Athletics: Berlin Marathon a Family Affair

The real_Berlin Marathon, one of the most successful distance races in the world today announced a change of directorship, from father to son. Horst Milde, 65, who has presided over 30 years of the marathon, including four world records in the past six years is to be succeeded by his son Mark.

Mark Milde, 30 has cut his teeth on the organisation of the successful parallel inline skating marathon and was instrumental in the signing of both Naoko Takahashi - who was the first sub-2hr 20min woman, with 2.19.46 in Berlin 2001 - and Paul Tergat, whose current world record, 2.04.55, set in Berlin last September is the first sub-2.05.

Horst Milde, a mainstay of the SC Charlottenburg club organised the first cross country race through a West Berlin forest back in 1964. Ten years later, he started the Berlin Marathon, with 284 entries. After the fall of the Berlin Wall, the race could be run through the eastern part of the city, and today, thirty years after its inauguration, the world's fastest marathon course boasts an annual field of 35000+ runners, skaters and wheelchairs.

Horst Milde was awarded the IAAF Plaque of Merit for lifetime achievement by federation president Lamine Diack last September, but a mild heart attack in January, from which he is fully recovered influenced his decision to step down.

"This is a dream solution for me", said Horst Milde, "It was important for me that the personnel structure of the organisation remains intact. With my son being the new race director and a number of experienced co-organisers at his back I am very optimistic regarding the future".