More than 39,000 participants from 134 nations
Part of the SuperHalfs for the first time
Top athletes
Prepared for rising temperatures
Call for shoe donations
Even before the start, the GENERALI BERLIN HALF MARATHON has new records to announce: 38,712 runners, 1,025 skaters, 15 handbikers and 11 wheelchair athletes from 134 nations are expected to take part this weekend - more than ever before. "The running boom continues, as shown by the 15,000 runners who will be starting in Berlin for the first time on Sunday," explains Jürgen Lock, Managing Director of organiser SCC EVENTS. "We are delighted to have been the title sponsor of the GENERALI BERLIN HALF MARATHON for many years. This sporting event is one of the top running events in Europe. GENERALI is committed to running throughout Europe and especially in Germany, promoting one of the most beautiful sports, a healthy lifestyle and the communities in which it is active", Giulio Benedetti, Head of Corporate Communications, ESG and Public Affairs at GENERALI.
Additional appeal thanks to SuperHalfs
For the first time, the race is part of the European SuperHalfs series - an association of six renowned running event organisers from Lisbon, Prague, Berlin, Copenhagen, Cardiff and Valencia. "The concept of the series promotes a sense of community and performance, inspiring athletes to realise their full running potential while discovering the country and people of each host city," says Lock. "Many of the destinations can be reached by train, and this aspect also plays an important role," emphasises the Managing Director, pointing out the GENERALI BERLIN HALF MARATHON commitment to sustainability. "Together with the WWF as an official charity partner, we have been working for years to make our running events more sustainable. In addition to our efforts for the environment, it is always our goal to find a balance between all dimensions of sustainability, i.e. "economic development", "social justice" and "environmental protection"."
Call for shoe donations
The key aspect here is to involve the participants too - for example by calling for shoe donations at the HALF MARATHON EXPO. There, together with the Berlin City Mission (Berliner Stadtmission), well-preserved running shoes are collected for homeless people or people in need. "We have to keep reminding ourselves that we are in an absolutely privileged situation. For a large number of people in Berlin, having a roof over their heads is by no means a matter of course. All the more reason for us to hope that our joint initiative with the Berlin City Mission will help to restore a little dignity to homeless people."
Prepare for the rise in temperature
Organiser SCC EVENTS has already taken various measures in advance in response to the expected rise in temperatures over the weekend. This morning, all participants received an additional direct mailing with specific recommendations for action. On the course, there will also be water showers at kilometre points14.5 and 17.5to cool off. Jürgen Lock also expressly calls on runners to use all four aid stations on the course during the race. "If you drink something there, you won't lose any time, quite the opposite: every second is well invested and pays off on the way to a happy finisher." He also urges people to drink enough fluids in the days leading up to the start and to eat a diet high in sodium and with an emphasis on fluids.
Strong partners
The Berlin Johanniter organisation is in charge of providing medical cover for the GENERALI BERLIN HALF MARATHON 2024. "We have been a reliable and competent partner for securing major events for over 15 years," says Jörg Koch, Regional Director of Johanniter Berlin. "This is primarily due to the outstanding expertise and great commitment of our volunteer and full-time staff, who spend many weeks intensively preparing for the operation." Johanniter Berlin will be at the start with around 140 volunteers from Berlin, Brandenburg and Lower Saxony as well as from the Arbeiter-Samariter-Bund and Malteser Hilfsdienst. There will bei a medical centre in the start and finish area to care for the athletes, and around 15 medical patrols will also be on the road. In addition, stationary and mobile emergency aid centres will be positioned along the entire route. As usual, SCC EVENTS will provide support for the event with more than 25 doctors and over 100 members of the SCC Medical Team. "The Berlin Fire Brigade, Johanniter Berlin and the SCC Medical Team have been working together as partners for years and form a reliable unit," says Lock.
The head of police operations for the GENERALI BERLIN HALF MARATHON is also optimistic about the event. "We secure major events every weekend and will be on site with 300 officers," says Hoffmann, who was already involved in the first edition of the race in 1990.
