Press Release - Frankfurt Marathon - 8/28/18

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

                  Mainova Frankfurt Marathon On October 28:
                 Guye Adola Aims For Fast Lane In Frankfurt

Guye Adola of Ethiopia, last year's surprise newcomer on the marathon 
scene, will run his next effort at the distance in Frankfurt on October 28. 
He set an unofficial world record as a debutant marathoner with 2:03:46 to 
finish second in the 2017 Berlin Marathon, coming within a hair's breadth 
of beating the Kenyan superstar Eliud Kipchoge. The Mainova Frankfurt 
Marathon will feature a contest between a trio of runner-ups, setting Guye 
Adola against his fellow Ethiopian Kelkile Gezahegn and the Kenyan Martin 
Kosgey. The latter two each finished second in Frankfurt in the previous 
two years. The German record holder Arne Gabius will make his fourth 
appearance in Frankfurt while Japan's Hiroyuki Yamamoto will also be on the 
start line.
 
The organizers expect up to 15,000 entrants for the 37th edition of the 
Mainova Frankfurt Marathon which is an IAAF Gold Label race, the highest 
category in international road running. Entries for the Mainova Frankfurt 
Marathon are still accepted at: www.frankfurt-marathon.com
 
"We are looking forward to a thrilling men's race with world-class 
runners," said Race Director Jo Schindler. "We are pleased when athletes of 
this calibre choose Frankfurt for their autumn marathon. It is always our 
aim to present world-class athletes and at the same time to offer perfect 
conditions for every single runner."
 
Guye Adola is the marathon runner who almost broke the lengthy dominance of 
the Olympic champion Eliud Kipchoge a year ago. Just before 40 kilometres 
in Berlin the 27-year-old was in the lead but Kipchoge, unbeaten in the 
marathon since 2013, was able to overhaul him. Adola finished with a 
sensational marathon debut just 14 seconds behind the Kenyan and the second 
fastest time in the world. His time of 2:03:46 was also an unofficial world 
record for a debut marathon (official records for this category are not 
maintained) since no athlete had ever run faster in their first marathon on 
a record eligible course.
 
Adola's performance in 2017 also made him the second fastest Ethiopian ever 
to run the marathon behind Kenenisa Bekele and ahead of the former world 
record holder Haile Gebrselassie. "I really enjoyed everything about my 
marathon debut until the last few kilometres," said Adola, whose time also 
earned him eleventh place on the world all-time list.
 
In the spring Guye Adola found himself running the London Marathon in a 
heatwave and, after going with the super-fast early pace, he struggled 
across the finish line so has extra incentive to reassert himself with a 
fast time in the Mainova Frankfurt Marathon.
 
Kelkile Gezahegn also sprang a surprise last autumn as the Ethiopian 
improved his best by two minutes to finish second in Frankfurt in 2:06:56. 
He confirmed his new level of performance by improving to 2:05:56 for third 
place in Rotterdam in the spring. Alongside the Ethiopian duo on the start 
line will be Martin Kosgey, the Kenyan who ran what was then a personal 
best of 2:07:22 to finish second in the 2016 edition of the Mainova 
Frankfurt Marathon. Returning last year, he finished fourth in 2:09:39.
 
Hiroyuki Yamamoto will lead a strong Japanese contingent in Frankfurt. He 
ran his best of 2:09:12 in Tokyo in 2017, finishing tenth.
 
The German record holder Arne Gabius will be running the Mainova Frankfurt 
Marathon for the fourth time. The 37-year-old has run under 2:10 in all 
three previous marathons in Frankfurt and no other German runner has broken 
that barrier for over 25 years. "Frankfurt is the best place for me. Why 
should I do anything different?" said Gabius whose time of 2:08:33 here in 
2015 broke the German record set by Jörg Peter 27 years earlier by 14 
seconds.
 
More Information and online entry is available at: 
www.frankfurt-marathon.com
 
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