FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Kipsang Promises Fireworks in Frankfurt
Wilson Kipsang was watching television back home in Kenya a month ago;
seeing compatriot Patrick Makau break the marathon world record in Berlin,
he thought to himself, "I can do that". We know this, because Kipsang told
us yesterday.
Kipsang, who is now in Germany himself, to defend the BMW Frankfurt
Marathon title he won last year, is not a man given to idle boasts. Prior
to last year's race, he was asked what his objectives were. "I have three
goals," he said. "To set a personal best (then 2.07.10), to break the
course record (then 2.06.14), and to break 2.06". Good as his word, Kipsang
went out and ran 2.04.57, the third fastest of the year, and the eighth
best in history.
Not slow to cut the chase themselves, the assembled journos at yesterday
press conference came straight out with it, 'Can you break the world record
on Sunday?" Kipsang restricted himself to two goals this time. "One of the
expectations is to run a personal best, the other is to break the world
record". He followed that by expressing a wish to go through halfway in
61.50, which compares to Makau's 61.44 on his way to the new record of
2.03.38.
That Kipsang is capable of fulfilling his latest prognostic in underlined
by his only marathon since last year's win here in Germany's finance
capital. With just four kilometres to race in the Lake Biwa Marathon in
Japan in March, Kipsang was shoulder to shoulder with Ethiopian Deriba
Merga, Beijing Olympic fourth placer. Kipsang won by precisely three
minutes.
These sorts of predictions are uncharacteristic of Kenyan runners, and
Kipsang is otherwise a circumspect 29 year old from an upcountry town in
the western highlands, who appreciates the material gain that his talent
has brought him. As he said, "first of all, I was able to help my close
family, then my extended family, and then my community".
Given that Frankfurt is the finance capital of Germany, it was inevitable
that the talk should turn to money. Kipsang is no mug. "Time is more
important than money," he said, "and anyway, if I break the world record,
the money will follow". For the record, if he breaks the record, he will
net €125,000 ($177,250).
Leading rival and one of his predecessors as winner here, Robert Kiprono
Cheruiyot is more typical of the 'quiet Kenyan'. Not to be confused with
Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot (they have both won the Boston Marathon), this
Robert K had his breakthrough here in 2008, when he won in a then course
record of 2.07.21. Another colleague Gilbert Kirwa then won 2009, in a
record 2.06.14, with Robert K second in a personal best 2.06.23. He
bettered that when he won Boston last year, in 2.05.50. He was almost
apologetic in saying, "Frankfurt 2008 was my first race outside (Kenya),
and I ran 'something'. I think I can do 'something' on Sunday, to show you
again, like I did in 2008 and 2009".
The other leading men are Merga, who only lost Olympic bronze in the last
400 metres to one of his Ethiopian colleagues in Beijing. He said he has no
regrets about that experience, having gone out early in the race and hard,
which has come to typify his racing tactics. This time, he says (through
an interpreter), "I'm going to follow the pacemaker, then whoever is in the
lead. I think I can do sub-2.05, but there are others in the race who can
do the same". Statistics favour the Kenyans, who have won every year here
since 2002.
If Robert K is the yardstick, then expectations surrounding Flomena
Chepchirchir's debut marathon will not go unrewarded. The Kenyan, only 19,
has won two half-marathons in just a few seconds either side of 69 minutes
this year, and also won the Berlin 25k in 1.23.22. Her manager Gerard van
der Veen reckons she can run around 2.25, and that would suggest a good
race with her colleague, Agnes Kiprop, whose best is 2.24.07, and
Ethiopians Merima Mohamed (2.23.06), and Mamita Daska, who won Dubai last
year in 2.24.19. German hope, Sabrina Mockenhaupt, who won here in 2008 in
2.26.22, is looking to run 2.24, but knows anything under 2.30 will qualify
her for London 2012. An outsider is Moroccan born Italian (who has also
competed for Bahrein) Nadia Ejaffini, who ran a sub-69min half-marathon
recently.
The BMW Frankfurt Marathon enjoys one the most unusual finish areas in
world marathoning. The last 100 metres of the race is run inside the 19th
century Festhalle, which for those of you who know London better than
Frankfurt resembles the Royal Albert Hall. That latter venue is well known
for its Proms concerts, featuring largely classical music. In true local
style, the Festhalle on Sunday morning features an oompah band, and a
spectacular indoor fireworks display to greet the winners. This year,
Kipsang is promising fireworks all the way.
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