FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
40th edition of the Mainova Frankfurt Marathon on Sunday:
Frankfurt's Anniversary Recipe: Record Chase, Thrills and Olympic Goals
When the 30th edition of the Mainova Frankfurt Marathon took place in 2011,
Wilson Kipsang crowned the anniversary with a magnificent course record of
2:03:42. This performance took the Kenyan to number two in the world
all-time lists at the time and was only four seconds outside the world
record. Since then, no-one has gone close to threatening the course record.
But at the next anniversary on Sunday, 12 years on, given the two years
missed because of the Corona lockdown, this course record could at last be
broken. If the weather is favourable for the 40th Mainova Frankfurt
Marathon, the leading contenders including last year's champion Brimin
Misoi and Vienna Marathon winner Samwel Mailu want to attack this target.
The Kenyans know full well that they cannot afford to disregard Guye Adola
of Ethiopia, whose personal best of 2:03:46 makes him the fastest man in
the field. The women's race has the makings of a thrilling contest for the
title with seven runners who have run between 2:21:00 and 2:24:00. Two from
the home contingent will have their sights set on achieving the Olympic
qualifying time. Simon Boch and Miriam Dattke have places in the German
team for next year's Olympic Marathon in Paris as their goal.
The event organizers have so far received 23,726 entries from 115
countries. 13,036 of them will run the marathon while there are also races
at shorter distances, held in conjunction with the marathon. The race is an
Elite Label Road Race, a distinction awarded by World Athletics, the
sport's governing body.
The press conference in Frankfurt started with a minute of silence in
memory of Christoph Kopp. The Berliner had died after a short illness on
28th April aged 75. Christoph Kopp was the elite race coordinator of the
Frankfurt Marathon for two decades and guided the race into world-class -
as he had done with the Berlin Marathon before and a number of other
events. "In Christoph we have lost a true friend and the man who developed
and shaped the elite races of the Mainova Frankfurt Marathon so
successfully", sagte Race Direktor Jo Schindler.
Men's race preview: Course record could be challenged
Christoph Kopp's son Philipp has taken over the role of Elite Race
Co-ordinator in Frankfurt. Three of strongest contenders in the men's elite
field had already been recruited by his father for the Mainova Frankfurt
Marathon: Brimin Misoi, Samwel Mailu, both from Kenya and Guye Adola of
Ethiopia. The latter had to withdraw from the event a few years ago because
of injury so this will be his debut in Frankfurt. "We are working towards a
halfway split between 61:50 and 62:00 to give the possibility of a course
record," explained Philipp Kopp.
Samwel Mailu has produced outstanding form recently. He won the Vienna City
Marathon in April, breaking the course record with his personal best of
2:05:08. He continued by taking the bronze medal at the World Half Marathon
Championships in Riga on October 1, again setting a personal best of 59:19.
"The field in Frankfurt is very strong but I think I can run 2:04," he
announced. The celebrations back home in Kenya for his bronze medal at the
World Half Marathon Championships have been an added incentive: "The
messages of congratulation were simply fantastic." But that didn't mean he
lost his concentration on the job in hand, he has every intention of being
first across the finish line in Frankfurt's Festhalle on Sunday.
Guye Adola (2:03:46 pb), Brimin Misoi (2:06:11) and the Ethiopian duo of
Mulugeta Uma (2:06:07) and Abdi Kebede (2:06:43) will have to be on their
best form to prevent Samwel Mailu winning. Adola certainly sounded
confident: "I think I can run a very good time. If the pacemakers and other
runners run fast, I don't see any reason why I cannot run 2:03. As for
qualifying for the Olympics, there's not a leading Ethiopian runner who
doesn't have that as their goal – but, ultimately, it depends on the
national federation." Should the 2021 Berlin Marathon winner run in the
region of his personal best, he would have a chance of booking his place
for the Olympics. Brimin Misoi is also ready for a fast marathon: "I have
trained very well and want to beat my personal best."
