News Archive

Gete Wami (Ethiopa): „I’m looking forward to the real,-BERLIN-MARATHON. I’m fit and have had three to four months’ preparation for Berlin. After I had my daughter Eva in 2003, I didn’t feel quite as strong as before. My legs couldn’t do what they used to.My aim here is run under 2:20 – and if the weather is right and I feel right, I’ll be going for that kind of time. I’m looking forward to the contest between myself and Salina Kosgei. On Sunday we’ll be rivals but otherwise, and this applies to...

The US-American Deena Kastor set four US records at the Vattenfall BERLIN HALF MARATHON which she finished second: She clocked 67:34 minutes in the half marathon which was also a new continental record. The Olympic bronze medallist from Athens 2004 passed 12 km in 38:24 minutes, 10 miles in 51:31 and 20 km in 64:07. The 33 year-old will compete as a favourite at the Flora London Marathon on April 23rd.

Michael Rotich who three years ago on his last appearance set a course record of two hours six minutes and 33seconds, will be severely tested to win Sunday's 30th Paris International Marathon. The 23-year-old Kenyan faces over a dozen confident challengers not only from his own country but in particular other African nations.

Deena Kastor, the 2004 Olympic bronze medallist in the marathon, will compete for the first time in Berlin when she runs in Sunday’s Vattenfall Half-Marathon. The American record holder with a time of 67:53, set in Philadelphia on September 19 last year, she was in relaxed mood when she met the press shortly after flying in from Newark on Friday morning.

If anyone doubted that Paul Kosgei could regain the top flight as a distance runner, those doubts were disproved when the 2002 world champion for the distance won the Vattenfall BERLIN HALF MARATHON on Sunday. Kosgei broke the Kenyan record with 59:07, 22 seconds ahead of his compatriot Evans Cheruiyot. Only Haile Gebrselassie with 58:55 at Tempe in the USA on January 15 has run faster this year and that is a performance awaiting ratification as a world record. Kosgei also bettered the Berlin...

A dominant Kenenisa Bekele completing a fifth IAAF World Cross Country long and short course double in Fukuoka on Sunday suggested he might never again grace the championships meeting. The 23-year-old Ethiopian star after collecting a tenth senior individual gold medal - he also won the 2001 junior title - said after his awesome string of successes, this was likely to be his last appearance. "I cannot achieve anything new, I am leaning towards not competing at the World Cross Country any more,"...

Please go to the German section of the web page to folow the live ticker of the 26th Vattenfall BERLINER HALBMARATHON today. The live ticker will partly be in English as well.

Paul Kosgei is the athlete with the most impressive credentials in the Vattenfall Berlin Half-Marathon on Sunday. The 27-year-old Kenyan used to be a steeplechaser, ran a junior world record and finished seventh at the 1999 World Championships in Seville. Two years later at the World Championships in Edmonton he was again seventh, this time over 10,000 metres. In 2002 he was African champion for the distance as well as second at the Commonwealth Games in Manchester. He was equally successful in...

On April 2, the Vattenfall BERLIN HALF MARATHON will thus have its most elite women’s field in its history. In addition to the US record-holder Deena Kastor (personal best: 67:53) and Edith Masai, who also has the exactly identical time as the American, the current fastest German female half marathoner will also be in the field: Luminita Zaituc (LG Braunschweig) won in 2005 with a time of 71:04, but she hopes to be able to improve that time this year.

Sunday’s Vattenfall BERLIN HALF MARATHON could well become the biggest race of its kind ever seen in Germany. About 20,000 athletes are expected to take part in what will be Berlin’s big opener of the new road running season. Among them will be runners and walkers, inline skaters, wheelchair athletes and handbikers. A top class field will be running, headed by Deena Kastor (USA) and Paul Kosgei (Kenya).

On Sunday the 26th Vattenfall BERLIN HALF MARATHON will be started with a new participation record and an international elite field. While there were 18,331 athletes in last year’s edition, there will be an expected figure of around 20,000 this year. With that the Vattenfall BERLIN HALF MARATHON is the seventh biggest race of its kind in the world. Among the total number are runners as well as walker, wheelchair athletes, hand biker and inline skater.

Rüdiger Otto (Managing Director of SCC-RUNNING)

„The number of participants of the Vattenfall BERLIN HALF MARATHON will increase once more. We expect about 20,000 participants – in 1998 we had 3,500. This year we don’t celebrate a jubilee, but 25 years ago the history of the Vattenfall BERLIN HALFMARATHON started.”

Kenya’s Top runner Paul Kosgei will run the 26th Vattenfall BERLIN HALF MARATHON on 2nd April. The 27 year-old was World Champion in this event four years ago. Organiser SCC-RUNNING expects a record participation of over 18,500 participants at the Vattenfall BERLIN HALF MARATHON. Among the runners are inline skaters, walkers, Nordic walkers, wheelchairs and handbikers. „We are happy that we were able to commit him to our race, because Paul Kosgei is an absolute world-class runner,” explained...

With a new name but the same partner, the Vattenfall BERLIN HALF MARATHON for Inline Skaters has now become the most important national race at the start of the season. On April 2, 2006, about 2,000 professionals and skate-for-fun athletes are expected on the 21.0795 km course through the heart of the capital. As a special service, the event organisers are offering free training on the great skating road, Kronprinzessinnenweg. In addition, you are invited to have your gear checked at the INLINE...

Olympic 5000 metres silver medallist Isabella Ochichi suffered a shock defeat at the Kenyan trials for this year's IAAF World Cross Country Championships. Ochichi despite some good showings on the European circuit this winter, underwent her heaviest defeat on home soil in Nairobi. The pre-race favourite and two-times world cross bronze medallist, was well off the pace when placing fifth in the four kilometres short course race.

The numerous musical activities with approximately 60 bands and choirs along the course of the real,- BERLIN MARATHON are primarily due to his efforts. It is not without cause that he (together with Stefan Berker) runs the jazz club "Kunstfabrik Schlot", where much of the music is at home.

Both men are marathon runners, and together they are the fastest marathon pair from one jazz club, worldwide. It is thus understandable that John Kunkeler’s newest initiative

is a night run he leads,...

Germany’s big road running organiser SCC-RUNNING, who for example stages the real,- BERLIN-MARATHON and the Vattenfall BERLIN HALF MARATHON, has had another record year. In 2005 a total of 140,450 athletes have registered for the 20 events held in Berlin. It was the first time SCC-RUNNING had more than 140,000 athletes within one year.