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ADAC Marathon Hannover on Sunday

Amanal Petros and Matea Parlov Kostro target records in Hannover

Amanal Petros and Matea Parlov Kostro are regarded as hot favorites at the
ADAC Marathon Hannover on Sunday and both target records on the very flat
course. The German record holder will attack his own national record of
2:06:27 and if successful would smash the ten year-old course record which
stands at 2:08:32. Meanwhile the marathon silver medallist of the European
Championships last year, Matea Parlov Kostro of Croatia, hopes for a big
personal best below the current course record of 2:26:15.

Organisers of the ADAC Marathon Hannover expect around 20,000 runners,
including races at shorter distances. "We are very much looking forward to
a thrilling marathon weekend," said Race Director Stefanie Eichel.
Germany's defending marathon champion Hendrik Pfeiffer, who targets the
Boston Marathon later this month, will run the half marathon on Sunday. The
31st ADAC Marathon Hannover is a World Athletics Road Race Label event. A
live stream of the marathon will be available on the event's website from
8.45 am on Sunday (clocks go forward one hour in Germany during the night
from Saturday to Sunday): www.marathon-hannover.de

Unfortunately a series of late cancellations hit the event so that the
final elite fields are now much smaller than planned. Among the athletes
who had to withdraw are Julien Wanders and Rabea Schoneborn. Switzerland's
European record holder at 10k and in the half marathon was not able to
reach the form he expected during high altitude training in Kenya and
decided to postpone his next marathon attempt. Last year's runner-up Rabea
Schoneborn developed a foot problem and instead of traveling to Hannover
the German needed surgery in Berlin today.

For the first time German record holder Amanal Petros will run a German
city marathon. "I am really looking forward to this premiere. I know that
the course in Hannover is fast. I have prepared well and will go for my
German record," said the 27 year-old who ran his PB of 2:06:27 in Seville
in 2021. This year Amanal Petros, who was fourth in the marathon at the
European Championships last summer, has already broken the long-standing
German 10k record with a time of 27:32. He trained in Iten, Kenya, for the
ADAC Marathon Hannover.

Two runners from Kenya will most likely be the strongest rivals for Amanal
Petros, who also holds the national half marathon record (60:09). While
Jonathan Maiyo is the fastest runner on the start list with a PB of 2:04:56
he has not come close to this sort of time in his recent marathons. Denis
Chirchir is a training partner of Amanal Petros. He has a personal record
of 2:09:55 but could be in for a significant improvement. Hannover's course
record of 2:08:32 was established back in 2013 by South Africa's Lusapho
April.

Rachel Mutgaa of Kenya holds the women's course record with a time of
2:26:15 from 2019. While Mexico's Risper Gesabwa and Aleksandra Brzezinska
of Poland are the fastest two runners on the start list with times of
2:26:55 and 2:28:09 respectively it is Matea Parlov Kostro who is regarded
as the favorite. The 30 year-old Croatian produced some fine performances
in her recent races. A year ago she was third in Hannover with a personal
best of 2:28:39. Then she was runner-up in Munich and became the first
Croatian woman ever in the history of the European Championships to win a
medal in a running event. In February she ran a half marathon PB of 69:53
in Barcelona. "I am happy to be able to run again in Hannover. I very much
liked the race and the course when I was here last year. On Sunday I want
to achieve the Olympic qualifying time," said Matea Parlov Kostro. While
the time required for the Paris Olympics in 2024 is 2:26:50 it is expected
that the Croatian will run a 2:25 pace on Sunday.

Elite runners for the ADAC Marathon Hannover

MEN
Jonathan Maiyo KEN 2:04:56
Amanal Petros GER 2:06:27
Denis Chirchir KEN 2:09:55
Blazej Brzezinski POL 2:11:27
Mustapha El Ouartassy MAR 2:14:02
Ben Fletcher USA 2:16:47
Geofrey Kiboy KEN 2:17:34
Dario Ivanovski MKD 2:18:12

WOMEN
Risper Gesabwa MEX 2:26:55
Aleksandra Brzezinska POL 2:28:09
Matea Parlov Kostro CRO 2:28:39
Pauline Mutwa Thitu KEN 2:31:29
Nina Chydenius FIN 2:32:48
Vanessa Wilson AUS 2:39:52
Natascha Mommers GER Debut

More information about the ADAC Marathon Hannover is available at:
www.marathon-hannover.de

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