BMW Berlin Marathon 2026 Final Elite Fields Published

The BMW Berlin Marathon on 27 September will bring together exceptionally deep elite fields, led by former world record-holder Tigst Assefa and a host of athletes with world-class personal bests. The women’s race has been further strengthened by European champion Alisa Vainio, while Gabriel Geay, Getaneh Molla, Guye Adola and Shura Kitata are among the leading contenders in the men’s field. Adding even greater prestige to the start list, Ethiopian distance-running legend and two-time Berlin champion Kenenisa Bekele has also confirmed his return to the German capital. See the full full elite fields below.

Kenenisa Bekele will return to the BMW Berlin Marathon on this Sunday, race organisers announced. It will be the first race of the year for the legendary Ethiopian, who will be 44 years old. Although Bekele may no longer be among the leading contenders for victory, another strong performance remains possible.

Bekele has won the BMW Berlin Marathon twice during his remarkable career, narrowly missing the world record on both occasions. He clocked 2:03:03 in 2016 before returning three years later to win in 2:01:41.

Had he run just two seconds faster in 2019, Bekele would have become the first athlete in history to hold the world records for the 5,000m, 10,000m and marathon simultaneously.

Widely regarded as one of the greatest distance runners of all time, Bekele will now make another appearance on Berlin’s famously fast course. His achievements on the track and in cross-country are unmatched: he held the 5,000m world record of 12:37.35 and the 10,000m world record of 26:17.53 for approximately 15 years.

Bekele won Olympic 5,000m gold in 2008 and claimed the world title over the distance in 2009. He also won the Olympic 10,000m titles in 2004 and 2008, as well as four consecutive world titles over 10,000m in 2003, 2005, 2007 and 2009. In cross-country, the Ethiopian collected 11 individual gold medals at the World Cross Country Championships.

Two and a half years ago, at the age of 41, Bekele came close to producing another sensational victory when he led during the closing stages of the London Marathon. He eventually finished second in 2:04:15, setting a Masters world record for the 40-plus age group that still stands.

That performance helped Bekele earn selection for the 2024 Olympic Games, although he finished 39th in the marathon in Paris. Berlin could now provide the setting for his first marathon finish since the Olympics.

European champion Alisa Vainio added to women’s field

European marathon champion Alisa Vainio has also been confirmed as a late addition to the women’s elite field.

The Finnish runner claimed the European title in Birmingham a month ago, winning convincingly in a championship-record time of 2:22:26. A year earlier, she was the leading European finisher at the World Championships in Tokyo, placing fifth before going on to break the Finnish national record three consecutive times.

Vainio lowered the record to 2:20:39 when she won the Seville Marathon in February. That performance also made her the fastest Scandinavian female marathon runner in history, surpassing the previous regional record of 2:21:06 set by former world record-holder Ingrid Kristiansen of Norway.

Elite Fields

Men

Women

How to Watch the 2026 BMW Berlin Marathon.