Kenenisa Bekele will run the 2026 BMW BERLIN-MARATHON on Sunday 27 September, the race organisers announced today.
It will be the first race this year for the legendary Ethiopian athlete. At the age of 44 Kenenisa Bekele will hardly be a contender for victory, however a very strong performance is possible.
Bekele won the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON twice during his unique career, missing the world records by just a few seconds on both occasions.
In 2016 he crossed the line in 2:03:03 and in 2019 he clocked 2:01:41. Had he been just two seconds faster seven years ago, he would have become the first runner in sporting history to hold the world records for 5,000m, 10,000m and the marathon simultaneously.
With Bekele perhaps the greatest runner of all time is returning once more to the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON. At least when it comes to track events and cross-country running, he is the number one.
Kenenisa Bekele held the world records for the 5,000m (12:37.35) and 10,000m (26:17.53) longer than any other runner in history – for around 15 years.
Bekele won gold in the 5,000m at the 2008 Olympic Games and the 2009 World Championships, and in the 10,000m at the 2004 and 2008 Olympic Games as well as at the 2003, 2005, 2007 and 2009 World Championships. He has took eleven gold medals at the World Cross Country Championships.
Two and a half years ago, at the age of 41, he almost pulled off a sensational feat. He was in the lead in the closing stages of the prestigious London Marathon.
In the end, he finished second, setting the Masters world record (for the 40+ age group) of 2:04:15 – a record that still stands today – and was subsequently selected for the Olympic Games.
However, in Paris in the summer of 2024, he only managed 39th place. For the first time since the Games, he could cross the finish line of a marathon again in Berlin on 27 September.
European Champion Alisa Vainio added to start list
There is a strong last-minute addition to the women’s elite field as well. European Marathon Champion Alisa Vainio will run the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON.
A month ago the Finnish runner took the European Championships’ gold medal in Birmingham in commanding style and clocked a championships’ record time of 2:22:26.
A year ago she was the best European runner at the World Championships in Tokyo with fifth place and then went on to set three consecutive Finnish national records.
In February she improved to 2:20:39 when she won in Seville. She is now the fastest Scandinavian marathon runner in history, breaking the record of former world record-holder Ingrid Kristiansen (Norway/2:21:06).
Fastest Runners on the Start List
MEN:
- Kenenisa Bekele ETH – 2:01:41
- Gabriel Geay TAN – 2:03:00
- Getaneh Molla ETH – 2:03:34
- Guye Adola ETH – 2:03:46
- Shura Kitata ETH – 2:03:59
- Erick Sang KEN – 2:04:30
- Selemon Barega ETH – 2:05:00
- Taresa Tolosa ETH – 2:05:17
- Tadu Abate ETH – 2:05:38
- Asefa Boki ETH – 2:05:40
- Kenya Sonota JPN – 2:05:59
- Tsubasa Ichiyama JPN – 2:06:00
- Kiyoto Hirabayashi JPN – 2:06:14
- Yuhei Urano JPN – 2:06:23
- Hidekazu Hijikata JPN – 2:06:26
WOMEN:
- Tigst Assefa ETH – 2:11:53
- Rosemary Wanjiru KEN – 2:16:14
- Bedatu Hirpa ETH – 2:18:27
- Dera Dida ETH – 2:18:32
- Zeineba Yimer ETH – 2:18:47
- Bosena Mulatie ETH – 2:19:00
- Misgane Alemayehu ETH – 2:19:08
- Bekelech Gudeta ETH – 2:19:39
- Evaline Chirchir KEN – 2:20:33
- Alisa Vainio FIN – 2:20:39
- Deshun Zhang CHN – 2:20:53
- Gadise Mulu ETH – 2:20:59
- Eebbisee Addunyaa ETH – 2:21:13
- Aminet Ahmed ETH – 2:21:24
- Rika Kaseda JPN – 2:21:55
Yomog Meje is a former Nigerian junior athlete and the Associate editor at Athletics Africa.
