Achilles Athletes Secure Sixth Abbott World Marathon Majors Star in Berlin
It was a milestone-filled weekend for 63 Achilles athletes with disabilities and their guides at the 2026 BMW Berlin Marathon on September 27.Athletes traveled from Australia, Brazil, Germany, Mongolia, Norway, the United Kingdom and the United States. They were joined by 75 Team Achilles charity runners, who raised more than $260,000 in support of Achilles’ mission. Fifty fundraisers also participated in support of Achilles Germany.
The weekend kicked off Friday with an Achilles welcome dinner. On Saturday morning, Achilles Germany hosted a 5K shakeout run through Berlin’s Tiergarten. The annual gathering gave athletes and guides from different chapters the opportunity to meet, connect and get in some final miles together before Sunday’s marathon. Members of the Red Nose organization also made a surprise visit to wish the team good luck ahead of the race.
Achilles Germany also welcomed athletes at its booth at the Berlin Marathon Expo, where a Wheel of Fortune game helped raise awareness.
Several members of the Achilles community celebrated major milestones in Berlin. Melissa Blume of Achilles New Jersey, Adam Popp and Tom Lyne of the Achilles Freedom Team, and Team Achilles charity runner Grace Barbagallo earned their Abbott World Marathon Majors Six Star Medals. Barbagallo raised more than $14,000, making her the team’s top fundraiser for the race.
Handcyclist Dan Broniewski achieved a Boston Marathon qualifying time, while Heather Cohen set a new personal record.
Congratulations to all of our Achilles athletes, volunteer guides and Team Achilles charity runners who took on Berlin and helped kick off another exciting fall marathon season.
