Sabastian Sawe in Valencia (© Getty Images)
Kenya’s Sabastian Sawe will line up as the men's favourite for the BMW Berlin Marathon – a World Athletics Platinum Label road race – on Sunday (21) while Ethiopia’s Mestawut Fikir and Kenya’s Rosemary Wanjiru headline the women’s race.
At 30, Sawe has quickly established himself as one of the world’s leading marathon runners. After a successful track, cross country and half-marathon career – including the 2023 world half-marathon title – he made a spectacular marathon debut in Valencia last December, winning in 2:02:05. That time was the fastest of 2024, the second-quickest debut ever behind Kelvin Kiptum, and makes him the fifth-fastest man in history.
He followed up with victory at the London Marathon in April, surging away in the final 10km to win in 2:02:27. With personal bests of 26:49 for 10km and a world-class half marathon pedigree, Sawe is unlikely to be outpaced.
Berlin, long regarded as the fastest marathon in the world, has seen eight consecutive men’s world records fall, including Eliud Kipchoge’s 2:01:09 in 2022. Kiptum then set the current global mark of 2:00:35 in Chicago in 2023. Sawe has his eyes on Kipchoge’s course record if conditions allow.
“I am in good shape. Berlin has the fastest course, so I want to run fast here,” said Sawe, who is familiar with the city, having won the Berlin Half Marathon in 2023. However, forecast temperatures of 19-21C may slow record attempts.
Ethiopia’s Milkesa Mengesha returns as defending champion after his surprise victory last year in 2:03:17. Though he was unable to follow Sawe’s break in London earlier this year, Mengesha insists he is better prepared.
Tanzania’s Gabriel Geay brings a 2:03:00 national record to the start line and believes he can improve on it. Japan’s Kengo Suzuki will aim to better his national record of 2:04:56.
The German challenge is led by Hendrik Pfeiffer, who has set recent personal bests and hopes to break 2:07, along with Sebastian Hendel, Haftom Welday and Johannes Motschmann, all targeting similar marks.
The women’s field is headlined by Rosemary Wanjiru, the fastest entrant with a 2:16:14 from her 2023 Tokyo Marathon victory. Now 30 and based in Japan, Wanjiru first made her mark on the track with 5000m silver at the 2015 African Games and fourth at the 2019 World Championships.
Her marathon debut came in Berlin in 2022, when she clocked 2:18:00, the second-fastest debut in history, finishing behind Tigist Assefa’s course record of 2:15:37. Wanjiru now seeks to become the first Kenyan woman to win Berlin since Gladys Cherono in 2018.
Ethiopia once again provides formidable opposition. Mestawut Fikir was runner-up here last year in 2:18:48 and will look to go one better. Degitu Azimeraw, second at the 2021 London Marathon, adds further depth. Ethiopia dominated last year’s top 10 with seven athletes, including the top four, underlining their strength.
Organisers are keen to reinforce Berlin’s reputation as the world’s quickest marathon. By averaging the 10 fastest times ever run, Berlin leads all races with 2:02:34 and has held that status since 2006. Kipchoge alone has won here five times, setting two world records along the way.
Now Sawe, already the fastest marathon runner of 2024 and fifth fastest in history, will aim to follow in Kipchoge’s footsteps and etch his name into the city’s storied history. Whether he can chase records may depend on the weather, but he remains the man to beat.
Mike Rowbottom for World Athletics
