Berlin Marathon

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Written by Adam Augustyn

Fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last Updated: Oct 1, 2024 • Article History

Key People:: Eliud Kipchoge

Related Topics:: marathon; running

Notable Honorees:: Kenenisa Bekele

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Berlin Marathon, annual 26.2-mile (42.2-km) footrace through the streets of Berlin that traditionally takes place in late September. The Berlin Marathon is considered to have the fastest course of the world’s six major marathons—a group that also includes the New York City, Boston, Chicago, London, and Tokyo marathons—and it has been the site of numerous world-record times since it was first held in 1974.

The route of the Berlin Marathon was restricted to West Berlin until the 1990 marathon, which took place just three days before German reunification. The current course begins in Tiergarten and circles through the city before ending near its beginning at the Brandenburg Gate. Ethiopia’s Haile Gebrselassie has won the most Berlin Marathons, four, and the women’s record for victories is three, shared by Renata Kokowska of Poland and Uta Pippig of Germany.

Winners of the Berlin Marathon are provided in the table.

Assorted sports balls including a basketball, football, soccer ball, tennis ball, baseball and others.

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Berlin Marathon
year	men	hr:min:sec	women	hr:min:sec
*A second Berlin Marathon was run in 1977 and served as the West German national championship.
1974	Günter Hallas (W.Ger.)	2:44:53	Jutta von Haase (W.Ger.)	3:22:01
1975	Raif Bochröder (W.Ger.)	2:47:08	Kristin Bochröder (W.Ger.)	3:59:15
1976	Ingo Sensburg (W.Ger.)	2:23:08	Ursula Blaschke (W.Ger.)	3:04:12
1977	Norman Wilson (U.K.)	2:16:20	Angelika Brandt (W.Ger.)	3:10:27
1977*	Günter Mielke (W.Ger.)	2:15:19	Christa Vahlensieck (W.Ger.)	2:34:48
1978	Michael Spöttel (W.Ger.)	2:20:03	Ursula Blaschke (W.Ger.)	2:57:09
1979	Ingo Sensburg (W.Ger.)	2:21:09	Jutta von Haase (W.Ger.)	3:07:07
1980	Ingo Sensburg (W.Ger.)	2:16:48	Gerlinde Püttmann (W.Ger.)	2:47:18
1981	Ian Ray (U.K.)	2:15:42	Angelika Stephan (W.Ger.)	2:47:24
1982	Domingo Tibaduiza (Colom.)	2:14:46	Jean Lockhead (U.K.)	2:47:05
1983	Karel Lismont (Belg.)	2:13:37	Karen Holdsworth (U.K.)	2:40:32
1984	John Skovbjerg (Den.)	2:13:35	Agnes Jakab (Hung.)	2:39:32
1985	James Ashworth (U.K.)	2:11:43	Magda Ilands (Belg.)	2:34:10
1986	Bogusław Psujek (Pol.)	2:11:03	Charlotte Teske (W.Ger.)	2:32:10
1987	Suleiman Nyambui (Tanz.)	2:11:11	Kerstin Pressler (W.Ger.)	2:31:22
1988	Suleiman Nyambui (Tanz.)	2:11:45	Renata Kokowska (Pol.)	2:29:16
1989	Alfredo Shahanga (Tanz.)	2:10:11	Paivi Tikkanen (Fin.)	2:28:45
1990	Steve Moneghetti (Austl.)	2:08:16	Uta Pippig (E.Ger.)	2:28:37
1991	Steve Brace (U.K.)	2:10:57	Renata Kokowska (Pol.)	2:27:36
1992	David Tsebe (S.Af.)	2:08:07	Uta Pippig (E.Ger.)	2:30:22
1993	Xolile Yawa (S.Af.)	2:10:57	Renata Kokowska (Pol.)	2:26:20
1994	António Pinto (Port.)	2:08:31	Katrin Dörre-Heinig (Ger.)	2:25:15
1995	Sammy Lelei (Kenya)	2:07:02	Uta Pippig (Ger.)	2:25:37
1996	Abel Anton (Spain)	2:09:15	Colleen De Reuck (S.Af.)	2:26:35
1997	Elijah Lagat (Kenya)	2:07:41	Catherina McKiernan (Ire.)	2:23:44
1998	Ronaldo da Costa (Braz.)	2:06:05	Marleen Renders (Belg.)	2:25:22
1999	Josephat Kiprono (Kenya)	2:06:44	Tegla Loroupe (Kenya)	2:20:43
2000	Simon Biwott (Kenya)	2:07:42	Matsuo Kazumi (Japan)	2:26:15
2001	Joseph Ngolepus (Kenya)	2:08:47	Takahashi Naoko (Japan)	2:19:46
2002	Raymond Kipkoech (Kenya)	2:06:47	Takahashi Naoko (Japan)	2:21:49
2003	Paul Tergat (Kenya)	2:04:55	Hashimoto Yasuko (Japan)	2:26:32
2004	Felix Limo (Kenya)	2:06:44	Shibui Yoko (Japan)	2:19:41
2005	Philip Manyim (Kenya)	2:07:41	Noguchi Mizuki (Japan)	2:19:12
2006	Haile Gebrselassie (Eth.)	2:05:56	Gete Wami (Eth.)	2:21:34
2007	Haile Gebrselassie (Eth.)	2:04:26	Gete Wami (Eth.)	2:23:17
2008	Haile Gebrselassie (Eth.)	2:03:59	Irina Mikitenko (Ger.)	2:19:19
2009	Haile Gebrselassie (Eth.)	2:06:08	Atsede Habtamu Besuye (Eth.)	2:24:47
2010	Patrick Makau Musyoki (Kenya)	2:05:08	Aberu Kebede (Eth.)	2:23:58
2011	Patrick Makau Musyoki (Kenya)	2:03:38	Florence Kiplagat (Kenya)	2:19:44
2012	Geoffrey Mutai (Kenya)	2:04:15	Aberu Kebede (Eth.)	2:20:30
2013	Wilson Kipsang (Kenya)	2:03:23	Florence Kiplagat (Kenya)	2:21:13
2014	Dennis Kimetto (Kenya)	2:02:57	Tirfi Tsegaye (Eth.)	2:20:18
2015	Eliud Kipchoge (Kenya)	2:04:00	Gladys Cherono (Kenya)	2:19:25
2016	Kenenisa Bekele (Eth.)	2:03:03	Aberu Kebede (Eth.)	2:20:45
2017	Eliud Kipchoge (Kenya)	2:03:32	Gladys Cherono (Kenya)	2:20:23
2018	Eliud Kipchoge (Kenya)	2:01:39	Gladys Cherono (Kenya)	2:18:11
2019	Kenenisa Bekele (Eth.)	2:01:41	Ashete Bekere (Eth.)	2:20:14
2020	not held
2021	Guye Adola (Eth.)	2:05:45	Gotytom Gebreslase (Eth.)	2:20:09
2022	Eliud Kipchoge (Kenya)	2:01:09	Tigist Assefa (Eth.)	2:15:37
2023	Eliud Kipchoge (Kenya)	2:02:42	Tigist Assefa (Eth.)	2:11:53

Adam Augustyn