The Berlin Half Marathon will take place for the 45th time on Sunday. More than 40,000 participants complete the just over 21 kilometers on foot, on skates or in wheelchairs. Everything important about the event in the live ticker.
- Almost 43,000 participants took part in the 45th Berlin Half Marathon
- Andrea Kiptoo wins in the men’s category and Likina Amebaw in the women’s category
- Amanal Petros secures a new German record
- Everything about the races and what’s happening next to the track in the live ticker
1:05 p.m.: Around 28,000 debutants at the Berlin Half Marathon
It’s been almost two hours since the last wave started. A large number of runners have already reached the finish line, but there is still a lot of activity on and along the route. Many of the runners are experiencing the spectacle of the Berlin Half Marathon for the first time: 28,015 participants are at the starting line of the Berlin Half Marathon for the first time this year. Around half of them – 14,349 – traveled to the capital specifically for this purpose.
Running against a beautiful backdrop at the Berlin Half Marathon 2026 | Image: picture alliance/dpa/Lenhardt
12:45 p.m.: A massage for the damaged legs
What will hardly any runner refuse at the finish line? That’s right, a massage! And, as is typical for professional athletes, you don’t even have to bring a physiotherapist with you… After all, massages at the Berlin Half Marathon are also offered free of charge for non-professionals. Where? Opposite the Reichstag meadow. Depending on when you reach the finish line, you just have to be patient and line up in one shot.
12:22 p.m.: The organizers are satisfied
In the finish area you can see exhausted satisfaction not only on the runners’ faces, but also on Jürgen Lock’s. “In 1999 we had 4,000 starters, now there are 43,000,” says the managing director of the organizer SCC Events. The question remains, where will this all lead? Will the Berlin Half Marathon get much bigger? “No, quality is our top priority,” says Lock, adding: “We want to maintain the desire and joy of running.”
12:05 p.m.: Petros wanted more, but is satisfied
Amanal Petros crossed the finish line on Sunday morning in third place with a time of 59:22 minutes. Impressive numbers, which the 30-year-old also had a clear eye on. Petros said after the end of the race that he actually wanted to attack the European record of 59:07 minutes. But: “It was difficult, it was cold and very windy.” So in the end it was “just” a new German record on Sunday – with which Petros was, however, “very satisfied” without any major quarrels.
11:45 a.m.: Loud music playing
The half marathon in Berlin is not only fast, but also loud. Because of the many fans on the side of the road, but also because of the numerous music groups that create a great atmosphere along the route. Most represented: Samba bands. South American rhythms can be heard at Ernst-Reuter-Platz, in front of Charlottenburg Palace, in front of Kranzler-Eck, at Nollendorfplatz and at the Landwehrkanal. Otherwise, drum groups determined the auditory image. But there is also something on offer for fans of marching bands – at the Neptune Fountain at kilometer 18.8.
11:12 a.m.: Ethiopian Likina Amebaw wins the women’s event
In the women’s race, Likina Amebaw crowned a good race from start to finish with victory. After 65:07 minutes, the 28-year-old Ethiopian became the first woman to cross the red finish line. Esther Pfeiffer finished the race as the fastest German woman just over two minutes later. Her time of 67:25 minutes is a new personal best.
11:05 a.m.: Amanal Petros secures the German record
Amanal Petros struggled for a long time on Sunday. He had to invest a lot of energy several times to keep up with the top runners. In the end, however, Petros made an impressive final sprint and rewarded himself with a German record at the Berlin Half Marathon for the second year in a row. Thanks to Petros, it is now 59:22 minutes.
11:04 a.m.: Andrea Kiptoo wins the Berlin Half Marathon
Andrea Kiptoo is the winner of the 2026 Berlin Half Marathon. After 59:11 minutes, the 24-year-old Kenyan, accompanied by much cheering, is the first to cross the finish line behind the Brandenburg Gate. Just a blink of an eye later, his compatriot and furious pacemaker Dennis Kipkemoi follows him.
11 a.m.: Kiptoo runs towards victory
Andrea Kiptoo is no longer running at the top in a leadership trio, but alone. Although that’s not entirely true: the Kenyan even has a pacemaker at his side as he runs towards the finish and victory at Unter den Linden.
10:56 a.m.: Three Germans in the women’s top ten
Esther Pfeiffer has now also arrived at the Red Town Hall and is walking right past Alexanderplatz. She is one of three Germans in the current top ten women. The leaders continue to be Amebaw, Loleo and Jerono.
10:50 a.m.: Top duo leaves Temoi behind
At the top the pace increases. Dominic Lubalu and Andreas Kiptoo recognize that Michael Temoi is struggling and take advantage of this. Four kilometers from the finish they manage to leave the 21-year-old behind.
10:42 a.m.: Dominic Lubalu joins the Kenyans
Among the men, Dominic Lubalu from South Sudan is defending himself most energetically against Kenya’s dominance. He completes the top trio and has just walked across Potsdamer Platz with Temoi and Kiptoo. The pace of it all: Impressive as always. From kilometers five to ten, the top runners only needed 2:46 minutes per 1000 meters.
