed. Seokgeun praised the organiser and the many thousands of
spectators along the course as “one of the best marathons of all”.
96

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#berlinlegend
Maria Grare lives in Portugal — 17 years ago she found happiness in
Southwest Europe; before that she lived in Zurich. “Life begins at 66”: Maria
would undoubtedly sign on to that that immediately. She crossed the finish
happily with a time of 3:23:09. Her personal best time was 3:08, ten years
ago.
98

#berlinlegend
Iwasaki Masaaki from Japan likes to joke around. He likes entertaining people,
encouraging them to cheer him on. With his “Swan Lake Costume” he did
that quite well. At almost 60, getting a best time is no longer important to
him. But he still danced across the finish in 3:41:22.
99

#berlinlegend
Tania Chavez Moser was simply happy. After 2:42:28 hours, the young woman
from Bolivia crossed the finish line—setting a new Bolivian record! Tania
improved the old record by two and a half minutes. Two years ago she ran her
first marathon in Frankfurt. Germany seems to be good for her. “Berlin has a
fantastic course, and today everything really fit together.
100

#berlinlegend
Romain and James, two strong mates from Australia. They are both in
Berlin for the first time, and one of them had been dreaming for eight years
about competing in the capital. After their successful finish — despite the wet
and cold weather, which they are not used to—they will continue to travel on
through Europe: Denmark, France and Austria are still on the agenda before
they fly back home.
101

#berlinlegend
Under 3 hours for Mexico: Two fast Mexicans put on their widest smiles at
the finish. Luis lives in Frankfurt, and he competes in every marathon with a
sombrero—a homage to his homeland. Today it provided good shelter from
the rain, but both fellows agree: “A little rain doesn’t hurt”.
102

#berlinlegend
Riu Geraldes from Lisbon has a goal: The World Marathon Majors! Last year
he ran in Boston: “I’m unlucky, as it rained in Boston last year, too. Next year
I’ll run in New York”. He also wants to improve his personal best time of 3:01
hours in Berlin in 2020.
104

#berlinlegend
Lars is part of adidas Runners. This was his seventh time running in Berlin.
He was able to significantly improve his personal best time from New York
last year. He is more than satisfied with his time of 3:21:27. “The atmosphere
along the course was once again exuberant. Berlin is always great”.
105

#berlinlegend
Ritsubun Koda happily accepts the World Marathon Majors Medal. He
competed in all six competitions in the past two years. He is from Tokyo, so
the question about his favourite race is answered quickly. Nevertheless, Berlin
felt very good, “as if the 42.195 kilometres were only downhill”. From Berlin
he headed on to Munich: “Oktoberfest is calling”.
106

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#berlinlegend
Chichieh came all the way from Taiwan to experience the big marathon
party on the streets of Berlin in person. The experienced runner has already
successfully completed ten marathons. His radiant face reveals: He enjoyed
the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON very much.
108

#berlinlegend
Nicolas arrived from Paris to run his first major marathon in Berlin. All in
all it was his sixth marathon and his best. “In April I ran in Paris with a time
of 2:58. Today it was 2:49. The support from the many spectators along the
course was amazing.”
109

#berlinlegend
“I love this city. It was fantastic,” says Ashley, who came from Boston
to run the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON. She required 2:47:11 for the 42.195
kilometres, and despite this fantastic time, you can hardly see her exhaustion
just a few min-utes after the finish. On the contrary: Ashley laughs and says:
“I definitely want to run in Berlin again”.
110

#berlinlegend
Aaron actually comes from London, but lives in Berlin. It was his second
marathon and he confesses: “I ran my first one last year and it was a disaster.
I didn’t prepare well for it.” That was different this year. “It went well, but I
have mixed feelings, because I almost broke the three-hour mark. That’s a bit
unfortunate that it didn’t quite work out.”
111

#berlinlegend
Scott is a real globetrotter. He comes from San Francisco, but his job has
taken him to Austria, more precisely to Linz. He didn’t just want to finish the
Berlin Marathon, he wanted to run the entire 42.195 kilometres in lederhosen.
The rain weighed him down in the truest sense of the word: “Wet lederhosen
become very heavy. That was really tough on the last few kilometres,” he says
and laughs.
112

