BMW Berlin Marathon 1983 ballot: 10th edition, 5,121 finishers
The 10th Berlin Marathon ran inside West Berlin on 25 September 1983, with Belgium's Karel Lismont winning the men's race in 2:13:37 and Britain's Karen Holdsworth taking the women's title in 2:40:32.
What made 1983 notable
Seven years before reunification, the 10th Berlin Marathon stayed entirely within West Berlin, running on 25 September 1983 while the wall still split the city. There was no lottery and no published entry numbers, just a 5121-strong finishing field, 4886 men and 235 women. Belgium's Karel Lismont, an Olympic and European marathon medallist, took the men's race in 2:13:37, and Britain's Karen Holdsworth won the women's race in 2:40:32. No record fell here. The fast, flat course that would later make Berlin the world-record capital of marathoning was still confined to the western half, waiting for the reunited city after 1990 to unlock its full speed.
Finishers over time
Good-for-age standards
View full age-group standards
| Age group | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| 18-34 | 2:45:00 | 3:10:00 |
| 35-39 | 2:45:00 | 3:10:00 |
| 40-44 | 2:45:00 | 3:10:00 |
| 45-49 | 2:55:00 | 3:30:00 |
| 50-54 | 2:55:00 | 3:30:00 |
| 55-59 | 2:55:00 | 3:30:00 |
| 60-64 | 3:25:00 | 4:20:00 |
| 65-69 | 3:25:00 | 4:20:00 |
| 70-74 | 3:25:00 | 4:20:00 |
| 75-79 | 3:25:00 | 4:20:00 |
| 80-84 | 3:25:00 | 4:20:00 |
| 85-89 | 3:25:00 | 4:20:00 |
| 90+ | 3:25:00 | 4:20:00 |
Questions about the 1983 ballot
Who won the 1983 Berlin Marathon?
Karel Lismont of Belgium won the men's race in 2:13:37. Karen Holdsworth of Great Britain won the women's race in 2:40:32.
When was the 1983 Berlin Marathon held?
It ran on 25 September 1983, the 10th running of the event.
Was the 1983 Berlin Marathon run through the whole city?
No. The city was still divided, so the course stayed entirely within West Berlin. The race did not open onto the reunited city until after 1990.
How many people finished the 1983 Berlin Marathon?
5121 runners finished, made up of 4886 men and 235 women. SCC EVENTS does not publish entry or ballot application totals.