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Sunday’s Vattenfall BERLIN HALF MARATHON will be the first major

international road race in Germany this year. A record number of 21,679

runners from 85 nations have entered the race. Adding other events the

figure will rise to more than 25,000. 150,000 spectators are expected

to line the flat city loop course this Sunday. The Kenyans will be the

big favourites in the men’s race while Sabrina Mockenhaupt hopes to

become the first German women’s winner of the race since Luminita

Zaituc in 2005.

The Kenyans once again will chase fast times on this

very fast city loop course through the centre of Berlin. So far runners

have broken the prestigious one hour barrier six times in the German

capital. Course record holder Patrick Makau Musyoki (58:56) will not be

able to defend his title in Berlin on Sunday because he will run his

marathon debut on the same day in Rotterdam. But one who could achieve

a similar result is Wilson Kipsang Kiprotich. He was sixth a year ago

in Berlin with 61:03 minutes, but meanwhile has improved by more than

two minutes. It was in Ras Al Khaimah (United Arab Emirates) in

February where he came in second behind Patrick Makau Musyoki, clocking

58:59. “I am in fine form. If the weather is good, then with the help

of the pacemakers we will run very fast. Hopefully we will achieve a

time of around 59 minutes or even faster,” said Wilson Kipsang

Kiprotich.

Kiprotich will be up against two prominent

Kenyan marathon runners in Berlin on Sunday: Rodgers Rop was the winner

of prestigious marathons in Boston and New York in 2002 while Patrick

Ivuti took the Chicago Marathon in 2007. Both have sub 60 minutes

personal bests at the half marathon: Rop has run 59:49 while Ivuti was

22 seconds faster. At least two more Kenyans are in with a chance as

well. Samuel Karanja Karuku is the winner of last year’s 25 k race in

Berlin while Bernard Kipyego will run his debut on Sunday. He was third

in the World Cross Country Championships in 2007.

Since

Japan’s Tokyo Women’s Marathon winner from 2008, Yoshimi Ozaki, had

withdraw from the race due to slight a back problem there is one big

favourite in the women’s race: Sabrina Mockenhaupt. “For me the

Vattenfall BERLIN HALF MARATHON will be the main road race this spring.

But I don’t want to make any predictions regarding times. If the

weather is fine and the course is as fast as everyone says then I will

run fast,” said the 28 year-old German. Kenya ’s Hellen Kimutai, who

has a personal best of 69:59 minutes, could be her strongest rival on

Sunday.