Sawe Confirms Sub-2-Hour Marathon in Berlin; 25 Athletes Sub-2:08

August 16, 2026

The Berlin Marathon elite list for the race to be held on September 27 is now official. It is led by the man who made history in London by becoming the first to dip under two hours for the 42.195-kilometer distance. The list comprises 67 runners, with Sabastian Sawe as the male star and Tigst Assefa topping the bill for the women’s event.

Sawe, the man who in the English capital stopped the clock at 1:59:30, will defend his title after winning the Berlin Marathon in 2025 with 2:02:16. Among his principal rivals stand out Gabriel Geay and Guye Adola, winner in Berlin in 2021. Notable is the presence of the Tokyo 10,000 meters Olympic champion Barega, who will debut in the marathon by winning in Seville.

In total, 25 runners have a verified time under 2h 08m.

Tigst Assefa leads the women’s list with 2:11:53, a mark she achieved on this same Berlin course in 2023, when it was a world record. Eight women who appear behind her have gone under 2:20, highlighting Rosemary Wanjiru, who returns to defend her Berlin title after winning last year with 2:16:14,

Men

  1. Sabastian Sawe 🇰🇪 — 1:59:30
  2. Gabriel Geay 🇹🇿 — 2:03:00
  3. Getaneh Molla 🇪🇹 — 2:03:34
  4. Guye Adola 🇪🇹 — 2:03:46
  5. Shura Kitata 🇪🇹 — 2:03:59
  6. Dejene Hailu 🇪🇹 — 2:04:15
  7. Erick Sang 🇰🇪 — 2:04:30
  8. Selemon Barega 🇪🇹 — 2:05:00
  9. Taresa Tolosa 🇪🇹 — 2:05:17
  10. Tadu Abate 🇪🇹 — 2:05:38
  11. Asefa Boki 🇪🇹 — 2:05:40
  12. Kenya Sonota 🇯🇵 — 2:05:59
  13. Tsubasa Ichiyama 🇯🇵 — 2:06:00
  14. Kiyoto Hirabayashi 🇯🇵 — 2:06:14
  15. Yuhei Urano 🇯🇵 — 2:06:23
  16. Hidekazu Hijikata 🇯🇵 — 2:06:26
  17. Yusuke Nishiyama 🇯🇵 — 2:06:31
  18. Naoki Koyama 🇯🇵 — 2:06:33
  19. Andamlak Belihu 🇪🇹 — 2:06:40
  20. Kazuya Nishiyama 🇯🇵 — 2:06:45
  21. Daisuke Uekado 🇯🇵 — 2:06:54
  22. Jie He 🇨🇳 — 2:06:57
  23. Sebastian Hendel 🇩🇪 — 2:07:33
  24. Shin Kimura 🇯🇵 — 2:07:34
  25. Richard Yator 🇰🇪 — 2:07:36
  26. Haftom Welday 🇩🇪 — 2:08:13
  27. Aaron Bienenfeld 🇩🇪 — 2:08:47
  28. Johannes Motschmann 🇩🇪 — 2:10:39
  29. Florian von Muschwitz 🇩🇪 — 2:15:03
  30. Jakob Lange 🇩🇪 — 2:16:43
  31. David Gärtlein 🇩🇪 — 2:18:01
  32. Julian Großkopf 🇩🇪 — 2:18:17
  33. Michel Nouguier 🇩🇪 — 2:20:13
  34. Fabian Liebig 🇩🇪 — 2:21:51
  35. Fabian Borggrefe 🇩🇪 — 2:23:31
  36. Silvan Rauscher 🇩🇪 — debutante

Women

  1. Tigst Assefa 🇪🇹 — 2:11:53
  2. Rosemary Wanjiru 🇰🇪 — 2:16:14
  3. Bedatu Hirpa 🇪🇹 — 2:18:27
  4. Dera Dida 🇪🇹 — 2:18:32
  5. Zeineba Yimer 🇪🇹 — 2:18:47
  6. Bosena Mulatie 🇪🇹 — 2:19:00
  7. Misgane Alemayehu 🇪🇹 — 2:19:08
  8. Bekelech Gudeta 🇪🇹 — 2:19:39
  9. Evaline Chirchir 🇰🇪 — 2:20:33
  10. Deshun Zhang 🇨🇳 — 2:20:53
  11. Gadise Mulu 🇪🇹 — 2:20:59
  12. Eebbisee Addunyaa 🇪🇹 — 2:21:13
  13. Aminet Ahmed 🇪🇹 — 2:21:24
  14. Rika Kaseda 🇯🇵 — 2:21:55
  15. Mao Uesugi 🇯🇵 — 2:22:11
  16. Pascaline Jelagat 🇰🇪 — 2:22:44
  17. Manon Trapp 🇫🇷 — 2:23:38
  18. Natsuki Omori 🇯🇵 — 2:23:45
  19. Fatima Gardadi 🇲🇦 — 2:24:06
  20. Jacqueline Gaughan 🇺🇸 — 2:24:40
  21. Rino Goshima 🇯🇵 — 2:24:44
  22. Kodi Kleven 🇺🇸 — 2:24:48
  23. Lucy Reid 🇬🇧 — 2:26:37
  24. Kristina Hendel 🇩🇪 — 2:27:29
  25. Anna Langerwisch 🇩🇪 — 2:32:13
  26. Thea Heim 🇩🇪 — 2:33:25
  27. Cara Zollenkopf 🇩🇪 — 2:36:05
  28. Esther Pfeiffer 🇩🇪 — 2:37:00
  29. Katja Fischer 🇩🇪 — 2:40:13
  30. Sophia Wunsch 🇩🇪 — 2:40:49

 

 

 

 

 

Dylan Holloway

Dylan Holloway

I’ve always been fascinated by the stories hidden behind a stopwatch, a finish line or a record-breaking performance. At Athletics News, I cover athletes, competitions and the moments shaping track and field, with a particular interest in the people and journeys behind the results.

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