#berlinlegend
“It was tough,” admits Allison from Canada, who didn’t have her best day
today. “It was my 16th marathon, but unfortunately very painful. I couldn’t
keep the pace on the second half and so I slowed down a lot”. While a best
time was not in the cards, she was happy that she did not to give up and made
it to the finish.
113

#berlinlegend
Daniel from Great Britain likes cool, humid weather. “When it started raining
on the last ten kilometres, it was just perfect. The conditions couldn’t have
been better,” he says. The atmosphere along the course was great despite the
wet weather, and he even managed to run a personal best. With a smile radiating
across his face, the 41-year-old is already making other plans: “I want to
run many more marathons.
114

#berlinlegend
“The spectators really pushed you on,” says Tithey. The Berliner ran his
first marathon in his hometown and is visibly satisfied. “I wanted to run under
3:30 hours and made it,” he says and grins. Can he imagine running a marathon
again? “Definitely. I have been infected by marathon fever.”
115

#berlinlegend
Merce comes from Barcelona. The 58-year-old is covered in smiles, telling
us she had a very good race. She crossed the finish line in 3:13:51. About the
run itself, only one sentence comes to mind: “It was fantastic!
116

#berlinlegend
“Berlin is a fantastic city with so many great people,” enthused Pinfan
from Taiwan shortly after the finish. “The conditions today were not easy,
but I gave my best and so many people called out ‘Superman go!” That really
motivated me.”
117

#berlinlegend
Maria Spitsyna from Russia was faster than ever before. “I am totally happy
with my time of 2:41:26 hours”, she said shortly after the finish. She was
actively supported in her second BMW BERLIN-MARATHON by her club colleague,
Aleksei.
118

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#berlinlegend
Hauke is a passionate pacemaker. He has already run the Berlin Marathon
several times, and this was his third time as the official pacemaker for 3:00
hours. “I had four or five people with me the whole the time, and I was able to
really motivate a few others to follow us shortly before the end”. His personal
best is 2:41 hours.
120

Imprint
Publisher
SCC EVENTS GmbH
Hanns-Braun-Straße/Adlerplatz
14053 Berlin
Tel.: 030 – 301 288 10
Fax: 030 – 301 288 20
Responsible for content
Christian Jost, Jürgen Lock
Production
DLM RunMedia GmbH, Köln
Editorial Team
Vincent Dornbusch, Christian Ermert, Jochen
Schmitz, Natascha Markovits, Norbert Hensen,
Jörg Wenig, Gerte Buchheit, Julia Seifert
Fotos: Camera 4, Thomas Wendt, Norbert Wilhelmi,
Daniel Porsdorf, Jörn Pollex, Sportograf,
Andreas Schwarz, imago images
HINDERNIS- &
CROSSLÄUFE
FÜR ALLE
26./27.10.
crossdays.de

Start und Ziel zwischen Brandenburger
Tor und Siegessäule.
Der Generali Berliner
Halbmarathon versprach im
Vorfeld mit einer neuen Strecke
eine Sightseeing-Tour
durch die Stadt zu werden.
Das Versprechen wurde gehalten.
Party inklusive.

R E G I S T E R
N O W !
Do it
again!
This way to your registration for the
47th BMW BERLIN-MARATHON
on September 27, 2020
123
www.bmw-berlin-marathon.com

Who’s
that
running?

In the event magazine for the
46th BMW BERLIN-MARATHON
we had introduced people who
had set their sights on the
42.195 kilometres through the
capital city. We spoke to two of
them again after the marathon.
Both are still overwhelmed by
what they experienced in Berlin.

DIANA KALJUVEE
126

It warms the heart
Text: Natascha Marakovits Photos: Sportograf, privat
“Berlin is a wonderful city and
the marathon is truly unique.”
Diana Kaljuvee raves about the
BMW BERLIN-MARATHON. The
41-year-old knows what she is
talking about; after all, she has
already put her legs through 14
marathons. She lives in Tallinn,
Estonia, with her husband and
two children. But she has only
run one in her home country,
as she prefers to travel across
Europe and to the USA for the
42.195 kilometres. She has already
successfully completed
the Majors in New York, Chicago
and Boston. In addition, she
had already been to Berlin to
compete in 2016. At that time
she was so overwhelmed by
the experience, that she swore
that she would have to run in
Berlin again.
Her first impressions did not
disappoint her this year either.
Even if the weather didn’t
help the runners to get really
warm, there were many heartwarming
moments for the Estonian:
“There were so many
127

