Makau returns to defend Berlin Half Marathon title with eyes on his own course record

Berlin, GermanyKenya’s defending champion Patrick Makau Musyoki will again be the favourite in Sunday’s Berlin Half Marathon. Another Kenyan victory as well as a fast men’s race is likely on the flat course through the centre of the German capital.

Organisers of the 28th edition of the race expect a record field of more than 24,000 athletes, including all events. For the first time there are more than 20,000 entries for the Half Marathon race. Up to 150,000 spectators are expected to line the course.

Kenyan men have dominated this race for years now. It was back in 2001 when there was a non-Kenyan winner: Fabian Roncero of Spain ran 59:52 seven years ago which still stands as the European record today.

On Sunday eight athletes featuring personal bests of under 61 minutes will be in the race; five of them are from Kenya. The most promising one is probably Makau. The 23 year-old had broken the course record last year, improving his personal best to 58:56. With this time the Kenyan is still the third fastest runner of all time and holds the fourth fastest time ever. A year ago he was only 23 seconds short of Sammy Wanjiru’s World record. Wanjiru clocked 58:33 at The Hague in 2007.

"Compared to last year I think I am in better form since I have done better training,” Makau said. “So I hope to run faster on Sunday. The course record is a goal."

This year Makau has already won three Half Marathons: first he took the Ras Al Khaimah race in the United Arab Emirates (59:35), then won the Reading Half Marathon in England with a 61:19 performance and in mid-March he took the race in The Hague with 60:08.

World record: 'If everything fits together, then it is possible'

Wind and cool temperatures might be a problem on Sunday according to the current weather forecast. But if conditions turn out to be more favourable then Makau could well go for Wanjiru’s World record.

"All I can say is that it will depend on the weather and on the others willing to work for a fast pace,” Makau said. “If you have to do it all alone it will be very difficult. If everything fits together on Sunday then it is possible. My first aim is the course record - if we are on time for that then may be the world record is possible as well."

The one who came closest to him in The Hague is running in Berlin as well: Joseph Maregu finished second in the Netherlands. Losing out on the final sprint the 31year-old was only four seconds behind Makau. The Kenyan has a personal best of 59:45 minutes from Lille last year.

"It will be the first time I run in Germany,” Maregu explained. “History shows that very fast times are possible in Berlin - in the half marathon and the marathon. My form is not bad and I already showed this in The Hague. So I think it is possible to run very fast here."

The other runners with personal bests of sub-61 are: Eshetu Wondimu (Ethiopia), who was fourth with 60:08 in Berlin in 2007; Jonathan Maiyo (Kenya/60:10); William Todoo (Kenya/60:12); Raji Assefa (Ethiopia/60:31); Musasabekre Mader (Morocco/60:42); and Isaac Macharia. The Kenyan has run 60:48 in the autumn of 2007 and then put in a great performance at the Dubai Marathon in January. He improved his personal best by almost three minutes to 2:07:16 and was only beaten by one: Haile Gebrselassie.

Kenyan battle expected in women’s race as well

In comparison the women’s race will probably not be quite as strong on Sunday. A Kenyan battle is likely here as well: Peninah Arusei will meet Pauline Wangui. Both have showed fine form recently.

Arusei won the 10K at the Paderborner Osterlauf with a personal best of 31:42. With 69:23 she is the woman with the fastest PB in the field on Sunday. Additionally she has been very successful in Berlin before, when winning the 25K race two years ago and taking second place in 2007.

"I have good experience from races in Germany and in Berlin, where I ran the 25 k race three times,” Arusei said. “This will be my first half marathon in Germany and I hope to do well."

Wangui was the winner at The Hague in March. She clocked a personal best of 69:49 in that race. Mexico’s Dulce Maria Rodriguez (PB: 70:30) plus another three Kenyans – Milka Jerotich (71:02), Joan Aiyabei (71:02) and Susan Kurui (71:09) – could be their main rivals.

Jörg Wenig for the IAAF