BERLIN, (Sept 21) – The BMW Berlin Marathon, one of the most prestigious long-distance running events in the world, is gearing up for an extraordinary showcase of both elite and mass participation sports.
How to watch the Berlin Marathon
Television Coverage The event will be broadcast on Eurosport 1 and RBB, covering various countries, including Germany and Austria. The Berlin Marathon 2023 is a World Athletics Platinum Label Road Race takes place on Sunday, 24 September and fans in the USA can watch the coverage live on FloTrack.
Read more: 2023 Blackmores Sydney Marathon Results
The BMW Berlin Marathon serves as a qualifying event for the Olympics, adding another layer of competition among the elite athletes. With a strong field and ideal conditions, this year’s event is poised to be one of the most exciting in its history.
The event, set to take place this weekend, is expected to have a direct and indirect financial impact of around 380 million euros on the city of Berlin, according to Jürgen Lock, managing director of SCC EVENTS.
Economic and Social Impact The marathon is not just a sporting event but a significant economic driver for Berlin. Beyond the financial aspects, the engagement and commitment of Berlin’s residents play a crucial role in the event’s success.
The Marathon Expo, which opened at the former Tempelhof airport, is expected to attract around 100,000 visitors.
Weather Forecast The weather is expected to be ideal for the participants, with sunny temperatures of 20 degrees Centigrade forecasted for the Inline skaters on Saturday afternoon and an optimal 11 degrees for the runners on Sunday morning.
Special Olympians to Compete Among the participants are Special Olympians Chris Nikic from the USA and Matthias Hoffmann from north Germany.
Both athletes serve as leading examples for inclusive sport, with Hoffmann aiming to complete his marathon in less than three hours.
Record-Breaking Aspirations The women’s field is particularly strong this year, featuring seven runners with personal bests under 2:20. Defending champion and course record holder Tigst Assefa aims to break her own record, set last year at 2:15:37.
“The women’s course record of 2:15:37 is an absolute world-class time. But, given the strong field, we hope that this can be broken,” said the race director Mark Milde.
Japan’s Hitomi Niiya comes in with a personal best of 2:19:24 and is aiming to break the national record, set by Olympic champion Mizuki Noguchi when she clocked 2:19:12 on this course 18 years ago.
Also keep an eye on Ethiopian Senbere Teferi, whose best is 2:24:11 and is a world record holder for 5km on the road with 14:29.
Her Kenyan rival, Sheila Chepkirui, also has a personal best of 2:17:29 and aims to break it.
