BERLIN RUNS … 25 k on 4th May – Chicago Marathon winner Patrick Ivuti and – Peninah Arusei among the favourites on Sunday

Kenya’s world-class runner Patrick Ivuti will be among the favourites this Sunday, when the traditional Berlin 25 k race will take place. In the women’s race Peninah Arusei will be up against defending champion Flomena Chepchirchir (both Kenya). Adding all running events organisers from BERLIN RUNS expect well over 7,000 participants. This is a 10 percent increase compared to last year’s figures. The start of the race is in front of Berlin’s Olympic Stadium while the finish will be on the blue track inside the arena.

29 year-old Patrick Ivuti, who had been fourth in the Olympic 10,000 m final in 2000 and twice won a silver medal in the World Cross Country Championships, celebrated his biggest marathon win in October 2007. Ivuti took the Chicago Marathon, which is a World Marathon Majors (WMM) race. In unusually high temperatures he won the race after a sprint finish with 2:11:11. His marathon best stands at 2:07:46 while he clocked a world-class time of 59:27 minutes for the half marathon in 2007.

After suffering of malaria Patrick Ivuti had to cancel his start at the Boston Marathon in April. Now he is said to be fit again. The 25 k race in Berlin will be a crucial test for him regarding his next marathon race, which is scheduled for June.

Patrick Ivuti’s main rivals on Sunday will be fellow Kenyans. Among them is Matthew Koech, who has the advantage of knowing the course. In very warm weather conditions Koech was third last year with a time of 1:15:48. Another one in with a good chance of winning should be Elijah Keitany. He impressed with a third place in the Berlin Half Marathon a month ago, clocking a world-class time of 60:10 minutes.

The women’s race should become a Kenyan affair as well. Defending champion Flomena Chepchirchir will be in for another battle with Peninah Arusei. Arusei had won the race two years ago, but then finished second in 2007 with 1:26:17 behind Chepchirchir (1:25:38). Peninah Arusei had shown impressive form earlier this year, when she won the Berlin Half Marathon in 68:22 minutes.

But there could well be a third Kenyan woman involved in the battle for victory on Sunday: Jemima Jelagat was fourth in last year’s Frankfurt Marathon with 2:29:41. The weather forecast seems to be suitable for fast times with temperatures below 20° C and no wind. So the women will go for the course record of 1:24:29.

Further information is available online at: www.berlin-runs.com

Berlin runs …