Running anniversary in the capital! The Berlin Marathon will take place for the 50th time this Sunday. This special edition can be seen live on free TV. sport.de provides an overview of the most important information about the legendary running event.
When will the Berlin Marathon 2024 take place?
The 50th BMW Berlin Marathon will take place on Sunday, September 29, 2024. The first starting signal, including for the professional runners, will sound at 9:15 a.m. The start takes place in four waves, which are divided into several starting blocks. The time limit is 6:15 hours. The handbikers and wheelchair participants start a little earlier.
Where can you see the Berlin Marathon 2024 on TV and in the stream?
The Berlin Marathon will be shown LIVE on free TV. The broadcast begins at 8:30 a.m. and lasts until 12:15 p.m. The race can also be seen on RTL+ stream. The TV broadcaster RTL has secured exclusive rights to the running event for the next three years. The run could be seen on ntv from the RTL channel family as early as 2010. In addition to the live broadcast, various RTL Group broadcasters are planning to accompany the anniversary event in 2024 with extensive pre- and post-reporting.
What is the route like at the Berlin Marathon 2024?
The start is on Straße des 17. Juni in the heart of Berlin. The starters then run through many parts of Berlin. Via Moabit it goes through Mitte, Kreuzberg, Neukölln, Schöneberg, Wilmersdorf, Steglitz before the route turns back towards Tiergarten. Shortly behind the Brandenburg Gate you will find your desired destination after 42.195 kilometers.
Which world records were set in Berlin?
Some! So far, 13 official world records have been set as part of the Berlin Marathon. Last year, Tigist Assefa shattered the old women’s record with 2:11:53 hours. The most recent men’s world record, set in Berlin, came from running icon Eliud Kipchoge, who ran 2:01:09 hours in 2022. The two times are logically also the course records of the Berlin Marathon.
How many starters are there in the 2024 Berlin Marathon?
After the lottery process, around 50,000 runners are registered for the Berlin Marathon. Last year, a good 43,000 runners crossed the finish line. For comparison: in the first edition in 1974 there were 244.
Which stars are expected at the Berlin Marathon 2024?
The elite field once again features some top stars. Although the legends Eliud Kipchoge and Kenenisa Bekele are not there, a new generation of younger runners is taking part. The favorites include former half marathon record holder Kibiowott Kandie as well as the Ethiopian Tadese Takele and the Kenyan Ronald Korir, who came third and fourth last year.
In the women’s category, there are signs of a duel between the breakout Tigist Ketema (Ethiopia) and the Kenyan Rosemary Wanjiru.
One athlete in particular stands out among the German women: Melat Kejeta is returning to the marathon in Berlin for the first time since her debut in 2019. At the beginning of the year she ran a best time of 2:21:47 hours in Dubai.
Other top German runners in the field are Melina Wolf (2:31:08 hours, LG Region Kalsruhe), Tabea Themann (2:31:33 hours, Turnerbund Hamburg Eilbeck) and Thea Heim (2:33:25 hours).
In the men’s field, Hendrik Pfeiffer (TK Hannover) has the fastest time of the German starters (2:07:14). Also on the hunt through the streets of Berlin is Filimon Abraham (LG Telis Finanz Regensburg), who ran 2:08:22 hours in Barcelona in 2023 and is celebrating his marathon comeback in Berlin after persistent injury problems. Other German athletes in the elite field are Haftom Welday (TB Hamburg Eilbeck), Sebastian Hendel (LG Braunschweig) and Johannes Motschmann (Marathon Team Berlin).
Why is the run so special?
The Berlin Marathon is one of the six major marathons in the world, alongside London, Tokyo, Chicago, Boston and New York, making it one of the most prestigious running competitions ever. In addition, the course is extremely flat and therefore ideal for breaking personal records or even world records. On no other route has the world record been broken so often. Berlin has the justified reputation of being the “fastest route in the world”. In addition, there is always an extremely good atmosphere in the heart of Berlin; as a runner, at virtually no point in the race are you without support. And last but not least: the weather has often cooperated in the past and provided the best running conditions. That means: not too warm, but dry and not too cold either. The best running temperature is 12 to 14 degrees.
How did the Berlin Marathon come about?
A group of runners from the Sport-Club Charlottenburg, which is one of the renowned German athletics clubs, organized the first BERLIN MARATHON in 1974. In 1981 the race was moved from Grunewald to the city center of West Berlin. After the fall of the Berlin Wall in November 1989, a new era began. On September 30, 1990, three days before reunification, the marathon route led through the Brandenburg Gate and both parts of Berlin
When does registration for 2025 start?
Anyone who wants to take part in the 2025 run can apply again from October 2025. The lottery decides.
Who is “Bottle Claus”?
A legend. And an icon of volunteerism. As a water enricher who precedes Eliud Kipchoge on his bicycle, he achieved worldwide fame and the nickname “Bottle Claus”.
The man’s actual name is Claus-Henning Schulke and in his professional life he is responsible for construction projects. At Kipchoge’s explicit request, he took care of the supplies at the Berlin Marathon and picked him up from the airport. The spectators particularly like his emotional and cheerful nature. You almost get the feeling that he is even more happy about the bottle handover than the runner himself. In 2024 he will support Kipchoge’s compatriot Kibiwott Kandie.
Source: www.sport.de
