FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
BMW BERLIN-MARATHON: Gladys Cherono is ready for another sub 2:20
performance
The women's elite field for the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON on Sunday is ripe with
talent, featuring five runners whose personal best is under 2:25. Gladys
Cherono is the favourite among this quintet, having already won the race in
2015 with a world-class time of 2:19:25, going within 13 seconds of
breaking the course record, set in 2005 by the Japanese Mizuki Noguchi
(2:19:12). A record number of 43,852 runners from 137 countries have
entered the 44th edition of the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON. The race, the biggest
one-day sports event in Germany, is an IAAF Gold Label event and one of the
Abbott World Marathon Majors series.
Although Gladys Cherono is the only runner to have broken 2:20, four of her
rivals have gone under 2:25: the Ethiopians Amane Beriso (2:20:48), Gulume
Tollesa (2:23:12) and Ruti Aga (2:24:41) as well as the Kenyan Valary
Aiyabei (2:21:57). "It's the norm that leading women runners come to Berlin
in order to run fast and have the best chance of setting personal bests. So
we can reckon with a pace on schedule for breaking 2:20 on Sunday. It could
even be the kind of pace to threaten the course record," said race director
Mark Milde.
Gladys Cherono wants to show she is back to her best by producing a
world-class time at the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON. "I've come to Berlin to attack
my personal best," said Cherono. The 34-year-old Kenyan achieved the
fastest marathon time anywhere in the world since April 2012 with the
performance she produced in Berlin in 2015. But a lengthy period of injury
in the spring of 2016 put paid to chances of going to the Olympics. "I
couldn't run a marathon in 2016 because I had a stress fracture and feared
I might never regain top form. But now everything is ok," said Gladys
Cherono.
Another Kenyan who plans for a very fast race is Valary Aiyabei. The 26
year-old had a breakthrough performance in Prague this spring. She improved
by almost three minutes to 2:21:57 after running the first part of the race
at world record pace. It was the third marathon win in a row for Valary
Aiyabai, who recorded first places in Barcelona and Valencia in 2016. "My
aim is to equal the time I ran in Prague, but I hope for a personal best.
My husband, who is also my coach, will pace me on Sunday. He is my
everything," said Valary Aiyabai.
Another who has come to Berlin to run fast is Amane Beriso. The 25 year-old
Ethiopian holds a personal best of 2:20:48 from Dubai last year, when she
took second place. She confirmed fine form this spring when she was second
in Prague behind Valary Aiyabai in 2:22:15.
Germany's Anna Hahner admits that she is not yet at her best after a long
injury break and will not be able to challenge her personal best of
2:26:44. "But the qualification time of 2:32:00 for the European
Championships next year in Berlin is a goal," said Anna Hahner.
Swiss record holder Maja Neuenschwander hopes to produce at least a similar
performance to that of two years ago when she ran the national record of
2:26:49 in Berlin. "Conditions are always superb in Berlin. If you come
here you simply have to make use of these conditions and run as fast as
possible. I am looking forward to Sunday and may be I can run a PB," Maja
Neuenschwander said.
Elite Women with personal bests:
Gladys Cherono KEN 2:19:25
Amane Beriso ETH 2:20:48
Valary Aiyabei KEN 2:21:57
Gulume Tollesa ETH 2:23:12
Ruti Aga ETH 2:24:41
Helen Tola ETH 2:25:04
Anna Incerti ITA 2:25:32
Anna Hahner GER 2:26:44
Maja Neuenschwander SUI 2:26:49
Sonia Samuels GBR 2:28:04
Caterina Ribeiro POR 2:30:10
Catherine Bertone ITA 2:30:19
Azucena Diaz ESP 2:31:45
Lily Partridge GBR 2:32:10
Media Schedule 2017 BMW BERLIN-MARATHON
Sep 22
10 am
- Press conference elite wheelchair competitors and Handbikers:
Marcel Hug, Manuela Schär (both SUI), Chritiane Reppe, Alhassane Baldé
(both GER)
- Afterwards press conference Elite runners
Eliud Kipchoge, Wilson Kipsang (both KEN), Kenenisa Bekele (ETH), Phlilipp
Pflieger (GER)
Sep 22
2 pm
- Photo call near the starting line (direction victory column)
Gladys Cherono, Valary Aiyabei (both KEN), Amane Beriso (ETH), Anna Hahner,
Eliud Kipchoge, Wilson Kipsang (both KEN), Kenenisa Bekele (ETH), Phlilipp
Pflieger (GER)
- Afterwards photo call near the Starting Line(direction victory column)
Guinness World Record candidates in costumes
Sep 22
6.30 pm
- Meet the world record challengers (Hall of Fame - Ebertstr./ Straße des
17. Juni near Brandenburg Gate)
Eliud Kipchoge, Wilson Kipsang (beide KEN), Kenenisa Bekele (ETH)
Sep 23
12 noon
- BMW kids press conference
School Kids (Mühlenau School) together with Lisa Hahner, Uta Pippig an
Heinz Frei
Sep 23
appr.
6.30 pm
- Press conference results inline skating
winners of the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON Inline Skating 2017
Sep 24
appr.
12.30 pm
- Press conference results running, wheelchair competition and Handbikers
winners of the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON 2017
All press conferences are located in the Hotel InterContinental
(Budapester Straße 2, 10787 Berlin).
Media Guide Online
The Media Guide of the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON
contains info and statistics including potraits of elite runners.
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