09/05/2024 BMW BERLIN-MARATHON

Top class skaters, handbikers and wheelchair athletes at the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON

World class skaters
Top handbikers
Wheelchair athletes
Media accreditation

The top national and international runners from around the world will be coming to the German capital. Tadese Takele, Ronald Korir and Kibiwott Kandie are among those competing in the men's race. Tigist Ketema, Genzebe Dibaba and Yebregual Melese are among the favourites in the women's race (for more information, see press release from 15.08.2024). Melat Kejeta, Sebastian Hendel, Johannes Motschmann, Hendrik Pfeiffer and Haftom Welday are the names of the national leaders (for details, see press release from 29/08/2024). But the fields of skaters, wheelchair athletes and handbikers are also extremely impressive.

Skating men: Jason Suttles against Bart Swings

The men's inline skating race is particularly eagerly awaited. Last year's winner Jason Suttels and the eight-time winner of the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON Bart Swings will be competing against each other. The Belgian Bart Swings (Team Powerslide) is well known in Berlin. Two years ago, the recent Olympic speed skating champion was inducted into the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON Hall of Fame. Two years ago, he set a fantastic course record in Berlin on rollers in 56:46 minutes. In 2023, he ‘only’ finished second. After his compatriot and team-mate Jason Suttels had done most of the leading work on the course, he respectfully left the top spot on the podium to him when they crossed the finish line together. The aim this year will once again be to secure victory for the Powerslide team together with Felix Rijhnen. However, the Rollerblade Speed Team also has some well-known riders: Patxi Peula (ESP), Matteo Barison (ITA) as well as Severin Widmer and Nicolas Iten from Switzerland are coming to Berlin

Skating women: Rueda, Arias, Dupuy and Hofmann

Last year's first-place finishers will also be competing in the women's event. Gabriela Rueda (COL) crowned her first participation in Berlin 2023 with first place straight away. Both Karoll Eliana Garcia Arias (COL) and Marie Dupuy (FRA), last year's second and third place finishers, will be going for victory again. From a German perspective, Josie Hofmann (Powerslide) has justified hopes. Katharina Rijhnen (formerly Rumpus) was the last German to top the podium in 2018. But Lianne van Loon (NED/Doubleff) and Alicia Delhommais (FRA/Rollerblade) also have good prospects going into the race.

Top class hand cyclists and wheelchair athletes straight after the Paralympics

Last year's Berlin winner (in a world record time of 1:34:16 hours) in the wheelchair category, Catherine Debrunner, won the New York City Marathon in November 2023 with a course record, then followed it up with another triumph at the TCS London Marathon in April this year - and has already won three gold medals at the 2024 Paralympics in Paris in her first races before the upcoming marathon. The Swiss athlete also wants to be the fastest at the anniversary in Berlin. Her compatriot Manuela Schär, the six-time BMW BERLIN-MARATHON winner, will try to challenge her for victory. She too has already won a gold medal for Switzerland at the recent Paralympics. Spectators can look forward to an exciting duel. For the exceptional Swiss athlete Marcel Hug, Berlin has also become something of a home track. The wheelchair racing pro from Pfyn in Switzerland has dominated the races in the Abbott World Marathon Majors series for several years now and is the clear favourite for the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON. Marcel Hug has also already won two silver medals at the ongoing Paralympics in Paris. He will be joined at the start by David Weir and Jetze Plat, who will be trying to keep their noses in front. Julia Dierkesmann (GER), Katrin Möller (GER), Yvonne Pijahn (GER), Heinz Frei (SUI) and Vico Merklein, who have all won at least once in Berlin, will be competing in the handcycling event.