Berlin marathon: Records, past winners, and key stats ahead of 2022 race

The Berlin marathon is tipped to return to its record-breaking ways on Sunday 25 September 2022.

Having produced 11 world marathon records, the last being Eliud Kipchoge’s 2:01:39 in 2018, Berlin has proved to be the fastest marathon in the world.

You can see if Kenya's two-time Olympic champion breaks the record once again by watching the 2022 race on Olympic Channel via Olympics.com live (territorial restrictions apply).

Here's some interesting facts on the world records that have been set on the course, the past winners since the first edition in 1974, and some of the stars including Haile Gebrselassie who won Germany's top road race over the 42.2km (26.2 mile) distance.

The Berlin marathon was founded by local baker Horst Milde who had a passion for running in 1974.

Brazilian Ronaldo da Costa set the first world record at Berlin in 1998.

When Paul Tergat became the first Kenyan man to run a world record of 2:04:55 in Berlin in 2003, that sort of marked the start of Berlin’s record history. Since then, all the six new men’s world records have been set in the German capital.

Christa Vahlensieck from the then West Germany was the first to dash to a world record of 2:34:47 at Berlin in 1977. Vahlensieck is one of only three women to break the world record in Berlin.

In 1999, celebrated Kenyan star Tegla Loroupe broke her own record, setting a time of 2:20:43 in the Berlin marathon, before Sydney 2000 Olympic champion Naoko Takahashi of Japan ran the first sub-2:20 marathon three years later in 2:19:46.

Men’s world records at Berlin marathon

1998 Ronaldo da Costa (BRA) 2:06:05

2003 Paul Tergat (KEN) 2:04:55

2007 Haile Gebrselassie (ETH) 2:04:26

2008 Haile Gebrselassie (ETH) 2:03:59

2011 Patrick Makau Musyoki (KEN 2:03:38

2013 Wilson Kipsang (KEN) 2:03:23

2014 Dennis Kimetto (KEN) 2:02:57

2018 Eliud Kipchoge (KEN) 2:01:39

2022 Eliud Kipchoge (KEN) 2:01:09

Women’s world records at Berlin marathon

1977 Christa Vahlensieck (W. GER) 2:34:48

1999 Tegla Loroupe (KEN) 2:20:43

2001 Naoko Takahashi (JAP) 2:19:46)

Haile Gebrselassie's unmatched record in the Berlin marathon

Gebrselassie, the four-time back-to-back winner has had the most success on Berlin roads. He not only won every year between 2006-2009 but also broke the world record twice.

The first was in 2007 when the double Olympic champion set a new time of 2:04:26, lowering Tergat´s world record mark set in Berlin in 2003 by a whooping 29 seconds!

The Ethiopian then became the first runner under 2:04 with his 2:03:59 in 2008.

West Germany’s Ingo Sensburg, who won it in 1976, 1979, and 1980, and Kenya's Kipchoge won the Berlin marathon three times. The current world record holder first won it in 2015 and won it consecutively in 2017 and 2018 when he set the current mark. If Kipchoge wins his fourth in another record time in 2022, he will match the Ethiopian's record in the Berlin race. Still, Gebrselassie will remain the only man to win four consecutive titles.

The 2000 edition produced a surprise winner. Kenyan Simon Biwott had entered as a pacemaker but continued for the full distance and won the title when he noticed that one of the favourites had pulled out in the second half of the race.

Jutta von Haase also from West Germany won the women’s title on three occasions (1974,1976, 1979) a feat that was matched by Kenya’s Gladys Cherono who won in 2015 and in 2017-2018.

