S25 Berlin 2026 A look back at the City Run at Berlin's Olympic Stadium

Petrus must be a runner. Or at least a fan. Because even though rain had been forecast for the morning, it stayed dry throughout the historic S 25 Berlin on Sunday, April 19, 2026, until all participants had crossed the finish line. And yet most of the 14,300 runners had been constantly glancing up at the sky… The main 25-kilometer race was won by Esther Yeko Chekwemoi (Uganda) in 1:32:37 and local hero Nikki Johnstone of SCC Berlin in 1:24:58. The most prominent participant was Federal Foreign Minister Dr. Johann Wadephul, who completed the 25 km in a surprisingly strong 2:29:40.

What fantastic results for the 45th anniversary of Germany’s oldest city run. Starting at 9:30 a.m. against the magnificent backdrop of Berlin’s Olympic Stadium, the 14,300 runners set off on six different distances (5 km, 5×5 km TeamRun, 10 km, half marathon, 25 km, kids’ run). With more than 8,000 registrations, men were clearly in the majority.

The first race of the day was over in just 16 minutes and four seconds, when Julian Franz of LAC Olympia 88 Berlin won the 5 km race through the Olympic Park. The fastest woman, finishing in 16:42 minutes, was Fedra Luna (ESP) of Team Oysho. In the half marathon, Daniel Mulryan (UK, 1:09:08) and Celia Anton (ESP, 1:16:58) came out on top. Soukaina Elkhayami (ESP, 34:41) and Felix Hüttig (LAC 88 Olympia Berlin, 31:48 min) dominated the 10-km race. The Berlin Social Runners claimed victory in the 5-km TeamRun with a time of 1:30:35. The final winners of the day were Auguste Leopold and David Hübener (both 5:08 minutes) in the kids’ race.

As was the case last year, an alternative route had to be used for the S 25 in 2026 due to construction on the city highway. Therefore, after the start in front of the stunning backdrop of Berlin’s Olympic Stadium, the runners headed toward Theodor-Heuss-Platz, then along Preußenallee, Jafféstraße, and Eichkampstraße to Kronprinzessinnenweg. The route then continued along Havelchaussee, following the Havel River back to the Olympic Park and the Olympic Stadium. As a reward, runners were treated to a lap around the stadium and the unique and unforgettable finish line inside the Olympic Stadium.

Race Director Martin Seeber: “We’d like to thank the 14,300 runners who once again made the S 25 a special race. It’s like a big family gathering around the Olympic Stadium; everyone motivates and cheers each other on. That family-like atmosphere is what makes this race so special. Many thanks also to our sponsors and partners who make the race possible. First and foremost, the Berliner Sparkasse.”

This is the S 25 Berlin

Forty-five years ago, the starting gun was fired in Berlin for the running movement in German cities: On May 3, 1981, the “25 km de Berlin” was held as Germany’s first city run. Even the premiere was a resounding success with 3,000 participants. Since 2018, following Berliner Sparkasse’s onboarding as the main sponsor, the popular race has been called the S 25 Berlin. At the 45th edition (the race had to be canceled in 2020), 14,300 running enthusiasts lined up at the starting line on April 19, 2026.