Press Release - Berlin 25K - 5/5/13

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

                 Richard Sigei and Lucy Kabuu Clock World
            Leading Times in Warm Weather in Berlin's 25k Race

Both winners of the BIG 25 Berlin clocked world leading 25 k times this 
Sunday despite warm weather conditions. While Kenya's Richard Sigei crossed 
the line in the Olympic Stadium in 1:13:34 fellow Kenyan Lucy Kabuu ran 
1:21:37. High temperatures during the race made it impossible for the 29 
year-old to come closer to the world record she wanted to attack. Mary 
Keitany (Kenya) established this mark three years ago in the BIG 25 Berlin 
with 1:19:53. But Lucy Kabuu's winning time is still a very good one. It is 
the third fastest ever run at this distance. Adding all running events 
organiser BERLIN RUNS registered 10,901 athletes in the BIG 25 Berlin.

"It was relatively warm. So the pace of the leading groups dropped in the 
middle of the race. But we still saw two very fast races and had a very 
good event," said Race Director Gerhard Janetzky. 

A fast race developed after the start in front of the Olympic Stadium. In 
the final part, which is partly slightly uphill, Richard Sigei broke away 
from the leading group and then built a significant lead. Winning the BIG 
25 Berlin was the biggest success so far for the 28 year-old. Behind the 
Kenyan winner Daniel Chepyegon (Uganda) was second with 1:14:17. Third 
placed Jacob Kendagor (Kenya), who had won the Berlin half marathon a month 
ago, also clocked a sub 1:15 time (1:14:47). 

There was bad luck for Eritrea's Ghirmay Ghebreslassie who intended to 
attack the unofficial world junior record of 1:13:17. The 17 year-old was 
denied a flight from Amsterdam to Berlin because of a visa problem. 

In the women's race Lucy Kabuu ran at her own fast pace. But she could not 
get close to the time Mary Keitany - who belongs to the same training group 
as Lucy Kabuu - ran in 2010. But with 1:21:37 Kabuu ran the second fastest 
time in the history of Germany's oldest big city road race. Kenyans 
dominated the women's field, taking the first four places. Agnes Mutune was 
second with 1:23:08, followed by Esther Chemtai (1:23:18) and Caroline 
Kilel (1:26:14), the Boston Marathon winner from 2011.

In 2014 the next edition of the BIG 25 Berlin will be started on 4th May.

More information is available at: www.berlin-runs.com

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