Ethiopian stalwarts headline 2021 Berlin Marathon entries

Ethiopian legend Kenenisa Bekele will be the top dog at the 2021 Berlin Marathon penciled for the last weekend of September.

An impressive field of runners have equally confirmed participation in the German capital including Kenyan road runners Eliud Kiptanui and Philemon Kacheran.

Kenensia Bekele, who missed the world record by just two seconds with his top time of 2:01:41 hours at the 2019 Berlin Marathon, is not the only Ethiopian with ambitions of winning.

His compatriot Guye Adola who in 2017 finished second at the race on the Spree River with an excellent time of 2:03:46 hours for his debut marathon, posing a real challenge for the winner, Eliud Kipchoge is ranked 2nd among the 2021 entrants.

Completing the Ethiopian triumvirate is Olika Adugna, who is only 22.

He surprised everyone in his first 42.195 km competition on the streets of Dubai with a victory in 2:06:15 hours, signaling to the established long-distance running world that there is promise of more to come.

Women’s field

In the women’s field, Ethiopian Hiwot Gebrekidan presents herself as the clear favourite with her best time under 2:20 hours achieved at this year’s Milan Marathon (2:19:35).

Purity Rionoripo (KEN) with a best time of 2:20:39, Amane Beriso (ETH) with 2:20:48 as well as Shure Demise (ETH) with 2:20:59 all have the potential to approach or even beat the magic threshold of 2:20 hours.

The distribution of the top spots in the women’s event remains highly exciting. Rabea Schöneborn of LG Nord Berlin was scheduled as a substitute runner for the German marathon team at the Olympic Games. She did not get to compete in Japan.

Now she wants to perform in her hometown. Just how serious she is about it is signaled by her new best time of 1:10:35 recently achieved at the Berlin Half Marathon.

Hiwot Gebrekidan ETH 2:19:35

Purity Rionoripo KEN 2:20:39

Amane Beriso ETH 2:20:48

Shure Demise ETH 2:20:59

Ruth Chebitok KEN 2:23:29

Betelhem Moges ETH 2:23:38

Rabea Schöneborn GER 2:27:03

Iwona Bernadelli POL 2:27:47

Laura Hottenrott GER 2:28:02

Munkhzaya Bayartsogt MGL 2:28:03

Martina Strähl SUI 2:28:07

Izabela Paszkiewicz POL 2:28:12

Edith Chelimo KEN 2:29:03

Beatie Deutsch ISR 2:31:39

Men’s field

Kenenisa Bekele ETH 2:01:41

Guye Adola ETH 2:03:36

Eliud Kiptanui KEN 2:05:21

Philemon Kacheran KEN 2:06:05

Festus Talam KEN 2:06:13

Tadu Abate ETH 2:06:13

Olika Adunga ETH 2:06:15

Tesfaye Lencho ETH 2:06:18

Hidekazu Hijikata JPN 2:06:26

Michael Njenga KEN 2:06:43

Okbay Tsegay ERI 2:06:46

Kazuki Muramoto JPN 2:07:36

Benard Kimeli KEN Debut