The Olympic Games are also the top target for Simon Boch. The leading
German male runner has a best of 2:09:25, achieved in winning the Linz
title in spring but he needs to run under 2:08:10. "I will either run a
high 2:07 or end up on a bench around 35 k," said Simon Boch.
Women's Race: Kenyans are favourites
The compact but high-quality women's field shows every chance of producing
a thrilling contest. "I hope that a big group can stay together for a long
time and help each other," said Philipp Kopp. Among the genuine favourites
is Magdalyne Masai of Kenya, who showed plenty of confidence when assessing
her prospects: "I have had the best preparation ever for a marathon in my
career." She had more than role model for inspiration in her family. Sister
Linet won the 10,000m title at the World Championships in Berlin in 2009
and her brother Moses took the bronze at the same distance in the men's
event. "I had role models in my family and that gave me confidence. Above
all, the performances of my sister because it's not always easy for a woman
in elite level sport. I said to myself, if she can do it, so can I." Then
there was the support from a ten-strong training group. Among them is
Rosemary Wanjiru, who won this year's Tokyo Marathon with an outstanding
time of 2:16:28.
Magdalyne Masai, just as her compatriot and Frankfurt rival Visiline
Jepkesho, has returned to marathon training and competition this year after
maternity leave. "It was hard to come back after having a child," said
Jepkesho, whose youngest of two sons is now two years and three months. "I
feel very good and am ready to run in the fastest group," said the
33-year-old. Her personal best of 2:21:37, set six years ago, makes her the
fastest woman in the field. Also in excellent form are two more Kenyans,
Agnes Keino and Winfridah Moseti.
A similar form of co-operation may well happen between Miriam Dattke and
Matea Parlov Kostro on Sunday. The former, the leading German runner in the
field, achieved a surprise fourth place at the European Championships last
year. She has a personal best of 2:26:50. Her target in Frankfurt is 2:24.
This could secure her a place on the Olympic Marathon team. Parlov Kostro
from Croatia, who won a silver medal at the same championships in Munich,
improved her best to 2:25:45 with victory at the Hanover Marathon in
spring. She is aiming to go through halfway on Sunday in 72:00. "I'm in
better form than ever, my performances in training are stronger than before
the European Championships," said Matea Parlov Kostro, who has already
achieved Olympic qualification.
Elite runners with personal bests
MEN:
Guye Adola ETH 2:03:46
Samwel Mailu KEN 2:05:08
Mulugeta Uma ETH 2:06:07
Brimin Misoi KEN 2:06:11
Abdi Kebede ETH 2:06:43
Titus Kipkosgei KEN 2:07:46
Albert Kangogo KEN 2:07:48
Frederick Kibii KEN 2:08:09
Dominic Letting KEN 2:09:16
Simon Boch GER 2:09:25
Yimer Getahun ISR 2:09:27
Bukayaw Malede ISR 2:09:28
Soufiyan Bouqantar MAR 2:09:54
Tesema Moges ISR 2:10:31
Archie Casteel SWE 2:10:49
Tom Anderson GBR 2:12:07
Dominic Kiptarus KEN 2:12:46
Mario Bauernfeind AUT 2:15:34
Thorben Dietz GER 2:19:20
Andreas Vojta AUT 2:19:27
Isaac Lelei KEN Debut
WOMEN:
Visiline Jepkesho KEN 2:21:37
Magdalyne Masai KEN 2:22:16
Buzunesh Gudeta ETH 2:22:38
Paskalia Jepkogei KEN 2:22:47
Meseret Meleka ETH 2:22:52
Agnes Keino KEN 2:23:26
Winfridah Moseti KEN 2:23:38
Naom Jebet KEN 2:24:33
Viola Kibiwott KEN 2:24:54
Sharon Arusho KEN 2:25:20
Matea Parlov Kostro CRO 2:25:45
Medina Armino ETH 2:26:12
Miriam Dattke GER 2:26:50
Viktoriia Kaliuzhna UKR 2:27:05
Tereza Hrochova CZE 2:29:06
Kinsey Middleton CAN 2:29:22
Further information can be found at: www.frankfurt-marathon.com
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