A dozen runners who have broken 2:10 and Ethiopia’s Mare Dibaba, World Marathon Champion in 2015, are on the start lists of the Mainova Frankfurt Marathon. Dibaba will be the first woman to run Frankfurt with a personal record of sub-2:20. There are ten women who have run below 2:25. Should weather conditions be suitable some very fast times and thrilling races can be expected. 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.
Men’s Race
Frankfurt will feature a contest between two runner-ups, setting Ethiopian Kelkile Gezahegn against the Kenyan Martin Kosgey. They finished second in Frankfurt in the previous two years. Gezahegn ran 2:06:56 in Frankfurt for second place last year and then improved to 2:05:56 for third place in Rotterdam in the spring. Kosgey ran his PB of 2:07:22 to finish second in the 2016 edition of the Mainova Frankfurt Marathon. Three time Amsterdam winner Wilson Chebet of Kenya is the fastest runner on the start list with a time of 2:05:27.
A number of debutants from East Africa could cause an upset. Among them is Kenya’s Alex Kibet, who has run a world-class time of 59:06 in the half marathon.
Germany’s Arne Gabius will return to the race, where he clocked sub 2:10 times on three occasions and broke the national record in 2015 with 2:08:33.
Women’s race
While the 2:21:01 course record could come under threat may be there is also a chance for a first sub 2:20 time in Frankfurt. Four Ethiopian women are on the start list who have each run under 2:22 with one having cracked the 2:20 barrier: Mare Dibaba, who has twice run her best of 2:19:52. In 2015 victory crowned her World champion in Beijing before she took the bronze medal at the Olympics in Rio the next year.
Three of Dibaba’s compatriots are likely to be among her strongest rivals. Haftamnesh Tesfay made an impressive debut to her marathon career in Dubai this January with fifth place in 2:20:13. Two places behind Tesfay in Dubai came another Ethiopian debutant, Dera Dida and her impressive showing also makes her appearance in Frankfurt highly anticipated following her 2:21:45 in the United Arab Emirates. Meskerem Assefa finished third in 2:24:38 last year in Frankfurt. She made a solid improvement in winning the Nagoya title in mid-March, running 2:21:45. Kenya’s Betsy Saina is expected to challenge the Ethiopians. She achieved a breakthrough performance in the marathon this April, winning in Paris with a fine 2:22:56.
Local hero Katharina Heinig carries national hopes on Sunday. A year ago she showed an excellent race finishing in eighth place.
Topathletes with besttimes:
men:
Wilson Chebet KEN 2:05:27
Kelkile Gezahegn ETH 2:05:56
Gilbert Yegon KEN 2:06:18
Martin Kosgey KEN 2:07:22
Arne Gabius GER 2:08:33
Bira Seboka ETH 2:08:51
Weldon Kirui KEN 2:09:06
Hiroyuki Yamamoto JPN 2:09:12
Tsedat Abeye Ayana ETH 2:09:26
Tadashi Isshiki JPN 2:09:43
Akinobou Murasawa JPN 2:09:47
Amos Mitei KEN 2:09:56
Vincent Yator KEN 2:10:38
Alex Kibet KEN Debüt
Asefa Tefera ETH Debüt
Kenneth Keter KEN Debüt
women:
Mare Dibaba ETH 2:19:52
Haftamnesh Tesfay ETH 2:20:13
Dera Dida ETH 2:21:45
Meskerem Assefa ETH 2:21:45
Betsy Saina KEN 2:22:56
Valentine Kipketer KEN 2:23:02
Abebech Afework ETH 2:23:33
Nancy Kiprop KEN 2:24:18
Belaynesh Oljira ETH 2:24:21
Reia Iwade JPN 2:24:38
Bedatu Hirpa Badane ETH 2:25:50
Janet Rono KEN 2:26:03
Sara Hall USA 2:26:20
Gladys Tejeda PER 2:28:12
Katharina Heinig GER 2:28:34
Sylvia Medugu KEN 2:29:09
Lindsay Flanagan USA 2:29:28
Best times overall Mainova Frankfurt Marathon
men:
2:03:42 Wilson Kipsang KEN 2011
2:04:57 Wilson Kipsang KEN 2010
2:05:16 Levy Matebo KEN 2011
2:05:25 Albert Matebor KEN 2011
2:05:50 Shura Kitata Tola ETH 2017
2:06:07 Philip Sanga KEN 2011
2:06:08 Patrick Makau KEN 2012
2:06:14 Gilbert Kirwa KEN 2009
2:06:15 Vincent Kipruto KEN 2013
2:06:16 Mark Kiptoo KEN 2013
women:
2:21:01 Meselech Melkamu ETH 2012
2:21:39 Georgina Rono KEN 2012
2:21:59 Mamitu Daska ETH 2011
2:22:21 Aberu Kebede ETH 2014
2:22:34 Caroline Kilel KEN 2013
2:23:00 Flomena Chepchirchir KEN 2013
2:23:01 Birhane Dibaba ETH 2013
2:23:12 Gulume Tollesa ETH 2015
2:23:12 Dinknesh Tefera ETH 2015
2:23:23 Mamitu Daska ETH 2013
Text: race-news-service.com
Fotos: Mainova Frankfurt Marathon / photorun.net
