Ethiopian athletes dominated the 50th edition of the Berlin Marathon on Sunday, clinching victories in both the men’s and women’s races, and securing five of the six podium positions.
In the men’s race, 24-year-old Milkesa Mengesha emerged victorious in a tightly contested finish. Mengesha broke away in the final stretch to cross the line in 2 hours, 3 minutes, and 17 seconds, just five seconds ahead of Kenya’s Cybrian Kotut. Ethiopia’s Haymanot Alew completed the men’s podium in third place.
On the women’s side, Tigist Ketema, 26, delivered an impressive win, finishing in 2 hours, 16 minutes, and 42 seconds. Her time was more than two minutes faster than fellow Ethiopians Mestawot Fikir and Bosena Mulatie, who finished second and third. Though Ketema did not surpass the women’s world record of 2:11:53, set last year by Tigist Assefa, her time still ranks as the third fastest ever recorded at the Berlin Marathon.
Great Britain’s Calli Hauger-Thackery, 31, was the first European to finish, coming in seventh overall with a time of 2:21:24. This marks the sixth-fastest marathon time ever run by a British woman.
In the men’s wheelchair race, Switzerland’s Marcel Hug took home the top prize with a winning time of 1:27:18. British racer David Weir, 45, finished second, trailing Hug by 1 minute and 47 seconds.
Several top runners, including Kenya’s Eliud Kipchoge, a five-time Berlin Marathon champion, were notably absent from this year’s race, which took place just weeks after the Paris Olympics. Kipchoge had set the men’s world record at the 2022 Berlin Marathon with a time of 2:01:09.
Despite the absence of some of the sport’s biggest names, Ethiopia’s commanding performances in both races highlighted their continued dominance on the global marathon stage.
Men’s Elite
1. Milkesa Mengesha (ETH) – 2:03:17
2. Cybrian Kotut (KEN) – 2:03:22
3. Haymanot Alew (ETH) – 2:03:31
4. Stephen Kiprop (KEN) – 2:03:37
5. Hailemariyam Kiros (ETH) – 2:04:35
6. Yohei Ikeda (JPN) – 2:05:12
7. Tadese Takele (ETH) – 2:05:13
8. Kibrom Oqbe Ruesom (ERI) – 2:05:37
9. Enock Onchari (KEN) – 2:05:53
10. Kindie Derseh Kassie (ETH) – 2:05:54
13. Kibiwott Kandie (KEN) – 2:06:46
Women’s Elite
1. Tigist Ketema (ETH) – 2:16:42
2. Mestawot Fikir (ETH) – 2:18:48
3. Bosena Mulatie (ETH) – 2:19:00
4. Ayana Aberu Mulisa (ETH) – 2:20:20
5. Ai Hosoda (JPN) – 2:20:31
6. Mizuki Matsuda (JPN) – 2:20:42
7. Calli Hauger-Thackery (GBR) – 2:21:24
8. Yebregual Melese (ETH) – 2:21:39
9. Fikrte Wereta (ETH) – 2:23:23
10. Meseret Sisay Gola (ETH) – 2:23:36
DNF. Genzebe Dibaba (ETH)
Men’s Wheelchair
1. Marcel Hug (SUI) – 1:27:18
2. David Weir (GBR) – 1:29:05
3. Geert Schipper (NED) – 1:30:33
4. Florian Brungraber (AUT) – 1:32:01
5. Lito King Anker (NED) – 1:33:53
6. Rafael Botello Jimenez (ESP) – 1:33:54
7. Sho Watanabe (JPN) – 1:33:55
8. Ludwig Malter (AUT) – 1:33:55
9. Joshua Cassidy (CAN) – 1:33:55
10. Johnboy Smith (GBR) – 1:33:57
Women’s Wheelchair
1. Catherine Debrunner (SUI) — 1:35:23
2. Susannah Scaroni (USA) – 1:38:01
3. Manuela Schar (SUI) – 1:41:14
4. Patricia Eachus (SUI) – 1:44:25
5. Alina dos Santos Rocha (BRA) – 1:44:26
6. Michelle Wheeler (USA) – 1:53:32
7. Christie Dawes (AUS) – 1:55:26
8. Lisa Schultis (SUI) -1:57:54
9. Joanna Robertson (GBR)- 2:19:37
