East African Athletes Dominate 2023 Berlin Marathon

Ethiopia’s Tigist Assefa set a new women’s marathon word record of 2:11:53, and Kenya’s Eliud Kipchoge won it for the fifth time as athletes from East Africa dominated the 2023 Berlin Marathon held on Sunday.

Assefa broke away from the field after 17km and, helped on by male pacemakers, proceeded to take more than two minutes off the world record of 2:14:04, set by Kenya’s Brigid Kosgei at the 2019 Chicago Marathon. Kenya’s Chepkirui came in second in 2:17:49, while Tanzania’s Magdalena Shauri took third place in 2:18:41, a national record.

“I am very happy," Assefa said. "I wanted to break the marathon world record, but I couldn't imagine that it would result in a time under 2:12."

A former 800m specialist, the 26-year-old only started racing marathons in April last year. This was her 3rd marathon, and initially it was thought her inexperience would work against her.

Kipchoge finished more than 30 seconds ahead of another Kenyan, Vincent Kipkemboi, as he won the men’s marathon for a record 5th time. He ran most of the race with Ethiopia’s Derseh Kindie, the duo breaking away from the pack just after 5km. But Kindie soon faded and later dropped out of the race. Ethiopia’s Tadese Takele took 3rd place.

“To be the first one winning the Berlin Marathon five times is something that I could only dream of,” a weary Kipchoge said after the race. “We have so much history together whereby I cannot put into words the feeling I get when running these streets. Thank you to all the fans out on the course today.”

Assefa won a total of $85,000, which included a $50,000 bonus for the world record. Kipchoge got $31,000 for first place. 48,000 runners from 156 countries took part in the event.

The East Africans’ dominance was almost total, with only one German runner, Amanal Petros, appearing on the Top Ten men’s finishers, coming in at 9th place. The Top Ten included 6 Kenyans and 3 Ethiopians.

In the women’s category Britain’ Charlotte Purdue came in ninth to be the only non-East African in the women’s Top Ten,which had 7 Ethiopians, one Kenyan and one Tanzanian.

The Berlin Marathon is a Platinum Label event, one of six marathons that World Athletics has designated as one of the ‘leading road races around the world’ in 2023. Others are  Tokyo, Boston, London, Chicago and New York. Tokyo (March), Boston (April) and London (April) have already been held; Chicago will be held in October, while New York will be in November.

All the four major marathons held so far this year have been won by East Africans, apart from the women’s London marathon, won by Netherlands’ Sifan Hassan, who was born in Ethiopia.

Ethiopia’s Deso Gelmisa won this year’s men’s Tokyo marathon, with Kenya’s Rosemary Wanjiru winning for women. Boston saw a Kenyan sweep, with Evans Chebet the men’s champion and Hellen Obiri for the women. Kenya’s Kelvin Kiptum won the men’s London marathon, with Hassan winning the women’s version.

Meanwhile Uganda’s top running club, Team Matooke, sent a squad of 20 runners, which included 4 women. Robert Ssozi was the fastest, coming in at a time of 2:59:58 in 2,952th place.