Runners at start of the 50th edition of the Berlin Marathon in Berlin, Germany. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)
Berlin Marathon

The 50th Anniversary Party in the Streets of Berlin

September 30, 2024
The Berlin Marathon is not the oldest marathon but on Septebmer 29, the race marked its 50th edition and made sure to to it in style. Organizers confirmed that 54,280 runners completed the race, setting a new record for the most finishers and making it the largest marathon ever. The Paris Marathon, in April, held on to the record setting mark for just a few months after 54,175 participants crossed the finish line.

But the race in Berlin was more than just a record setting moment that also kicked off the fall major marathon season. After all, the upcoming races in Chicago and New York saw an expected increase of applicants, which will likely do for the Berlin mark what it did to Paris.

The vibe along the course was a festive journey, with over one million spectators cheering on the participants representing 161 nations.
Milkesa Mengesha crossed the finish line in 2:03.17 in the men’s division after a final surge in the late stages of the race.  (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)
54,280 runners completed the 2024 Berlin Marathon, breaking the record set in April’s Paris Marathon with 54,175 finishers.  (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)
Tigist Ketema was in control of the women’s race just before the halfway point and won in a commanding 2:16:42. (Photo by SCC Events: Petko Beier)
The inline skating race at the Berlin Marathon sets the event apart from other major marathons. The skating race is held the day before the running race and uses the the exact course as the competitors on foot. (Photo by SCC Events: Petko Beier)
Conditions at the 2024 Berlin Marathon were ideal for racing, with the start temperature at 48°F (9°C) and a high of 58°F (14°C) for the flat — and fast — course. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)
Sebastian Hendel crossed the finish line in 17th place as the first German finisher in the men’s division with a personal best of 2:07:33. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)
Brandenburg Gate is a welcome sight as competitors are a short distance from the finish after crossing under the famed monument. (Photo by SCC Events: Petko Beier)
A trio of pacers guide the lead pack past the 12km mark as Stephen Kiprop, Milkesa Mengesha, Haymanot Alew and Tadese Takele were among those in contention early in the race. (Photo by SCC Events: Petko Beier)
With the Brandenburg Gate safely behind them, a group of competitors have the finish in sight in the closing moments of the race. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)
Hand cyclists make their way through the start just before 9 a.m., after the elite runners and wheelchair athletes. (Photo by SCC Events: Petko Beier)
Tigist Ketema’s dominant performance in 2:16:42 left little room for her rivals in the women’s professional race as she was in a comfortable position at the 21km mark. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)
Second place finisher Cybrian Kotut (2:03:22), winner Milkesa Mengesha (2:03:17) and third place finisher Haymanot Alew (2:03:31) shared laughs after taking the three podium spots. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)
With the fall major marathon season fully underway following the 50th Berlin Marathon, the eyes of the running world shift to Chicago in October and New York in November. (Photo by SCC Events: Petko Beier)

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