FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Mainova Frankfurt Marathon on Sunday:
Frankfurt presents strong elite fields,
Hendrik Pfeiffer and Laura Hottenrott added to German contingent
The Mainova Frankfurt Marathon will be back in action with strong elite
fields this coming Sunday after a two-year-break. The men's field shows
nine athletes who have run under 2:10, led by the Ethiopian Getesfa Getahun
whose personal best stands at 2:05:28. Among the women, eight have broken
2:25 and the Kenyan Sally Kaptich is the fastest with a best of 2:21:09.
The elite fields have also been boosted by the recruitment at short notice
of the leading German runners Hendrik Pfeiffer, part of the successful
national team at the European Championships, and Laura Hottenrott.
For the 39th edition of the Mainova Frankfurt Marathon the organizers are
expecting around 12,000 participants. Taking into account events held in
conjunction, some 20,000 runners will be involved. This historic race is
one of the Elite Label Road Race events, recognized by World Athletics, the
governing body of international athletics. Information of how to enter
Sunday's race is available at: www.frankfurt-marathon.com
"After a break of two years, caused by the Corona pandemic, we've been able
to put together strong elite fields and we'll have a big, impressive field
of mass runners on the start line. We're looking forward to a Mainova
Frankfurt Marathon which will continue the tradition of past events and
again prove a big thrill for participants and spectators alike," said the
Race Director Jo Schindler.
Two young talents from Ethiopia might well produce outstanding results on
Frankfurt's fast course. The 24-year-old Betesfa Getahun ran his fastest
time to-date of 2:05:28 on his marathon debut in Amsterdam in 2019. Gebru
Redahgne is 22 and the second fastest on the Frankfurt starting lists with
his time of 2:05:58 in Barcelona at the beginning of May. Both are keen to
take the next step and move up in the marathon hierarchy. Alongside them
will be the Kenyan who has earned the title of "Mr Frankfurt", Martin
Kosgey. He has two second places to his credit from the race in 2016 and
2018 as well as finishing fourth in 2017 and two years later. As further
proof of how much at home he feels on the Frankfurt course, he ran his best
time of 2:06:41 here in 2018.
Hendrik Pfeiffer had originally planned to run the New York Marathon in
November but the 29-year-old wanted to profit from his current excellent
form and take to Frankfurt's renowned flat, fast course, aiming to improve
his personal best of 2:10:18. "I'm confident I could run a personal best
and, of course, would love to break 2:10," said Pfeiffer, who finished 24th
at the European Championships in Munich in August and helped the German
squad win a silver medal in the Europa Cup team event. "I'm grateful to the
organizers for enabling me to run in Frankfurt at short notice and want to
put my form to good use on the road."
Only once previously has the Mainova Frankfurt Marathon had more than eight
women entered with personal bests of under 2:25 and that was in 2018 when
ten athletes were on the start line. The strength in depth among the elite
raises hopes for an exciting as well as high quality race. The Kenyan Sally
Kaptich with a best of 2:21:09, Ethiopia's Yeshi Chekole (2:21:17) and
Kenya's World Championship silver medallist from 2015, Helah Kiprop
(2:21:27) are the fastest on paper. While this trio is likely to be
disputing top honours, Germany's Laura Hottenrott will hope to take
advantage of Frankfurt's fast course where so many personal bests have been
achieved, aiming to improve her time of 2:28:02.
Elite runners with personal bests:
Men:
Betesfa Getahun ETH 2:05:28
Gebru Redahgne ETH 2:05:58
Martin Kosgey KEN 2:06:41
Derseh Balew Yihunie ETH 2:07:22
Asefa Mengisa ETH 2:07:47
Charles Ndiema KEN 2:08:12
Brimin Misoi KEN 2:08:41
Deresa Ulfata ETH 2:08:42
Dominic Letting KEN 2:09:30
Hendrik Pfeiffer GER 2:10:18
Stephen Mugambi KEN 2:11:39
Justino da Silva BRA 2:13:31
Edson Arruda BRA 2:14:35
Justin Mahieu BEL 2:14:43
Filimon Abraham GER - - -
Linus Maruka KEN Debut
Ashenafi Gebru ETH Debut
Eyob Solomun ERI Debut
Merhawi Ghebreslasie FRA Debut
Women:
Sally Kaptich KEN 2:21:09
Yeshi Chekole ETH 2:21:17
Helah Kiprop KEN 2:21:27
Atalel Anmut ETH 2:22:21
Juliet Chekwel UGA 2:23:13
Jackline Chepngeno KEN 2:24:21
Serdana Trofimova KGZ 2:24:38
Zinash Lema ETH 2:24:55
Meseret Abebayehu ETH 2:25:18
Caroline Jepchirchir KEN 2:26:11
Laura Hottenrott GER 2:28:02
Gladys Chepkurui KEN 2:28:55
Martha Akeno KEN 2:29:00
Sofiya Yaremchuk ITA 2:29:12
Thea Heim GER 2:36:10
More Information is available at: www.frankfurt-marathon.com
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