Berlin Marathon tracker: Adola wins, Assefa eyes record
Ethiopia's Guye Adola won the 2026 BMW Berlin Marathon for his second title in the German capital, while compatriot Tigst Assefa was on course for a women's world record. Use this Berlin Marathon tracker for the men's podium and women's record chase under near-perfect autumn conditions.
Key Takeaways
- Guye Adola claimed his second Berlin Marathon title after first winning in 2021.
- Gemechu Dida Diriba finished second, 28 seconds back; Gabriel Gerald Geay took third.
- Tigst Assefa was on pace for a women's world record; a mark would be Berlin's 14th women's WR.
- Organizers moved start times earlier after last year's heat; Sunday brought sunshine, light wind, and warmth.
- Defending women's champion Rosemary Wanjiru had targeted a personal best in a "race against the clock."
Who won the men's Berlin Marathon?
Adola, 35, added another German capital victory to his resume after his 2021 triumph. According to Yahoo Sports, Ethiopia's Gemechu Dida Diriba was second, 28 seconds behind, with Tanzania's Gabriel Gerald Geay third.
Before race day, the official BMW BERLIN-MARATHON preview listed Adola among the favorites after his Rotterdam win this spring and a 2:03:54 near his personal best. His Berlin PB remains the 2:03:46 debut from 2017, when he finished second to Eliud Kipchoge.
Men's world record holder Sabastian Sawe had withdrawn injured and attended as a guest of honour, ending any sub-two-hour bid. Race Director Mark Milde had still hoped for a fast day targeting Kipchoge's 2:01:09 course record, with the lead pack aimed toward 2:01.
Is Tigst Assefa chasing a world record?
Yes. Mid-race reports said Assefa was on course to set a women's world record. A successful mark would be the 14th time Berlin has hosted a women's marathon world record.
Assefa already owns the women-only world record and Berlin course record of 2:11:53 from 2023 and is the Olympic marathon silver medallist. Defending champion Rosemary Wanjiru, speaking to Olympics.com, framed Sunday as a "race against the clock," aiming to beat her 2:16:14 Tokyo personal best rather than chase headlines alone.
For more odd and viral global sports moments, browse the Bizarre World hub on BlasterPost.
Why were conditions better than last year?
Start times were brought forward Sunday because of high temperatures that disrupted last year's race. Conditions were almost perfect, with autumn sunshine and little wind, though it remained warm.
Organizers registered more than 56,000 entries from 162 nations for the classic distance, underscoring Berlin's status among the World Marathon Majors and why a Berlin Marathon tracker still matters after the gun.