Past Berlin marathon winners - Men

2021 Guye Adola (ETH) 2:05:45

2020 cancelled due to coronavirus pandemic

2019 Kenenisa Bekele (ETH) 2:01:41

2018 Eliud Kipchoge (KEN) 2:01:39 WR

2017 Eliud Kipchoge (KEN) 2:03:32

2016 Kenenisa Bekele (ETH) 2:03:03

2015 Eliud Kipchoge (KEN) 2:04:00

2014 Dennis Kimetto (KEN) 2:02:57 WR

2013 Wilson Kipsang (KEN) 2:03:23 WR

2012 Geoffrey Mutai (KEN)2:04:15

2011 Patrick Musyoki (KEN) 2:03:38 WR

2010 Patrick Musyoki (KEN) 2:05:08

2009 Haile Gebrselassie (ETH) 2:06:08

2008 Haile Gebrselassie (ETH) 2:03:59 WR

2007 Haile Gebrselassie (ETH) 2:04:26 WR

2006 Haile Gebrselassie (ETH) 2:05:56

2005 Philip Manyim (KEN) 2:07:41

2004 Felix Limo (KEN) 2:06:44

2003 Paul Tergat (KEN) 2:04:55 WR

2002 Raymond Kipkoech (KEN) 2:06:47

2001 Joseph Ngolepus (KEN) 2:08:47

2000 Simon Biwott (KEN) 2:07:42

1999 Josephat Kiprono (KEN) 2:06:44

1998 Ronaldo da Costa (BRA) 2:06:05 WR

1997 Elijah Lagat (KEN) 2:07:41

1996 Abel Antón (SPA)2:09:15

1995 Sammy Lelei (KEN) 2:07:02

1994 António Pinto (POR) 2:08:31

1993 Xolile Yawa (RSA) 2:10:57

1992 David Tsebe (RSA) 2:08:07

1991 Steve Brace (UK) 2:10:57

1990 Steve Moneghetti (AUS) 2:08:16

1989 Alfredo Shahanga (TAN) 2:10:11

1988 Suleiman Nyambui (TAN) 2:11:45

1987 Suleiman Nyambui (TAN) 2:11:11

1986 Bogusław Psujek (POL) 2:11:03

1985 Jimmy Ashworth (UK) 2:11:43

1984 John Skovbjerg (DEN) 2:13:35

1983 Karel Lismont (BEL) 2:13:37

1982 Domingo Tibaduiza (COL) 2:14:47

1981 Ian Ray (UK) 2:15:42

1980 Ingo Sensburg (W.GER) 2:16:48

1979 Ingo Sensburg (W.GER) 2:21:09

1978 Michael Spöttel (W.GER) 2:20:03

1977 Günter Mielke (W.GER) 2:15:19

1976 Ingo Sensburg (W.GER) 2:23:08

1975 Ralf Bochröder (W.GER) 2:47:08

1974 Günter Hallas (W.GER) 2:44:53 sa

Past Berlin marathon winners- Women

2021 Gotytom Gebreslase (ETH) 2:20:09

2020 cancelled due to coronavirus pandemic

2019 Ashete Bekere (ETH) 2:20:14

2018 Gladys Cherono (KEN) 2:18:11

2017 Gladys Cherono (KEN) 2:20:23

2016 Aberu Kebede (ETH) 2:20:45

2015 Gladys Cherono (KEN) 2:19:25

2014 Tirfi Tsegaye (KEN) 2:20:18

2013 Florence Kiplagat (KEN) 2:21:13

2012 Aberu Kebede (ETH) 2:20:30

2011 Florence Kiplagat (KEN) 2:19:44

2010 Aberu Kebede (ETH) 2:23:58

2009 Atsede Habtamu (ETH) 2:24:47

2008 Irina Mikitenko (GER) 2:19:19

2007 Gete Wami (ETH) 2:23:17

2006 Gete Wami (ETH) 2:21:34

2005 Mizuki Noguchi (JAP) 2:19:12

2004 Yoko Shibui (JAP) 2:19:41

2003 Yasuko Hashimoto (JAP)2:26:32

2002 Naoko Takahashi (JAP)2:21:49

2001 Naoko Takahashi (JAP)2:19:46 WR

2000 Kazumi Matsuo (JAP) 2:26:15

1999 Tegla Loroupe (KEN) 2:20:43 WR

1998 Marleen Renders (BEL) 2:25:22

1997 Catherina McKiernan (IRE) 2:23:44

1996 Colleen De Reuck (RSA) 2:26:35

1995 Uta Pippig (GER) 2:25:37

1994 Katrin Dörre-Heinig (GER) 2:25:15

1993 Renata Kokowska (POL) 2:26:20

1992 Uta Pippig (GER) 2:30:22

1991 Renata Kokowska (POL) 2:27:36

1990 Uta Pippig (GER) 2:28:37

1989 Päivi Tikkanen (FIN) 2:28:45

1988 Renata Kokowska (POL) 2:29:16

1987 Kerstin Preßler (W.GER) 2:31:22

1986 Charlotte Teske (W.GER) 2:32:10

1985 Magda Ilands (BEL) 2:34:10

1984 Ágnes Sipka (HUN) 2:39:32

1983 Karen Holdsworth (UK) 2:40:32

1982 Jean Lochhead (UK) 2:47:05

1981 Angelika Stephan (W.GER) 2:47:24

1980 Gerlinde Püttmann (W.GER) 2:47:18

1979 Jutta von Haase (W.GER) 3:07:07

1978 Ursula Blaschke (W.GER) 2:57:09

1977 Christa Vahlensieck (W.GER) 2:34:48 WR

1976 Jutta von Haase (W.GER) 3:05:19

1975 Kristin Bochröder (W.GER) 2:59:15

1974 Jutta von Haase (W.GER) 3:22:01