FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
David Langat beats Wilfred Kigen,
Susanne Hahn clocks personal best in Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf, GER - May 4, 2009 -- David Langat took the sixth edition
of the METRO Group Marathon on Sunday. Clocking 2:10:46, which is the
second fastest ever in the race, the Kenyan beat his fellow countryman and
pre-race favourite Wilfred Kigen (2:11:30). Germany's André Pollmächer was
third with a personal best of 2:13:09. As expected the women's race was a
German affair. Susanne Hahn clocked a personal best of 2:29:26. Debutant
Melanie Schulz (2:42:47) took second while Sonja Oberem, who had ended her
career some time ago, came in third with 2:43:49. Adding other events the
METRO Group Marathon Düsseldorf registered around 10.000 entries from more
than 65 nations. About 400,000 spectators lined the loop course in fine
weather conditions with temperatures around 15° Celsius.
29 year-old David Langat had originally been signed as a pacemaker, but had
said that he would like to finish the race. "On the evening before the race
I decided to go for the whole distance, because I knew that I was in shape.
And additionally the weather forecast was good," explained David Langat,
who earned 10,000 Euros of prize money in Düsseldorf. It was his first
victory in a big marathon, but the Kenyan had been faster before. In Paris
in 2006 he had placed with with a personal best of 2:08:58. "In the future
I want to run in the region of 2:06 or 2:07," said David Langat.
In Düsseldorf it had looked as if much faster times were possible for most
of the race. After a very fast beginning (30:12 minutes at 10K) pacemakers
guided Wilfred Kigen and David Langat through half way in 63:57. It was
then Langat who kept the pace high, reaching 30 k in 1:31:09 with Kigen a
step behind. While they were still well on pace to smash the course record
of 2:09:47 at this stage the race then became much slower. At 36K Wilfred
Kigen was additionally slowed by a calf muscle problem and could no longer
keep up with David Langat. At the end it was not quite enough to break the
course record.
There was a personal record for André Pollmächer, who clocked 2:13:09 for
third place. This time by the 26 year-old was the fastest German marathon
result since 2000! "I felt fine today and surely there is more to come next
time. I want to continue to improve," said André Pollmächer, who had run in
the second group from the start of the race, passing half way in 66:07
minutes. Looking ahead to his next marathon he said: "The big goal this
year obviously is the World Championships' marathon in Berlin. But this
will be a different race, because it will be about placings and not times."
There were more good news for German male marathon runners at the METRO
Group Marathon Düsseldorf, because Martin Beckmann came in sixth with a
personal best of 2:13:42. Falk Cierpinski, the son of the double Olympic
marathon champion Waldemar, suffered of muscle problems and had to be
content with eighth in 2:17:12.
While the defending champion Melanie Kraus was forced to drop out soon
after the 5 k point because of a muscle problem Susanne Hahn dominated the
race and won comfortably with 2:29:26. At half way and beyond that a time
of around 2:27 seemed to be possible for Susanne Hahn. "I had hoped for a
better result, but at the end I was happy to have improved my personal best
by seven seconds. All went well for 30K, but then my legs became very
heavy," said the 31 year-old, who won prize money of 7,000 Euros. It was
the second time she achieved a sub 2:30 result and Susanne Hahn clearly
beat the German qualifying standard for the World Championships in Berlin
(2:32).
Results:
Men
1. David Langat KEN 2:10:46
2. Wilfred Kigen KEN 2:11:30
3. André Pollmächer GER 2:13:09
4. Edwin Kibowen KEN 2:13:16
5. Andrej Gordeev BLR 2:13:32
6. Martin Beckmann GER 2:13:42
7. Richard Mutai KEN 2:14:10
8. Falk Cierpinski GER 2:17:12
Women
1. Susanne Hahn GER 2:29:26
2. Melanie Schulz GER 2:42:47
3. Sonja Oberem GER 2:43:49
More information online at: www.metrogroup-marathon.de
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