kids smiling at me, and I gave
them high-fives. The many volunteers
at the refreshment
stations called my name and
cheered me on. And then there
were thousands of people on
the streets. Everyone cheered
us on; that was really great and
gave us energy.”
Energy she could use, because
the race didn’t go as she had
planned. She had to change
her original plans to improve
her personal best time (3:16:45
hours) on the fast course early
on. “My main goal was to reach
the finish with a good feeling.
When I realized after 15 kilometres
that I couldn’t set a new
best time today, I decided to
just enjoy the run and the great
atmosphere at the track,”
she says.
Diana finally crossed the finish
line after 3:30:33 hours. The
heart-warming moments on
the course no longer sufficed,
and the 41-year-old was frozen
through and through. “The
weather was perfect for running,
but at the finish I was so
cold that I couldn’t hold a cup.
My fingers were completely
stiff. Many thanks to the volunteers
at the finish who brought
me warm tea and held the cup
for me to drink.”
While it didn’t work out to get
a new best time, for Diana Kaljuvee
one thing is certain: “The
Berlin-Marathon is the only one
I ran twice. Simply because it’s
so great.” Where and when she
will run her next 42.195 kilometres
is already clear: “Next
year I’ll start in London. My big
goal is to run all the major marathons.”
The only thing missing
from the coveted Six-Star
medal will be Tokyo.
128

developed by itms.com

ARNOLD MULTERER
Keeping an eye on
the environment
130

“While I can climb the stairs
again, I could still eat all day.”
Three days have passed since
the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON,
and Arnold Multerer still hasn’t
quite come to terms with what
he experienced. “I’m still fascinated
by the setting, by the many
spectators who created a great
atmosphere despite the bad
weather. Plus the many bands
on the track. That kept me constantly
busy. That was good for
my head,” says the 42-year-old.
It was his second marathon, but
it felt like a premiere: “I ran the
first one 17 years ago in Regensburg”.
The environmental expert from
Passau only acquired his race entry
a few weeks earlier through
his job. He works for Omnicert,
a Bavarian company that prepares
environmental reports.
This year it certified the BMW
BERLIN-MARATHON according
to EMAS. The EU seal of quality
is only awarded to those who
implement the most demanding
environmental management
systems. While his colleagues
inspected the entire organisation
of SCC EVENTS from every
possible angle, Arnold Multerer
spontaneously decided to do his
job on the run.
Despite his short preparation
time, things went like clockwork
for the environmental verifier.
“Only at kilometre 30 did I have
a small break-down. But with
the support of the many spectators
and the bands, I was able
to make it to the finish line,” he
says.
It took him 3:43:43 hours to arrive
at the Brandenburg Gate.
“The finish was unbelievably
amazing. The cheering crowd really
pushed you hard in the last
meters and carried you to the
finish.” Will he let 17 years pass
before the next marathon? “In
any case, I want to train more often
now and stick to it. The BMW
BERLIN-MARATHON fascinated
me very much and definitely
made me want more”.
131

Highlights
2019/2020
OCTOBER 26+27, 2019: CROSS DAYS
#YouToo?
It is going to be wild ‘n‘dirty in Döberitzer Heide End of October. All sports enthusiasts
and lunatics will love it, because they find challenges criss-cross.
Distances
4,5 + 9 km Cross Country | 5 km Youth Challenge
5 km SPRINT Challenge | 10 km PINK Challenge
19 km BLACK Challenge | 500 m Bambini Challenge
www.crossdays.de
Running and cycling
events in Berlin
and Brandenburg

DECEMBER 31, 2019: SPIELBANK BERLIN SILVESTERLAUF
Summit run on New Years Eve
Running over two summits at the emotional
final of the year.
Distances
2 km + 4 km women and youth
6,3 km + 9,9 km women and men
www.berliner-silvesterlauf.de
APRIL 5, 2020: GENERALI BERLINER HALBMARATHON
The big season opening
Biggest and fastest half marathon in
Germany with many elite runners taking part.
Distances
21,0975 km (runners, wheelers, handbikers)
500 m/1.000 m bambini run
www.generali-berliner-halbmarathon.de
HALBMARATHON
133

