Kenya’s Double Victory in the 51st Berlin Marathon
Kenya celebrated a double triumph with first place in the men and women races on Sunday in the 51st Berlin Marathon. The men’s race was won by 29-year-old Sabastian Sawe with a time of 2:02:15, five months after his victory in the London marathon. The women’s race was won by Rosemary Wanjiru with a time of 2:21:05.
Challenging Weather Conditions
Despite Berlin’s reputation as the fastest marathon route on the World Circle, both times were significantly slower than expected. Sawe was 1:40 slower, while Wanjiru was 11:49 slower. This can probably be attributed to the unusually moist late summer conditions in the German capital, with temperatures between 23 and 29 °C (73-84 °F).
Athletes’ Reactions
"It was difficult, but I did my best and I’m happy about my performance," said Sawe in an interview after the race. "I felt good. Of course, you can’t change the weather. I was well prepared and I am just pleased. I enjoyed the atmosphere in Berlin. I am happy to be here and would like to be back next year. I hope I can go a little better." On the women’s side, Wanjiru, who finished second in Berlin in 2022, was the first Kenyan woman to have won the race since 2018.
Women’s Race Highlights
Wanjiru rose to the front after 25 kilometers and had a 36-second lead on the 40-kilometer mark. However, she slowed down, allowing her pursuers to close the gap. When Ethiopia’s Dera Dida came into sight with the Brandenburg goal, Wanjiru drew deeply and won by just three seconds.
Prominent Participants
The elite runners were followed by over 55,000 other athletes with different goals, including serious runners aiming for personal bests and others who just wanted to finish. The participants included celebrities such as former footballers André Schürrle and Felix Kroos, as well as pop star Harry Styles, who also took part in the Tokyo Marathon in March.
The Marathon Route and Atmosphere
The runners started and ended at the famous Brandenburg goal, passing through Berlin’s zoo, Moabit, Prenzlauer Berg, Friedrichshain, Kreuzberg, and Neuköln. Hundreds of thousands of spectators cheered them on, while hundreds of volunteers distributed 120,000 bananas, 80,000 apples, and 1.25 million cups to energize and support the runners. The mayor of Berlin, Kai Wegner, fired the starting pistol, and the runners were off on their journey through the city. The path drove south to Schöneberg and Steglitz before returning via Charlottenburg to the middle and ending at the Brandenburg goal.
