Kandie headlines Berlin Marathon that excludes serial winners Eliud Kipchoge, Kenenisa Bekele

BMW Berlin Marathon men’s elite field will, for the first time since 2014, feature a field that does not include either of running greats Eliud Kipchoge or Kenenisa Bekele.

Kibiwott Kandie headlines the list in the race set for Thursday 29 September. 

This is a reflection of how the running landscape has changed in the last decade as the two are now in their sunset years on the road, if their Paris Olympics is anything to go by. 

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However, elite Race Director of the marathon where most world records (13) have been broken, Mark Milde, is confident not much will change regarding the outcome. 

Although world-records will not be the target in September, the jubilee race could well deliver extraordinary fast times yet again. 

More than 50,000 runners, a new record, are expected to run the 50th edition of the race, that saw its first edition back in 1974 with 244 finishers. 

Kandie, a former world half marathon record holder with a personal best of 57:32 is looking to extend that form in the classic distance.

The 28-year-old, who has a current personal best (PB) of 2:04:48 and was inspired by former Berlin world record breaker Paul Tergat, is one of half a dozen runners who feature very strong personal bests of sub 2:05:00. 

He faces stiff competition from Ethiopia’s Tadese Takele, a 2:03:24 runner who is the fastest on paper and finished third last year. Also expected to mount a challenge for Kandie is compatriot Ronald Korir (2:04:22) who placed fourth last year. Both men ran their PB in this race. 

Meanwhile, Kenya’s Cybrian Kotut, a younger brother of former Abbott World Marathon Majors Champion Martin Lel, will make his Berlin debut. 

Kotut features a PB of 2:04:34. Ethiopians Hailemaryam Kiros (2:04:41) and Bazezew Asmare (2:04:57) are the other two runners with sub 2:05 PBs. 

Another runner who could challenge for a place on the podium is Samwel Mailu. The Kenyan smashed the course record of the Vienna City Marathon last year with 2:05:08. 

Due to an injury the bronze medalist from the 2023 World Half Marathon Championships was unable to compete this spring.

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Elite men

Tadese Takele ETH 2:03:24

Ronald Korir KEN 2:04:22

Cybrian Kotut KEN 2:04:34

Hailemaryam Kiros ETH 2:04:41

Kibiwott Kandie KEN 2:04:48

Bazezew Asmare ETH 2:04:57

Samwel Mailu KEN 2:05:08

Milkesa Mengesha ETH 2:05:29

Haymanot Alew ETH 2:05:30

Philimon Kipchumba KEN 2:05:35

Stephen Kiprop KEN 2:07:04