FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Arne Gabius breaks German record with 2:08:33,
Ethiopians Sisay Lemma and Gulume Tollesa celebrate double win in Frankfurt
After 27 years of waiting, there's a new name on the German marathon record
as Arne Gabius returned in triumph to the scene of his debut at the
distance last year and ran 2:08:33 for fourth place in Frankfurt. That was
14 seconds faster than the 2:08:47 set by Jörg Peter in Tokyo in 1988. The
race was highly competitive with the quality to match. Ethiopia's Sisay
Lemma carried off the top prize with 2:06:26 ahead of the Kenyan duo of
Lani Rutto (2:06:34) and Alfers Lagat (2:06:48). Arne Gabius in fourth
place finished 59 seconds faster than his debut at the distance here last
year and was also comfortably inside the German Olympic qualifying time of
2:12:15.
The Ethiopian women, as expected, dominated the race and claimed all the
podium places. But they produced a major surprise in that the winner was
Gulume Tollesa in 2:23:12. She chopped over six minutes off her personal
best, chased all the way to the finish line in Frankfurt's Festhalle by
Dinknesh Mekash who was credited with the same time. Koren Jelela finished
third in 2:23:52. In the race for the national championship, Lisa Hahner
won with 2:28:39 for sixth place but that was six seconds outside the
national qualifying time for the Olympics.
The race presented drama on four fronts: the contest for the men's title
plus the attack on the German record while the very close women's race was
complemented by the domestic quest for the Olympic qualifying time.
The Frankfurt Marathon is an IAAF Gold Label race, the highest category of
road event. The 34th edition attracted 14,565 runners on the start line
with a total of 25,547 participating in all events of the race day
programme.
Men's Race
A 17-strong leading group, including Arne Gabius, went through halfway in
63:22 after starting in temperatures between 13 and 15 degrees Centigrade,
cloudy and with barely a breath of wind. The halfway split meant the
pacemakers were right on schedule. What proved to be the first decisive
move came at 25 kilometres as Gabius lost contact and Sisay Lemma raised
the pace dramatically and broke away with pacemaker Wilfred Kigen at 28
kilometres. Lemma's split for that last kilometre was 2:44 and the
Ethiopian proceeded to run each of the next three km in 2:49, and two
identical 2:52 splits. By 30 km he had a lead of 24 seconds ahead of a
Kenyan quartet comprising Alfers Lagat, Lani Rutto, Norbert Kigen and
Suleiman Simotwo.
The outcome appeared beyond doubt but Lagat and Rutto had other ideas with
around four kilometres remaining, catching up with Sisay Lemma who had
clearly slowed down. A close finish seemed in prospect till the final
kilometre when Lemma, this year's Vienna City Marathon champion, launched
the final attack. "I'm delighted with my win but I really wanted to run
2:05," said the 24-year-old champion.
In his pursuit of the German record, Arne Gabius went through an ordeal
which so many marathoners experience, sooner or later. "The second half was
damned tough and it felt like chewing gum, it seemed never to end, it hurt
all right. Now I know what it means to run a marathon," said the new German
record holder. Ultimately it was touch and go whether he would break the
record but the resilient Gabius gathered sufficient strength to take 14
seconds off Jörg Peter's time in 1988 and open a new chapter in German
marathon running. Considering this year's leading men's times in the
marathon and that each nation is permitted only three entries for the
Olympic Marathon in Rio next year, Arne Gabius currently stands 12th in the
rankings.
Women's Race
This was a thriller. Seven runners went through halfway in 1:11:29 and by
30 km the group was reduced to four contesting victory: the Ethiopian trio
of Gulume Tollesa, Dinknesh Mekash and Koren Jelela along with the Russian
Sardana Trofimova but the latter dropped back over the next 5 km and
finished fourth in 2:24:38.
At 40 km the same Ethiopian trio were still together but then Gulume
Tollesa broke away and appeared to have victory within her grasp. Dinknesh
Mekash had other ideas and made up the leeway so both entered the Festhalle
stride for stride. Mekash edged ahead but Gulume summoned her reserves and
won the sprint, achieving a massive personal best of 2:23:12. Her previous
best of 2:29:40 had left her name outside the list of contenders. Koren
Jelela finished third in 2:23:52 she continued her international return
after maternity. The women's champion had been confident of a good
performance, but had not expected outright victory. "I thought I could
finish among the first three since my training had gone very well but I
never dreamed I would win," reflected Gulume Tollesa.
While Arne Gabius was also able to include the German men's title among his
day's honours, Lisa Hahner proved she was back in competitive shape after
two years blighted by injury. She won the national women's title in
2:28:39, just nine seconds outside the Olympic qualifying standard of the
German Federation.
Results, Men:
1. Sisay Lemma ETH 2:06:26
2. Lani Rutto KEN 2:06:34
3. Alfers Lagat KEN 2:06:48
4. Arne Gabius GER 2:08:33
5. Suleiman Simotwo KEN 2:08:49
6. John Kemboi Cheruiyot KEN 2:08:56
7. Estifanos Tewelde ERI 2:09:16
8. Raymond Chemungor KEN 2:10:06
9. Henry Chirchir KEN 2:10:22
10. Micah Kogo KEN 2:10:24
Women
1. Gulume Tollesa Chala ETH 2:23:12
2. Dinknesh Mekash Tefera ETH 2:23:12
3. Koren Jelela Yal ETH 2:23:52
4. Sardana Trofimova RUS 2:24:38
5. Meseret Tolwak ETH 2:27:17
6. Lisa Hahner GER 2:28:39
7. Meseret Mengistu Biru ETH 2:28:58
8. Agnes Mutune KEN 2:30:13
9. Risper Gesabwa KEN 2:30:49
10. Andrea Mayr AUT 2:33:28
More Information is available at: www.frankfurt-marathon.com
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