A new Berlin road race, the ASICS Grand 10 Berlin, will see its inaugural edition this Sunday with a number of prominent German athletes: Olympic Champion Dieter Baumann (5.000 m in 1992) will run the 10 k race while Waldemar Cierpinski (Olympic Marathon Champion in 1976 and 1980) as well as the Triathlon Olympic Champion from Tokyo Jan Frodeno will participate in a 2x5 k relay. The organisers from BERLIN RUNS, a new group which already successfully has taken over as the organiser of Berlin’s traditional 25 k race in May, expect the race to have more than 6,000 runners.
With start and finish positioned in front of one of Berlin’s most famous landmarks, the Schloß Charlottenburg, the course leads through the city centre of Berlin. As a special attraction participants will run through the Berlin Zoo, passing for example lions, stags and rhinos.
Stephan Freigang, the Olympic bronze medallist from Barcelona 1992, is another prominent athlete who will participate in the ASICS Grand 10 Berlin on Sunday. “To have four German Olympic medal winners in the first edition of the race is extraordinary and makes us proud – there could not have been a better start,” said Race Director Gerhard Janetzky, who is also the Meeting Director of Berlin’s AF Golden League Meeting DKB ISTAF.
Although 43 year-old Dieter Baumann still is in fine form others will go for victory on Sunday. After a long absence due to an injury André Pollmächer starts his comeback, now concentrating on road running. The promising German distance runner will be up against Kenyans Simon Kasimili and Peter Koech while German steeple chaser Filmon Ghirmai, who is coached by Dieter Baumann, could also play a part.
The women’s 10 k race will feature the German trio Ulrike Maisch, Claudia Dreher and Julia Viellehner. The reigning European Marathon Champion Ulrike Maisch, who had surprisingly taken the gold in 2006 but then suffered from various injuries and health problems, is said to have trained well and regained promising form. For Claudia Dreher the ASICS Grand 10 Berlin will be the final test before running the Dresdner Kleinwort Frankfurt Marathon on 26th October.
More information online at: www.berlin-runs.com.
![](="/running/images/Baumann_Dieter-Frankfurt.jpg")
Dieter Baumann. Please credit: Victah Sailer / photorun.net
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