Ebenyo going for new PB in Berlin Half Marathon

Records could tumble in Sunday’s (7 April from 10am ) Generali Berlin half marathon despite a relatively warm weather forecast.

Kenya’s Daniel Ebenyo, the silver medalist from last year’s World Half Marathon Championships, is the favorite, and is targeting the course record of 58:42.

Ethiopian-born Melat Kejeta, who won the silver medal at the World Half Marathon Championships in 2020, is the women’s race favourite, could produce a rare home victory, and might go for her German record of 65:18 as well as the 65:15 European mark held by Sifan Hassan.

Course record, PB for Sawe in Prague win

Ebenyo goes up against six compatriots with five of them having personal bests (PB’s) of sub 60. Ebenyo has not yet run sub 59:00 and his PB stands at 59:04. But since taking the runner-up spot in the World Half Marathon Championships in Riga, Latvia, last October he has won all succeeding races.

Among these was a victory in Kalkutta’s 25k race with a world-best time of 1:11:13. This record he set in India indicates that Ebenyo should be capable of running well under the course record on Sunday.

“It is my goal to run faster than ever before,” said Ebenyo.

Compatriot Bravin Kiprop who won the Sevilla Half Marathon earlier this year and improved to 59:21, which at that time was a world-leading time poses the biggest threat to Ebenyo.

“I aim to improve my personal best in Berlin,” Kiprop offered.

Meanwhile, Kejeta, who also holds the European women-only record with 65:18 returns to the race she won in 2018 in a time of 69:04 when she still competed for Ethiopia. A year later she received German citizenship.

“My first goal is to run faster than the 66:25 I ran in Valencia last year. If all goes well during the race then I will try to attack my personal best,” said Kejeta, who is not too worried about the warm weather forecast.

 MEN

Daniel Ebenyo 59:04

Bravin Kiprop 59:21

Isaia Lasoi 59:27

Cosmas Boi 59:29

Amos Kurgat 59:34

Benard Biwott 59:44

Jake Smith 60:31

Pasquale Selvarolo 60:32

Diego Estrada 60:49

Kipsambul Kimakal 61:20

Simon Boch 61:23

Simon Debognies 61:25

Samuel Fitwi 61:44

Johannes Motschmann 61:45

Davor Aaron Bienenfeld 61:49

Sebastian Hendel 61:52

Hendrik Pfeiffer 62:05

 WOMEN

Melat Kejeta 65:18

Ftaw Zeray 66:04

Yalemget Yaregal 66:27

Tekle Muluat 67:41

Fabienne Schlumpf 68:27

Sofiia Yaremchuk 68:28

Deborah Schöneborn 69:41

Miriam Dattke 69:43

Lauren McNeil 0:02

Winnie Kimutai 70:08

Lelise Wakweya Debüt