FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thousands of athletes worldwide take part in the 2:01:39 Challenge
- Men's relay team breaks world record time,
which Eliud Kipchoge achieved at the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON
Even if the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON scheduled for this weekend was not held as
planned, Saturday and Sunday in the sports metropolis of Berlin were
nevertheless completely dedicated to sports. As part of the #20139
Challenge, athletes from around the world competed to find out how many
kilometers they could complete in 2:01:39 hours. This time corresponds to
the world record set by Eliud Kipchoge in 2018 at the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON.
In addition to the thousands of recreational athletes, a top relay teams of
women, men, and young athletes competed for the world record time. The
relay portfolio was rounded off with an inline skater trio and the seven
representatives from the pro clubs of the sports metropolis Berlin. The
20139 Challenge was held in cooperation with the city of Berlin and was
also intended to highlight the fact that, despite the pandemic, runners are
still active in Berlin.
A strong statement from the communityThe endurance community has made a
strong statement with the #20139 Challenge that goes beyond the purely
athletic performances: "Look, we are still here and stronger than ever
before. SCC EVENTS, as the organizer, was pleased to be able to offer all
participants in this "BMW BERLIN-MARATHON-weekend" a kind of new normal
with the replacement event of the #20139 Challenge new normal. Michael
Mueller, as governing mayor of Berlin, sent the relay teams of with a shot
of a starting gun at 9:20 am on their laps around the Berlin Victory
Column.
World record performance clearly undercut
This course was a tough one, because unlike a stadium track, the traffic
circle around the Victory Column has no straights. The relay teams
responded to this extreme challenge with regular exchanges. After 105 laps,
it was done: The men's team with Philipp Pflieger, Richard Ringer, Florian
Orth and Johannes Motschmann beat the world record of Eliud Kipchoge with
2:1:34 hours. Philipp Pflieger commented shortly afterwards, visibly
satisfied: "I'll speak for all of us, it was a lot of fun to run at such an
innovative event, especially in these times when there are hardly any
opportunities to start. It was sensational." For the inline skaters, the
wet weather of the last days posed a special challenge for the final
preparations. Accordingly, their result of 70,24 kilometers was impressive.
The women's quartet was also convincing and completed 36,58 kilometers
followed by the Juniors with 30,55 kilometres.
20139 Challenge a complete success
"We are very pleased with the results of the 20139 Challenge. I don't just
mean the top athletes. With the extensive participation in the 20139
Challenge, the entire community has clearly shown the importance of
endurance sports, especially in these trying times. This is a strong signal
that is certainly not misunderstood by society or political leaders,"
commented Jürgen Lock, Managing Director of SCC EVENTS. Dr. Stefan Franzke,
Managing Director of Partner für Berlin Holding Gesellschaft für
Hauptstadt-Marketing emphasised: "The year 2020 has confronted each and
every one of us with unimaginable challenges, and especially in these
difficult times, Berlin stands for strength and cohesion - as it does in
sports. Berlin's sport stands for community, integration, fairness and
motivation. These messages should also be conveyed by the new motifs (see
photo). We are very pleased that Berliners can experience this unique
sporting event in the sports metropolis of Berlin today". Secretary of
State for Sports Aleksander Dzembritzki added: "The fact that the 20139
Challenge can take place in this form in the middle of the Corona Pandemic
is also possible because the sports metropolis Berlin stands together in
solidarity. In May of this year, we adopted the Berlin Declaration for this
purpose. Its title is program: Together for Sport. This weekend, an
important message will be sent out into the world: the marathon is an
integral part of the sports metropolis Berlin.
Participation is still possible until today 21:45 MEST
By 3 pm nearly 15.000 users from over 120 countries registered with the
20139 Challenge App. By the way, participation is still possible until
23:59 MEST today. So the latest start time would be 21:45 MEST. According
to the current situation, viewers were only able to follow this event,
which took place in compliance with current hygiene regulations, live on
screen on rbb TV and streaming on sportschau.de. Follow-up reports will be
available in the various news formats of rbb television.
BMW extends BMW BERLIN-MARATHON title partnership
As part of the 20139 Challenge, BMW and SCC EVENTS, organizers of the BMW
BERLIN-MARATHON, announced the extension of their title partnership at the
largest marathon in Germany, which has existed since 2011 (comprehensive
press release here). Exactly on this day, the 42 fastest kilometers in the
international running calendar would have been started for the 47th time
and for the tenth time with BMW as title partner.
"We have a lot in common with this sporting event, which is one of a kind
in Germany," says Florian Baumeister, Head of Brand Experience BMW Germany.
"You have the joy, the commitment and the absolute determination to push
oneself to the limit, which is what drives all the runners – whether they
are amateurs or among the best in the world. The BMW Group has placed
sustainability and the conservation of resources at the centre of its
focus. Extending the partnership with the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON is also an
expression of this ambitious commitment, as running is arguably the most
sustainable sport of all."
"In order for our participants to continue to deliver top performances on
the course of the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON, they are also dependent on
cutting-edge technology and must use resources efficiently. In these areas,
BMW as a premium automobile manufacturer also sets the standards", says
Christian Jost, Managing Director of SCC EVENTS GmbH. "Furthermore, we are
united with BMW by our passion for sports. We are pleased about the
continuing title partnership with which BMW has been driving the BMW
BERLIN-MARATHON since 2011, literally without emissions.
About the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON
The BMW BERLIN MARATHON is one of the largest marathons in the world. To
date, eleven world records have been set on the superfast route (3 by
women, 8 by men). Since 2003, all seven men's world records have been
achieved on the Berlin route, including the current one in 2:01:39 hours
(Eliud Kipchoge), set up in 2018. In 2001, a woman achieved - for the
first time - the dream to undercut 2:20 hours. The Japanese Olympic
champion from 2000, Naoko Takahashi, won in 2:19:43 hours.
The BMW BERLIN-MARATHON is part of the Abbott World Marathon Majors (AWMM),
the group of six leading marathons in the world which was founded in 2006.
They comprise the marathons in Tokyo, Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago and
New York.
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