Press Release - Frankfurt Marathon - 9/4/12

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

                  Makau Faces Formidable Rivals in Frankfurt:
                        Tsegay, Matebor, Worku and Kirwa

The BMW Frankfurt Marathon looks set to continue its rise that should 
ultimately establish the event among the world's major marathons. A couple 
of weeks after announcing the spectacular signing of world record holder 
Patrick Makau organisers have now released four names that will form 
formidable opposition for the Kenyan superstar: Yemane Tsegay, Albert 
Matebor, Bazu Worku and Gilbert Kirwa will face Patrick Makau on 28th 
October. The BMW Frankfurt Marathon is an IAAF Gold Label Road Race.

"I have seen the course today and it looks very good. If everything is 
perfect on race day – my form, the weather and the pacemaking – then a 
world record might be possible," said Patrick Makau during a press 
conference in Frankfurt today. A year ago he had broken the world record 
clocking 2:03:38 in Berlin. On that occasion the Kenyan also beat the 
previous record holder Haile Gebrselassie (Ethiopia). After being 
surprisingly omitted from Olympic selection Patrick Makau will now be eager 
to prove something with a very good race. "So far my training went very 
well. I had no problems or injuries and the form is similar to last year. 
But of course a lot of training and especially speedwork is still to come 
in the weeks ahead," said the 27 year-old who will be running against a 
group of very strong athletes. Four of them have now been confirmed for 
Frankfurt. 

Yemane Tsegay's personal best is just 70 seconds slower than that of the 
world record holder. The 27 year-old Ethiopian is likely to follow any pace 
in Frankfurt. Tsegay, who had been fourth in the World Championship's 
marathon in Berlin in 2009, has improved his personal best twice this year. 
First he ran 2:06:29 at the Dubai Marathon in January, then he made a major 
step when taking the Rotterdam Marathon in 2:04:48 in April. Tsegay crossed 
the line just one second ahead of fellow-Ethiopian Getu Feleke and by 
coincidence clocked exactly the same time as Patrick Makau, when he had won 
the Rotterdam Marathon two years earlier. 

Albert Matebor (Kenya) and Bazu Worku (Ethiopia) both feature identical 
personal bests of 2:05:25. Matebor had shown a great race in Frankfurt in 
2011, when he finished third with this personal best. It will be already 
his third race in the German financial capital. In 2007 he had been fifth 
with 2:09:33. For Bazu Worku it will be his first BMW Frankfurt Marathon. 
The former marathon world junior record holder (2:06:15 in Paris in 2009) 
ran his personal best in Berlin two years ago. Finishing in a strong third 
place in driving rain behind Patrick Makau and fellow Kenyan Geoffrey Mutai 
he clocked a great 2:05:25. 

Besides Albert Matebor there is another world-class runner from Kenya 
returning: Gilbert Kirwa had won the BMW Frankfurt Marathon in 2009 with 
2:06:14, which at that time was a course record. This still is his personal 
best. After prolonged injury problems Gilbert Kirwa this year came back 
with a fourth place in the Vienna City Marathon in April (2:08:09). He will 
now hope to be back at his best in Frankfurt. 

Regarding the very top of the men's elite race this field will be the best 
in the history of Germany's oldest city marathon, which will see its 31st 
edition. "It is a very strong field. But I am generally not looking at any 
particular rivals. I always respect all the other runners in a 
competition," said Patrick Makau.

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

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