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One week to go! Looking back in history - Countdown part IV

2013-09-22

Countdown slowly comes to an end. Only one week to go. And here is another hand of stories round about the history of BMW BERLIN MARATHON.

Back to 1988: First woman's time under 2:30

The first woman to finish under 2:30 was Renata Kokowska of Poland. In addition to the 15,000 DM prize money, she received an additional 5,000 DM for setting a new course record of 2:29:16.

Back to 2000: 33 runners skipped a few timekeeping mats at the BERLIN MARATHON

Not everyone who had a timekeeping chip necessarily appeared in the list of results, even when the chip's signal was received at the mats at the finish line on Kurfürstendamm. The runners had to cross the other timekeeping mats with the attached chip at every 5 km mark as well. In the year 2000, 33 runners at the BERLIN MARATHON did start off at the Straße des 17. Juni, but then skipped a few districts on their way through the city. Three just made it to the 5 km mark and then shortly thereafter registered at the finish. Most of them appeared suddenly after the 25 km mark, where the Berlin public transport ironically has its main headquarters, and a few showed up again at the 40 km mark. There is a good subway connection between the two points.

 — mit Eliophotos N. Eliophotou.

Back to 2001: A pacemaker wins again: Joseph Ngolepus (Kenya) in 2:08:47

As in the year prior, a pacemaker was good for a surprise: Joseph Ngolepus followed the example of his friend and fellow-Kenyan Simon Biwott. The 26-year-old was supposed to lead the race up to the 25 km mark, but rather than step aside, he continued running and won in 2:08:47. "I noticed that the others weren't in very good form," Joseph Ngolepus explained.

Back to 1994: BERLIN-MARATHON introduces chip timekeeping

The BERLIN MARATHON was one of the first major races to utilise chip timekeeping.

Back to 1990: Prize monies go up to 25,000 DM

In 1990, Steve Moneghetti of Australia took home the prize money (which had gone up to 25,000 DM), when he considerably improved his prior personal best of 2:09:06 to win this historical BERLIN MARATHON. In top form, he finished in 2:08:16, the first time under 2:10 in Berlin, beating the year's world best time by three seconds (previously held by Gelindo Bordin of Italy). — mitEliophotos N. Eliophotou.

Back to 1987: World best time for deaf runner

Taieb Tounsi of France provided another great performance: He set a world best time for a deaf runner in 2:17:40.

Back to 2003: First time for the finish at the Brandenburg Gate

A new chapter in the history of one of the most spectacular and top road races in the world began promptly at the 30th anniversary edition of the BERLN MARATHON with its new finish line at the Brandenburg Gate.