Berlin Marathon
The BMW Berlin Marathon takes place every year in September, and is IAAF Gold certified. Many World Records have been made and broken on this popular, fast course. The Berlin Marathon is one of the seven World Marathon Majors. Races for skaters, power walkers, hand bikers, wheelchair riders and kids are also part of the event.
The Berlin Marathon is part of the World Marathon Majors (WMM), a series of 7 of the largest and most renowned marathons in the world: Tokyo Marathon, Boston Marathon, London Marathon, Boston Marathon, Sydney Marathon, Chicago Marathon and the New York City Marathon. The organizers of these events are united in their effort to advance the sport, raise awareness of its elite athletes, and increase of the level of interest in elite racing among running enthusiasts.
With the addition of the Sydney Marathon in 2025, and the ongoing candidacies of the Sanlam Cape Town and Shanghai Marathons, AbbottWMM is also planning to add the Nine Star medal as the next milestone for the global community to aim at.
Additional to the World Marathon Majors, the Olympic or Paralympic Marathons and World Athletics or World Para Athletics Championships are included in the series in the years they are held.
How it works
The Abbott World Marathon Majors (AWMM) will award a $1 million prize, to be split equally to the top male and female point earners in Qualifying Races, after each full year cycle of competition.
The Olympic Marathon and IAAF World Championships Marathon will be included in the race schedule in the years they are held, but will not begin or end the Series.
Every Top Athlete should start in 2 of the races per year cycle. They earn points based on their finishing place (1st – 5th place).
The male and female athlete winner who scores most points will win.
If an athlete earns points in more than 2 events, only the highest 2 scores count.
The champions will commit to additional out-of-competition drug testing. They will receive $100,000 a year for 5 years, to take better advantage of long-term biological passport mapping in combating performance-enhancing drug use. During the 5 year period, illicit drug use can become apparent before the full $500,000 is paid out.
Because of their high standard, the World Marathon Majors all have an IAAF Road Race Gold Label.
IAAF Road Race Labels
Each year, the IAAF (International Association of Athletics Federations ) awards leading Road Races (10K-100K) around the World, based on quality standards such as an international elite field, doping controls and regulations concerning health and safety of participants and officials, course measurement, traffic, water and refreshment stations, electronic timing and media.
There’s a Gold, Silver and Bronze Label.
To qualify as Gold level elite runners, athletes must in the 36 months period preceding the competition, run the Marathon distance under a specific time, set by the IAAF. Or they must have finished in the first 20 places in the most recent edition of the IAAF World Championships, World Half Marathon Championships or Olympic Games Marathons.
Entry drawing procedure for recreational runners
To accommodate the overwhelming interest in the World Marathon Majors, every race has an entry drawing. Everyone has the same chance at one of the available starting spots unless you’re one of the fast runners that qualify based on a specific Marathon finish time.
Another way to enter the races is to run and fundraise for any of the Charity Programs.
The entry drawing procedure might not apply to people who have participated many times in previous years, inline skaters, wheelchair athletes and hand cyclists.
Check every race for the specific regulations.
Marathon Stars
Runners who have successfully completed each of the World Marathon Majors will be honored with a Six Star Finisher Certificate.