Press Release - Berlin Marathon - 9/25/05

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
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           Mizuki Noguchi breaks course- and Asian record at 
                          real,- BERLIN-MARATHON

      Philip Manyim wins the race with 39,882 runners and walkers. 
                      Heinz Frei got his 100th victory


Mizuki Noguchi won the 32nd real,- BERLIN-MARATHON with a new course- and 
Asian record. The 27-year-old Japanese clocked 2:19:12 hours and broke the 
course record of her countrywomen Yoko Shibui (2:19:41) by 29 seconds. 
Fastest male runner was the Kenyan Philip Manyim in 2:07:41 hours. The 
27-year-old won altogether 47,500 €, while Mizuki Noguchi earned 70.000 
Euro.

A record number of 39.882 runners from 103 nations were running at the 32nd 
edition of the real,- BERLIN-MARATHON. The race established itself as 
fourth biggest marathon in the world. Berlin is number one if you add 
wheelchairs, handbikers and inline-skaters (48,170 athletes). On Sunday 
there was also the real,- MINI-MARATHON with 9,312 participants. More than 
one million people lined the course.

Mizuki Noguchi became the third best marathon runner of all times (behind 
Radcliffe and Ndereba) and was running the sixth fastest time ever. 
Furthermore it is the second best time of the year. With temporary good 
conditions, but at to warm weather at the end, Luminita Zaituc (Germany) 
finished second in 2:27:34 hours. Zaituc had to stop a few k before the 
finish, due to cramps. Third place went to Asale Tafa (Ethiopia) in 
2:28:27, while Melanie Kraus (Germany) was fourth in 2:34:23.

While Japan’s women had the sixth victory in a row in Berlin, while Kenya’s 
men got the seventh victory in a row in the most spectacular road race in 
Germany. In doing so, the Kenyans reached the first five places. Runner up 
was Peter Chebet in 2:08:58, and third place was taken by Jackson Koech 
(2:09:07).

In the wheelchair race Heinz Frei produced a great victory. The Suisse won 
in 1:28:32 and was celebrating a unique jubilee in the wheelchair sport: It 
was his 100th marathon victory in his career. Since 1985 he won in Berlin already 16 times out of 19 participations. Fastest women was Edith Hunkeler (Schuisse) in 1:49:46. In the handbiker race Wim Decleir winners were (Belgium/1:13:32) and Andrea Eskau (Germany/1:15:50).


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