Ethiopian rival to challenge Rosemary Wanjiru's bid for another Berlin Marathon title
Reading Time: 3min | Fri. 19.06.26. | 21:38
The 31-year-old is among the star names who will highlight the women's elite race in September
Kenyan runner Rosemary Wanjiru will return to the Berlin Marathon this year, as she aims to defend the title she won last year.
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Wanjiru, 31, is among the star women names, who have been confirmed for the race scheduled for Sunday, 27 September.
The Tokyo Marathon champion, who made her marathon debut in Berlin four years ago, will for a second year running headline the elite women’s race, looking to build on her phenomenal win in difficult conditions last year.
Then, Wanjiru claimed victory in challenging hot conditions, overcoming extreme exhaustion to win in a time 2:21.05.
Her challenge to win back-to-back editions will be made all the more challenging, with the presence of other star names including: women-only world record-holder Tigst Assefa, and her Ethiopian compatriot Amane Beriso.
Olympic silver medalist Assefa lands in Berlin on the back of her sensational 2:15.41 record time at the London Marathon earlier this year, which shattered the history books for a women-only marathon (without male pacemakers).
"It is a great pleasure for me to return to the streets of Berlin three years after setting my world record here in 2023,” Assefa, who once held the world record after running 2:11.53, said. “I am excited to once again try to break the world record.”
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Beriso, on the other hand, arrives in Berlin after a difficult one year, which saw her deal with a number of injuries.
The 34-year-old, who notably ran a sensational 2:14.58 at the 2022 Valencia Marathon, last ran a marathon last year, finishing fifth in the Boston Marathon in a time of 2:21:58.
In Berlin, she hopes to finally put the injury woes behind her.
Meanwhile, home favorite Esther Pfeiffer will look to move into the top five on the German all-time list, when she also lines up at Brandenburg Gate.
The 28-year-old will look to make a statement on what will be her first serious marathon campaign, having last raced the distance back in Cologne in 2023, running 2:37.00.
Around 60,000 athletes from approximately 160 countries are expected to participate in the German capital, including runners, wheelchair competitors, handbikers and inline skaters.
"The BMW Berlin Marathon 2026 once again promises to be an event of superlatives,” Race Director Mark Milde said. “Around 60,000 participants from approximately 160 nations reflect the extraordinary international appeal of this race.
We are particularly excited about the outstanding women's elite field, with athletes such as Tigst Assefa, Amane Beriso and defending champion Rosemary Wanjiru all set to deliver a thrilling competition. From a German perspective, Esther Pfeiffer's continued development will also be fascinating to watch. Berlin remains the stage for records, emotions and remarkable sporting achievements.”