The 51st edition of the BMW Berlin Marathon proved to be a weekend of remarkable achievements, with five new Guinness World Records set despite uncharacteristically warm weather. The iconic long-distance race, held on September 21, once again drew elite runners and enthusiasts from across the globe, all eager to test their limits and make history.
The record-breaking weekend began on Saturday with the inline skating event, where one new record was established. The momentum continued on Sunday during the traditional marathon, with four more records falling.
Kenyan long-distance runner Sabastian Sawe took home the top prize in the men’s elite race, winning with a world-leading time of 2:02:16. Sawe’s victory was especially impressive given the challenging conditions, with temperatures soaring to 24°C (75.2°F). While he was on world record pace for the first half of the race, the heat ultimately prevented him from breaking the course record.
In the women’s elite race, fellow Kenyan Rosemary Wanjiru secured a thrilling victory with a time of 2:21:05, a win she earned by just three seconds over Ethiopia’s Dera Dida.
While the exact nature of the five new Guinness World Records has not been fully disclosed, the collaborative effort with Guinness World Records, now in its seventh year, highlights the marathon’s status as a premier event for record-breaking performances. The race’s famously flat course has been the setting for 13 previous world records. This year’s event once again proved that even without a new overall world record, the spirit of pushing boundaries and achieving the impossible remains at the heart of the BMW Berlin Marathon.
