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Berlin Marathon: Pacemaker tips Rosemary Wanjiru to win
Rosemary Wanjiru (left) trains with her Berlin Marathon-designated pacemaker Vincent Kiprotich at Lornah Kiplagat Sports Academy in Iten, Eldoret Marakwet County on September 10, 2025.
What you need to know:
- Wanjiru clocked a personal best of 2:18:00 to finish second in her debut marathon a year ago in Berlin.
- The other Kenyans in the women’s race are Sharon Chelimo, Viola Cheptoo Lagat and Betty Chepkwony.
Beyond the decorated stars chasing victory, there is another group of athletes whose influence is crucial — the pacemakers, often referred to as “rabbits.”
Kenya’s Rosemary Wanjiru, who finished second in the 2022 Berlin Marathon, returns to the German city intent on going one or two places better on Sunday.
Wanjiru clocked a personal best time of 2:18:00 when finishing second in her debut marathon exactly a year ago in Berlin. She improved her PB to 2:16:28 as she won the 2023 Tokyo Marathon
She has not indicated what times she is targeting in Berlin this time round, but she will likely need to run inside her best time to stand a chance of triumphing. That means his pacing will have to be spot on the fast Berlin course.
New personal best
The man designated to keep her at the right speed throughout the 42km race is former World Youth 1,500m silver medallist Vincent Kiprotich Mutai, together with other male runners. The team will in fact pace the lead pack in the women’s marathon.
Mutai, a Kenya Defence Forces athlete based in Nyali, has been tasked to pace Wanjiru up to the 42km.
He revealed that he had trained together with Wanjiru over the last three months and was confident she would register a new personal best.
“I used to pace with men but I was asked to help her (Wanjiru). We have trained well. She looks strong and is certainly ready for the showdown in Germany,” said Mutai.
Podium finish
“As a male athlete, you have to tune yourself to run at a certain pace that a woman can follow comfortably and finish the race,” he said.
Other Kenyans in the women’s race are Barcelona Marathon champion Sharon Chelimo (PB 2:19:33), the 2021 New York Marathon silver medallist Viola Cheptoo Lagat (PB 2:22:44) and the 2023 Rome Marathon champion Betty Chepkwony (PB 2:23:02). The Kenyans will collide with top Ethiopian runners the likes of Degitu Azimeraw (2:17:58), Dera Dida (2:18:32), Mestawut Fikir (2:18:48) and Tigist Girma (2:18:52) together with Japan’s Honami Maeda (2:18:59).
Mutai represented Kenya at the World Youth Games in 2011 in Lille, France before moving to road racing when he became a senior. He was one of the pacesetters in the Stockholm Marathon last year.
Mutai competed at the Maratona Di Ravenna Citta' D'Arte, Ravenna in Italy on November 10, last year finishing second in 2:15:12. The race was won by his compatriot Sampson Keiyo in 2:12:52. He certainly has the pace, and all will depend on how strong Wanjiru is on the day to follow it all the way to podium finish , if not the top spot.
NTV will broadcast the marathon live.
