FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
BMW BERLIN-MARATHON on Sunday:
Keira D'Amato chases dream win and US record in BMW Berlin-Marathon
The American marathon star Keira D'Amato heads the women's elite field for
this Sunday's BMW BERLIN-MARATHON. The 37-year-old national record holder
is the fastest woman in the field with her time of 2:19:12 and the only one
to have broken the landmark barrier of 2:20. Organisers of the BMW
BERLIN-MARATHON have registered 45,527 runners from 157 nations for the
48th edition of the event. Germany's most spectacular road race is part of
the Abbott World Marathon Majors (AWMM) and is also a Platinum Label Road
Race of the international athletics federation, World Athletics.
Keira D'Amato hopes to go even better and improve on her North American
record: "I'd love to run faster than that in Berlin," said D'Amato at
Thursday's press conference. "To win a great race such as Berlin would be a
dream and a great career ambition." She can expect high quality competition
and it is highly possible that victory would require a time around that of
her current US record or even the course record, currently held by the
Kenyan Gladys Cherono at 2:18:11. Alongside D'Amato on the start line will
be seven women with personal bests of under 2:23:00. The array of talent
and strength in depth among the elite makes this the strongest women's
field in the history of the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON.
A host of women runners will be aiming to take full advantage of Berlin's
renowned fast course and break 2:20 for the first time: among them are the
Ethiopians Gutemi Shone Imana, whose best is 2:20:11, Workenesh Edesa, who
has run 2:20:24 and Sisay Gola whose current fastest time is 2:20:50, not
forgetting the Kenyans Maurine Chepkemoi with a personal best of 2:20:18
and Vibian Chepkirui, the latter having won the Vienna City Marathon for
the second time in succession this April with 2:20:59. "I want to break my
best time and run under 2:20 – of course, I want to win," said Vibian
Chepkirui.
Following last year's victory in the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON by the Ethiopian
Gotytom Gebreslase on her debut at the distance, two other women
encountering the event for the first time could well make an impact:
Rosemary Wanjiru of Kenya and the Ethiopian Nigsti Haftu. Their potential
is evident since Wanjiru has a half marathon best of of 65:34 and Haftu has
run 66:17 for the distance. "I feel ready to face the marathon," said
Rosemary Wanjiru.
The high quality in the women's field is clear to see, despite the late
withdrawal of Nancy Jelagat who has a best of 2:19:31. The Kenyan has
suffered of a mild left knee and hip synovitis which left her unable to
train and after medical consultation decided to rest. With this
conservative approach she hopes to be in top form for next year and intends
to then run the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON.
Keira D'Amato has had a highly distinctive running career so far. She was a
committed runner in school and college before injury appeared to curtail
her career. Seven years later, while in the meantime she had married,
become a mother of two and was working in real estate, she made a comeback
at the age of 30 and achieved a sensational leap into world class.
The BMW BERLIN-MARATHON played a part in her remarkable rise since she
improved some six minutes on her personal best here in 2019 in running
2:34:55. "I had a very good race here and that's why I've come back. The
course is very fast and really flat, pancake flat, the organisation is top
class and the support from the spectators is fantastic," said Keira
D'Amato. Following the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON in 2019, the 37-year-old ran a
series of personal bests, culminating in winning the Houston Marathon in
January and breaking the US record with 2:19:12. As a reserve on the
American team for the World Championships, she received a late call-up but
ran outstandingly well to finish eighth. Despite the shorter than usual
interval since the World Championships in Eugene in July, Keira D'Amato is
optimistic that she can produce a strong performance in Berlin.
Elite runners with personal bests
Keira D'Amato USA 2:19:12
Gutemi Shone Imana ETH 2:20:11
Maurine Chepkemoi KEN 2:20:18
Workenesh Edesa ETH 2:20:24
Sisay Gola ETH 2:20:50
Vibian Chepkirui KEN 2:20:59
Tigist Abayechew ETH 2:22:24
Bekelech Gudeta ETH 2:22:56
Sayaka Sato JPN 2:23:27
Risper Chebet UGA 2:23:45
Yukari Abe JPN 2:24:02
Meseret Belete ETH 2:24:25
Lisa Weightman AUS 2:25:15
Natasha Wodak CAN 2:26:19
Kanako Takemoto JPN 2:26:23
Sonia Samuels GBR 2:28:04
Rika Kaseda JPN 2:28:29
Ayuko Suzuki JPN 2:28:32
Hikari Onishi JPN 2:28:56
Ftaw Zeray ETH 2:29:15
Katja Fischer GER 2:42:39
Rosemary Wanjiru KEN Debut
Nigsti Haftu ETH Debut
More information is available online at: www.berlin-marathon.com
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