MAY 16, 2020: AVON FRAUENLAUF
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 km
runners, walkers, nordic walkers
5 km
runners, walkers, nordic walkers
500 m / 1.000 m bambini run
www.berliner-frauenlauf.de
JUNE 13+14, 2020: VELO CITY
The new cool bike race
A sporty weekend in berlin on bikes for the
whole family. Lots of side events and big
expo.
Distances
Race 60 km and 130 km
Pro Race
Family Race
www.velocity.berlin
NEW
134

More SCC EVENTS
2020
January 1: Berliner Neujahrslauf
June 3-5.: Berliner Wasserbetriebe 5x5 km TEAM-Staffel
June 4: GERMAN MANAGEMENT RUN
June 11: AOK Team-Staffel Brandenburg
June 21: SwimRun Rheinsberg
August 1: adidas Runners City Night
August 27: SportScheck RUN Berlin
September 26+27: BMW BERLIN-MARATHON
October 24+25: Cross Days
December 31: Spielbank Berlin Silvesterlauf
135

MORE
PHOTOS
Manuela Schär and Marcel Hug made it a Swiss
double in winning the wheelchair titles in the
46th edition of the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON
while the handbiker competition was dominated by
Jennette Jansen and her fellow Dutch racer Jetze
Plat.

Thrilling
Races

Outstanding
Athletes
“After failing to produce my
best form last year, I definitely
wanted to race well today”,
admitted Marcel Hug after his
triumph. In 2018 he was beaten
in the sprint to the line by
Brent Lakatos of Canada – today
he gave his all to break
clear of the field early in the
race – and the daring move
worked! After 10 kilometres
he had already built up a 30
second lead ahead of Lakatos
and the other pursuers. He
continued to extend his lead
right up to the finish line, winning
in 1:28:09 ahead of David
Weir of Britain (1:31:45) and
last year’s champion Brent Lakatos
(1:31:46). The 32-year-old
Swiss has now won five BMW
BERLIN-MARATHON titles.
At the age of 34 Manuela Schär
proved there was no dimming
of her powers and remains one
of the outstanding athletes in
Manuela Schär went clear of her rivals
after only a few kilometres and won
the race.

WHEELCHAIRS RACE
Marcel Hug was the
fastest wheelchair
racer in Berlin.
The Wheelchair Racer Podium
Men
Women
1 Marcel Hug SUI 1:28:09 1 Manuela Schär SUI 1:38:07
2 David Weir GBR 1:31:45 2 Amanda Mcgrory USA 1:42:05
3 Brent Lakatos CAN 1:31:46 3 Madison de Rozario AUS 1:42:09
this event. She went out hard
from the start and went clear
of her rivals after only a few
kilometres.
She crossed the line in an untroubled
1:38:07 with almost
four minutes advantage over
Amanda McGrory from the
USA (1:42:05) and Australia’s
Madison de Rozario (1:42:09)
who were involved in an exciting
duel to the finish. “I’ve
invested more time in my
training this year. My success
shows this was worth it”, reflected
Schär, who now has
five BMW BERLIN-MARATHON
titles in her collection.
139

Marathon in
only one Hour
The Dutch racer Jetze Plat
dominated the early kilometres
among the handbikers
and maintained his advantage
right to the finish line.
Plat won in 1:00:01, well clear
of the Belgian Jonas van de
Steene (1:04:01). Last year’s
winner, Vico Merklein of Germany,
finished a close third in
1:04:01. Merklein said later: “I
had hoped we get ourselves
warmed up by staying together
in a group for the first few
kilometres. I never reckoned
with such a fast attack by Jetze
Plat.”In the women’s race
Jennette Jansen retained her
title as the Dutch racer proved
too strong for her rivals,
winning in 1:10:21. Katrin Möller
(1:18:55) and Yvonne Pijahn
(1:25:11) finished second and
third from Germany.
The Handbikers Podium
Men
1. Jetze Plat NED 1:00:01
2. Jonas van de Steene BEL 1:04:01
3. Vico Merklein GER 1:04:01
Women
1. Jennette Jansen NED 1:10:21
2. Katrin Möller GER 1:18:55
3. Yvonne Pijahn GER 1:25:11
140

THE HANDBIKERS RACE
World Champion Jetze Plat was also
the best handbiker in Berlin.

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
berlinovo
Berlin Partner
Comline AG Berlin
Die Sportografen
Höffner Möbelgesellschaft
Weingut Castelfeder
LASERLINE
Lichtenauer Mineralquellen
Marathon-Photos
Polar
realbuzz
Red Bull
Rollerblade
Runtastic
ver.di Bezirk Berlin Fb. 9
Zoll Medical
Media Partners
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.

GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS

Till the
hands
bleed
Running 42.195 kilometres through Berlin is enough of a challenge
for most. But running the distance while dribbling two basketballs
the entire time is almost unimaginable. Not for Jordan Brickman.
The American was one of 15 contenders with hopes to set a Guinness
World Record title at the 46th BMW BERLIN-MARATHON.
You can read how the attempts went here.
Text: Natascha Marakovits Photos: Sportograf, Guinness World Records
145

Bang, bang, bang. What’s banging
on the ground? Runners
turn around in amazement.
They want to see what is loudly
approaching them from behind.
And then they can hardly
believe their eyes when they
see what Jordan Brickman is
doing. While dribbling two bas-
ketballs, he hopes to run the
marathon under 3:54:16, which
would give him the Guinness
World Record title in this “discipline”.
Jordan Brickman,
who lives in San Francisco,
made the attempt previously
in Sydney, but he missed the
record by 20 minutes. Now, at
THE TEN NEW WORLD RECORD HOLDERS
1 2
Fastest Marathon
wearing a toga
Valtteri Arstila (Finland)
2:56:34
Fastest Marathon
in a martial arts suit
Mathieu Papdo (Cameroon)
3:02:33
146

the Berlin Marathon, he is ready
to crack it. Jordan Brickman
stands with thousands of
other participants expectantly
in starting block G and waits to
finally get going. Shortly before
ten o’clock, at 9:50 am to
be exact, the starting signal
is fired and the penultimate
starting block sets off on
the 42.195 kilometre journey
through Berlin.
The starting field is very dense,
but after less than a kilometre,
Jordan has already found his
rhythm. He dribbles one basketball
with his right hand and
another with his left.
3 4
Fastest Marathon
dressed as a super gangster
Kevin Shao (Great Britain)
3:03:03
Fastest Marathon
dressed as a caveman
Philip Howard (Great Britain)
3:05:11
147

“Wow, that’s insanity”, “The
guy is crazy” or “How cool is
that?”, are the reactions of the
other participants, who, in awe,
make room for the Guinness
World Records attempt by the
28-year-old. It only gets really
difficult in the curves. And indeed,
it happens: Jordan loses
a ball. The ball rolls backwards.
The following runners adroitly
avoid the ball. The experienced
basketball player reacts lightning
fast, runs the few steps
backwards and is already on
course again in the next moment.
Nobody seems bothered
that there is someone dribb-
THE TEN NEW WORLD RECORD HOLDERS
5 6
Fastest Marathon
in lederhosen
Kirk Millikan (USA)
3:15:10
Fastest Marathon
in a dragon suit
Jochen Glasbrenner (Germany)
3:48:38
148

ling two balls along the course.
Quite the contrary: It seems
like Jordan provides some
welcome entertainment. After
five kilometres, he faces the
first really big hurdle: the water
station. He has to veer off,
weave his way skilfully through
the thirsty runners. Done. The
two basketballs are still going.
The challenge continues. But
then the rain sets in. The balls
get wet, heavy and dirty. It gets
harder and harder for Jordan.
The effort required for each
dribble gets greater and greater.
The water and dirt attack
the sensitive skin on the palms
7 8
Fastest Marathon
dressed as a rocket
Mark Kugel (Germany)
4:12:11
Fastest Marathon dressed
as a female vampire
Charlie Fitton (Great Britain)
4:13:50
149

of the hands. At some point,
both hands begin to bleed.
But giving up is not an option.
He pulls through and runs the
whole distance while dribbling
the two basketballs. But in this
weather, it ultimately takes him
5:14:18 hours. The disappointment,
of course, is great. Lena
Kuhlmann, the Guinness World
Records judge, is nevertheless
impressed after the race: “Jordan’s
performance is unique,
even though the existing Guinness
World Records title was
not undercut. We are keeping
our fingers crossed for him
that things will be better next
year and that he will have more
luck with the weather.”
THE TEN NEW WORLD RECORD HOLDERS
9 10
Marathon run
wearing the most T-shirts
Daniel Trienens (Germany)
25 (4:45:09)
Fastest backwards marathon
on inline skates
Tõnis Paalme (Estonia)
1:38:40
150

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151
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Thank you for
being part of it!
We look forward to
seeing you again in Berlin!