10:38 a.m.: Leading trio among women
For the women, Likina Amebaw, Veronica Loleo and Daisilah were the first to reach the ten kilometer mark with a time of 31:02 minutes. The fastest German woman in the field is currently Esther Pfeiffer, with a time of 31:50 minutes over ten kilometers.
10:35 a.m.: Third wave started
While a quartet of top runners led by the Kenyans Michael Temoi and Andreas Kiptoo broke away somewhat after running ten kilometers (27:50 minutes), the third wave is now starting the race. This is followed by the fourth wave (10:50 a.m.) and the last wave at 11:10 a.m.
10:20 a.m.: Top runners have completed five kilometers
The leading group around Amanal Petros has completed the first five kilometers. Petros has to stretch around Sophie-Charlotte-Platz for the first time in order to stay close to the 21-year-old Kenyan Michael Temoi and his pacemakers.
10:05 a.m.: Starting signal for the field of runners
The first wave of favorites was sent onto the track with a loud bang. 21.0975 kilometers are now ahead of Amanal Petros and the other participants.
10 a.m.: Ewen Fernandez wins the skaters
While the top runners are already warmed up at the start, the winner among the skaters has already been decided. The Frenchman Ewen Fernandez was the first to cross the finish line after 34:04 minutes. Alexander Bastidas from Venezuela and Mike Paez from Mexico followed just over three minutes later (37:27 minutes each).
9:55 a.m.: Wheelchair user and handbikers started
The 20 wheelchair users and hand bikers are now tackling the route. Like the runners, they can look forward to the usual fast and flat terrain in Berlin. The start of the race is approximately 33 meters above sea level and, according to race director Mark Milde, there is no climb on the 21.0975 kilometers of route that would take the runners, skaters, wheelchair users and handbikers even five meters higher.
9:45 a.m.: 750 police officers are on duty
While the fastest skaters have long since reached the last five kilometers of their race, the Berlin police have already done a lot of work on Sunday morning. Around 750 officers were on duty around the marathon, she reported on platform With the help of over 40 tow trucks, almost 400 vehicles were moved along the route in the run-up to the marathon.
9:15 a.m.: Inline skaters are on the move
Now around 900 inline skaters are on the move. The professionals can reach speeds of up to 50 km/h. This is not the only reason why a strict helmet requirement applies to the field of participants. What is already certain is that there will be a new champion among skaters. Felix Rijhnen, who secured his fifth victory at the Berlin Half Marathon in 2025, is not at the start to defend his title this year.
8:55 a.m.: Sunny but cool weather
The nighttime rain over Berlin has cleared and made way for the sun. Participants should still dress warmly – especially until the start. The capital’s thermometer shows a cool four degrees this Sunday morning. Anyone who leaves their jacket or hoodie at the start at the start of the race is also doing a good thing: the clothing will be donated to homeless people via the Berlin City Mission.
8:00 a.m.: German Vice world champion chasing records
Marathon vice world champion Amanal Petros wants to attack his German record over half the distance. Last year, the 30-year-old was the first German runner to stay under an hour in 59:31 minutes. This time Petros plans to get as close to the 59 minute mark as possible. Your own pacers should help with this.
7:45 a.m.: Half marathons are becoming more feminine
The starting field for the half marathon is not yet equally divided, but the trend is right. Female participants account for 46 percent of all start numbers. In 2025 it was 43 percent, in 2019 it was only 39 percent. What is particularly striking is that it is becoming more female, especially among the younger participants. Among 25 to 30 year olds the proportion is 54 percent, and among 18 to 25 year olds it is an impressive 60 percent.
7:30 a.m.: Grounds open to participants
From now on all participants can go to the starting area. Runners enter via the entrance at Platz der Republik, inline skaters enter the area via the eastern Paul-Löbe-Allee.
The route of the Berlin Half Marathon
7:00 a.m.: Let’s get started for Dorle and thousands of helpers
Up to 2,000 volunteers are on duty when Berlin calls for the half marathon. One of them is called Dorothea Meironke, nicknamed Dorle, and is already 89 years old. She’s an early starter on half marathon day, she told us beforehand. She got up at 6 a.m. – now, at 7 a.m., she arrives at the route. Your reward for this special support? The friendliness and smiles of the runners.
6:45 a.m.: Numerous closures in the city center
Drivers should avoid the city center until the afternoon. Along the route around the Großer Stern, Ernst-Reuter-Platz, Charlottenburg Palace, Kurfürstendamm, Potsdamer Platz, Checkpoint Charlie and Berlin City Palace, Gendarmenmarkt and Brandenburg Gate are numerous streets closed. The road sections should be gradually reopened by around 3 p.m.
6:00 a.m.: More than 40,000 participants from 134 nations
Welcome to the live ticker for the 45th Berlin Half Marathon! The runners complete the 21.097 kilometer route in around four hours. From 10:05 a.m. they start in several waves. The competition for the inline skaters starts at 9:15 a.m., and the wheelchair users and hand bikers set off at 9:55 a.m.
Broadcast: rbb Inforadio, March 27, 2026, 12:15 p.m
Audio: rbb Inforadio, March 27, 2026, Jens-Christian Gußmann
