World record in the men's event, course record in the women's race and 45,000 champions at the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON 2022.

+++ Eliud Kipchoge (KEN) runs the marathon in 2:01:09 hours to post a world record +++ 2:15:37 for Tigist Assefa (ETH) significantly improves the course record +++ 45,000 athletes competing in the capital city +++

Berlin. The 48th BMW BERLIN-MARATHON proved to be one for the history books. Ideal conditions saw remarkable records set in the women’s and men’s events. The winners were all the 45,000 athletes who completed the 42-kilometre distance, encouraged and cheered on by countless fans along the route.

“Congratulations to all the athletes who mastered the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON 2022 and produced an outstanding sporting performance,” said Stefan Teuchert, Head of BMW Group Germany. “The BMW Group is title partner for the 11th time and is proud to be contributing to the success of this special event in the capital city, which brings together so many people from all around the world. We would like to express our gratitude to everyone whose passionate involvement makes the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON such a unique event: our partner SCC EVENTS, the 7,500 volunteers and all the fans along the route.”

From the word go, 37-year-old Kipchoge left no-one in any doubt that he is in great form and has his sights firmly set on his personal best, which is also the world record. The two-time Olympic champion completed the first half of the race in under an hour. He was unable to maintain this speed all the way to the finish line, but the timer on the BMW i4 pace car stopped at 2:01:09 hours – exactly half a minute quicker than Kipchoge’s previous world record time at the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON 2018. The Kenyan runner has now triumphed four times in Berlin and shares the title of record winner with Ethiopia’s Haile Gebrselassie.

“The fans along the route in Berlin are the best, it was wonderful to be running here again. Of course, I am overjoyed with my time – and very pleased with my preparations and my team, as I would never have managed it without them,” said Kipchoge, who had another message to send: “Let’s all keep running. Together, there is nothing we cannot achieve.”

The performance given by Ethopia’s Tigist Assefa was no less impressive. The 28-year-old had started the race as an outsider with a personal best of 2:34:01, before running the race of her life to win in 2:15:37 hours. This result pulverised the previous course record (2:18:11, Gladys Cherono, KEN) and was the third-fastest time ever run by a woman in the marathon.

Assefa was followed by Rosemary Wanjiru (KEN) and Tigist Abayechew (ETH) in second and third places, while the men's podium was completed by Mark Korir (KEN) and Tadu Abate (ETH). The best German runner in the men's event was Haftom Weldey (2:09:06), who crossed the line in eleventh place, while the fastest German woman was Florentine Beese (2:46:07).

In the women’s handbike event, there was a German top-three lock-out to celebrate. Katrin Möller triumphed ahead of Yvonne Pijahn and Annett Zenker-Urban. Victory in the men’s event went to France’s Joseph Fritsch. Vico Merklein and Johannes Herter from Germany crossed the line in second and third positions.

The fastest man in the wheelchair race was Marcel Hug. The Swiss racer crossed the line ahead of Daniel Romanchuk (USA) and David Weir (GBR). Catherine Debrunner (SUI) won the women’s event, with Manuela Schär (SUI) and Susannah Scaroni (USA) completing the podium.

As title partner, the BMW Group supported the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON with 55 course and organisational vehicles. These included the fully-electric BMW i4, BMW iX and BMW iX3 (electric power consumption combined: 18.9 – 18.5 kWh/100 km; CO2 emissions combined: 0 g/km as per WLTP) cars, as well as the BMW CE 04 electric scooter manufactured at the BMW Group Plant Berlin.