There was bad luck for Paul Tergat: The Kenyan is unable to run the BIG 25 Berlin this Sunday after a fall during a training session last Monday in Ngong. Nontheless Paul Tergat came to Berlin to show his support for Germany's oldest city road race, which will see its 29th edition on Sunday. It is the first time Paul Tergat is back in the city where he wrote athletics history, when becoming the first man to run a sub 2:05 marathon in 2003 (2:04:55). Christoph Kopp, the elite athletes' manager of the BIG 25 Berlin, only knew about Tergat's injury since Wednesday afternoon but he still managed to sign a spectacular deputy for Paul Tergat. "Luke Kibet will now enter the BIG 25 with bib number 1," said Christoph Kopp, causing a major surprise at the press conference in early afternoon today. The Kenyan is the reigning World Marathon Champion from Osaka 2007. He dropped out of the London Marathon with problems two weeks ago at around 32 km, but is said to be fit for a 25 k race.
The women's field will see defending champion Peninah Arusei returning to the BIG 25. In 2008 she also set the 25 k course record of 1:24:10. Additionally she could become the first runner in the history of the event winning it three times. Arusei had first won the BIG 25 in 2006.
ShareThis