Records could tumble in Sunday’s GENERALI BERLIN HALF MARATHON
Daniel Ebenyo, Kenya’s silver medallist from last year’s World Half Marathon Championships, is regarded as the favorite. While he targets the course record of 58:42 there is a German favorite in the women’s race: Ethiopian born Melat Kejeta, who won the silver medal at the World Half Marathon Championships in 2020, could produce a rare home victory and might go for her own German record of 65:18. The 65:15 European mark from Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands would then come under threat as well. Germany’s biggest and most prestigious race at this distance registered a record entry of 38,712 runners.
A number of European and German elite runners will target qualification for the European Championships in Rome in June. Qualifying times stand at 61:40 and 70:30 respectively. For the first time the GENERALI BERLIN HALF MARATHON is a “Label Road Race“ of the international athletics federation World Athletics.
The Men’s Race
It would be a major upset if the winner of the men’s race would not be an athlete from Kenya. All the six runners that have personal bests of sub 60 minutes are from Kenya. Daniel Ebenyo is most likely the athlete to beat on Sunday. The 28 year-old has not yet run sub 59:00 and his PB stands at 59:04. But since taking the runner-up spot in the World Half Marathon Championships in Riga, Latvia, last October Daniel Ebenyo has won all of the following races. Among these was a victory in Kalkutta’s 25k race with a world best time of 1:11:13. This record he set in India indicates that Ebenyo should be capable of running well under the course record in the GENERALI BERLIN HALF MARATHON. “It is my goal to run faster than ever before,“ said Daniel Ebenyo.
Another runner from Kenya who could do very well in Berlin is Bravin Kiprop. He took the Sevilla Half Marathon earlier this year and improved to 59:21, which at that time was a world leading time. “It is my aim to improve my personal best in Berlin,“ said Bravin Kiprop.
Simon Boch is the fastest German on the start list with 61:23 while Samuel Fitwi returns to the race where he set his personal record of 61:44 a year ago. Fitwi smashed his marathon PB in Dubai in January when he ran 2:06:27 and became the second fastest German ever. “I trained in Addis Abeba and I am in fine shape. My goal is to run well under my personal best,“ said Samuel Fitwi, who could cause a surprise in Berlin.
The Women’s Race
15 years after Sabrina Mockenhaupt won the GENERALI BERLIN HALF MARATHON in 2009 there could be another German victory. Germany’s record holder Melat Kejeta, who also holds the European women only record (races without male pacemakers) with 65:18 returns to the GENERALI BERLIN HALF MARATHON. Kejeta has indeed won the race before. But when she triumphed in 2018 with 69:04 she still competed for Ethiopia. A year later Melat Kejeta received German citizenship.
„My first goal is to run faster than the 66:25 I ran in Valencia last year. If all goes well during the race then I will try to attack my personal best,“ said Melat Kejeta, who is not too worried about the warm weather forecast.
Melat Kejeta’s former fellow-countrywomen Ftaw Zeray and Yalemget Yaregal from Ethiopia will probably be the strongest opponents for Melat Kejeta. Zeray has a PB of 66:04 while Yaregal was third at the GENERALI BERLIN HALF MARATHON last year in 66:27.
Switzerland’s half marathon record holder Fabienne Schlumpf is the second fastest European runner on the start list. She has a personal record of 68:27. Three other Europeans with sub 70:00 personal bests are on the start list: Italy’s Sofia Yaremchuk (68:28) and Germans Deborah Schöneborn (69:41) and Miriam Dattke (69:43).
Inline skating
More than 1,000 inline skaters will also be celebrating the start of the season on Sunday. The men's race is particularly exciting. In addition to four-time winner Felix Rijhnen (Darmstadt), Jason Suttels (BEL), winner of the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON, and the high-calibre riders Livio Wenger (SUI), Nolan Beddiaf (FRA) and Alexander Bastidas (VEN) are also expected to take part.
Numbers (registered participants)
Runners: 38.763
Skaters:1.025
Handbikers: 15
Wheelchair athletes: 11
Bambini: 560
Participants from 134 nations.
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