Meet 'Bottle Claus', the German civil engineer who keeps Eliud Kipchoge hydrated during Berlin Marathon

Eliud Kipchoge recently made history by becoming the only marathoner ever to win the Berlin Marathon five times.

Behind the Kenyan runner's newly unlocked milestone lies the contribution of Claus-Henning Schulke, a German civil engineer who was responsible for keeping the legendary runner hydrated during the Berlin Marathon.

Famously known as ‘Bottle Claus’, the 57-year-old amateur triathlete and also a civil engineer becomes a water bottle provider for Eliud Kipchoge once a year.

So, on Sunday (September 24), when Kipchoge was running the Berlin Marathon, he was consistently followed by Claus throughout the 42.195-kilometer marathon course.

He made sure to provide Kipchoge with his nutrition bottle at frequent intervals of the marathon. It was with Claus’s rejuvenating contribution that the two-time Olympic gold medallist was able to win the Berlin Marathon in 2:02:42.

This is not the first time Eliud Kipchoge teamed up with his water bottle provider. The duo first came together in 2017 in Berlin. Usually, in marathons, the athletes are allowed to grab water off the tables kept at frequently placed stations. However, in Berlin, athletes are paired with volunteers who hand them water.

Kipchoge was impressed by Schulke’s support at the marathon in 2017, so he requested him to accompany him in 2018 as well. The duo came together in the 2018 Berlin Marathon when the Kenyan athlete won the race along with setting the world record of 2:01:39. It was Kipchoge’s first world record in the city.

He was supremely indebted to Claus-Henning Schulke for his support. In fact, in a YouTube interview in 2021, Eliud Kipchoge credited Bottle Claus for his win. He said in the interview,

“My biggest remembrance of Berlin is the guy who was handing me water,” Kipchoge said.

He also added about him,

“Still my hero.”

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Claus-Henning Schulke on assisting Eliud Kipchoge at the 2018 Berlin Marathon

Kipchoge at 2023 BMW Berlin-Marathon

During a 2021 interview with BMW Berlin Marathon, Claus-Henning Schulke talked about the technique of handing the water bottle that he had practiced with Eliud Kipchoge before the race.

The 57-year-old has revealed that the duo used a vase with a tulip inside to practice. He shared that he would hold the bottom of the vase while handing it to Kipchoge while the runner would hold the neck of the vase. They used the same technique at the marathon as well.

Schulke revealed that the marathon’s organizers were pretty impressed with his attitude of cheering for Kipchioge while providing him the bottle. In fact, after the race when the legendary athlete had set the world record with 2:01:39, Schulke was summoned by the athlete to his hotel.

On reaching the hotel, Kipchoge gave him his running bib that had the message,

“Dear Claus, Without you, I would not have managed to run this world record.”

He was highly touched by Kipchoge’s gesture.