Kenya’s Wanjiru Leads Strong Field of Women in Berlin Marathon
In what promises to be a fiercely competitive race, Kenya’s Rosemary Wanjiru is set to lead the women’s elite field in the upcoming Berlin Marathon on September 29, 2024.
Wanjiru will be up against a formidable lineup that includes Ethiopia’s Tigist Ketema, who has established herself as a marathon powerhouse with a personal best of 2:16:07, making her the ninth-fastest woman in marathon history. Wanjiru, not far behind, holds the tenth spot with her 2:16:14 finish in Tokyo earlier this year.
Wanjiru’s impressive credentials include a second-place finish in Tokyo, where she ran 2:16:14, and a victory in the Tokyo Marathon last year.
She also made her Berlin debut in 2022, where she finished second with a time of 2:18:00. On the other hand, Ketema made headlines with her stunning 2:16:07 marathon debut in Dubai, marking her as one of the athletes to watch.
Joining these two top contenders on the start line are other Ethiopian elites like Genzebe Dibaba (2:18:05), Yebrugal Melese (2:19:36), and a strong group including Mestawot Fikir, Azmera Gebru, and Sisay Gola. Japan’s Mizuki Matsuda also enters the race with a personal best of 2:20:52, adding more depth to the competition.
With 13 world records set in Berlin, including the 2:11:53 by Tigist Assefa in last year’s race, this year’s event could see yet another record-breaking performance. As Wanjiru and Ketema battle it out, the world will be watching to see if one of them can etch their name in the history books.
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Kenya’s Wanjiru Leads Strong Field of Women in Berlin Marathon
