Press Release - Frankfurt Marathon - 9/24/14

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

   Sharon Cherop to Challenge Aberu Kebede in BMW Frankfurt Marathon

A showdown between Sharon Cherop and Aberu Kebede in the women's race is 
likely to be one of the highlights of the BMW Frankfurt Marathon which 
celebrates its 33rd edition on 26th October. The 30 year-old Cherop from 
Kenya is a new addition to the women's elite field which is led by 
Ethiopia's Kebede. This latest talented arrival will ensure a quartet of 
women on the start list who have run between 2:20 and 2:23. 15,000 runners 
are expected to take part in Germany's oldest marathon which is an IAAF 
Gold Label road race. In contrast to many other major marathons online 
entry for Frankfurt is still possible.

Aberu Kebede, the fastest woman on Frankfurt's start list with a PB of 
2:20:30, showed fine form last Sunday when she won the Philadelphia Half 
Marathon in 68:40. The winner of two Boston Marathon titles was an early 
confirmation for the latest edition of the marathon beside the river Main, 
but it looks as she will have her hands full coping with top-class rivals.

Sharon Cherop should provide a tough challenge for Aberu Kebede, who hopes 
to break 2:20 on the fast course in Frankfurt. The Kenyan was runner-up in 
last year's Berlin Marathon, improving to 2:22:28. Cherop, who is married 
to 2:10 marathon runner Matthew Bowen, has proved she is a tough competitor 
time and again. Winning the Boston Marathon in 2012 has been her biggest 
success to-date and she also placed third in Boston in 2011 and 2013. 
Cherop is the marathon bronze medal winner from the World Championships in 
Daegu, South Korea, in 2011. In an extraordinary strong women's race in 
Boston she finished eighth this April with 2:23:00.

After a series of fine performances 2014 did not go according to plan for 
Flomena Chepchirchir. The Kenyan will be eager to regain her best form in 
Frankfurt on 26th October after dropping out of the Boston Marathon in 
April and then finishing as far down as tenth in the Prague Marathon a few 
weeks later. The 32 year-old Chepchirchir returns to familiar territory 
since it was in Frankfurt that she clocked her PB of 2:23:00 a year ago 
when she finishing second. In 2011 Chepchirchir ran her marathon debut in 
Frankfurt and also performed with distinction, finishing third in 2:24:21. 

Prospects for a strong European performance are also high in Frankfurt as 
well: Russia's Maria Konovalova is the fourth runner with a PB in the time 
range of up to 2:23. It was in Chicago 2013 at the age of 39 that she 
improved her personal record by slightly over a minute to 2:22:46. Now 40, 
Konovalova could attack the World Masters record which was set by Germany's 
Irina Mikitenko a year ago in Berlin of 2:24:54. In March this year 
Konovalova won the Nagoya Marathon in 2:23:43 - a similar performance in 
Frankfurt could turn her into a World Master Record holder.

The women's elite field for the BMW Frankfurt Marathon:

Aberu Kebede         ETH 2:20:30
Sharon Cherop        KEN 2:22:28
Maria Konovalova     RUS 2:22:46
Flomena Chepchirchir KEN 2:23:00
Meskerem Assefa      ETH 2:25:17
Helah Kiprop         KEN 2:26:27
Ashete Bekere        ETH 2:27:47
Winny Jepkorir       KEN 2:27:57
Adriana Nelson       USA 2:28:52
Emily Ngetich        KEN 2:30:50

More information is available at: www.bmw-frankfurt-marathon.com 

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