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150,000 spectators line the streets at the Bewag BERLIN HALF MARATHON

Kirui and Chepchumba win the ,Kenyan Championships

2004-04-05

The Kenyans have once again dominated the Bewag BERLIN HALF MARATHON. Triumphant at the end of the race, in which a total of 17,046 participants from 62 countries participated (including runners, inline skaters, power walkers, wheel chair and hand cyclers, as well as school kids running the Bewag 3.5 km FUN-RUN) was once again last year’s champion, Paul Kirui, in a world-class time of 60:40 minutes, ahead of the surprisingly strong debutant Salomon Bushendich (60:42). Christopher Cheboiboch (61:23) came in third. The first ten male runners all came from Kenya. The best German was Embaye Hedrit (LAC Quelle Fürth) in 15th place with a time of 66:13. The best Berliner was Sven Kersten (SCC) in 26th place in 71:25 minutes.

For the fourth time, after winning in 1999, 2000 and 2001, Joyce Chepchumba won the women’s race in the Bewag BERLIN HALF MARATHON. As did Paul Kirui, she ran the fourth best time ever in the Bewag BERLIN HALF MARATHON, with a time of 69:49 minutes. Second place went to Margaret Atudonyang (1:11:31), and third to Mary Ptikany (1:11:32). The first five female runners were all from Kenya. The best German was Susanne Ritter (LG Braunschweig) in 8th place with a time of 1:14:29. Kathrin Weßel (SCC Berlin) came in 9th in 1:14:31.

With all in all good weather conditions--only periodically strong winds hindered the top runners--a record number of about 150,000 spectators lined the city streets of Berlin. “We can be very pleased with the event,” said the new Race Director, Mark Milde. "The later starting time proved itself, with more spectators than ever before. That we just missed last year’s record number of participants (17,692 athletes) is certainly due to the fact that it is Easter vacation in Berlin,” stated Mark Milde.

The Austrian ambassador, Dr. Christian Prossl, was among the runners in Berlin. He crossed the new finish at the Berlin Cathedral in 2:26:26 hours in 9,950th place. The victories for the inline skaters went to Jörg Wecke (ST Celle) in 35:37 minutes and Britta van Tournhout (Belgien/40:21). 1,666 skaters competed in this race. The winners of the 3.5 km Bewag FUN RUN, in which 1,455 school kids and novices participated, were Daniel Barz (OSC Berlin/15:33 minutes) and Carola-Doreen Frost (Berlin/26:45).