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Defending champion Annie Bersagel targets another personal best

Defending champion Annie Bersagel will be the main contender in Sunday's
METRO GROUP Marathon Duesseldorf. The American hopes to further improve her
personal best she ran last year in this race with 2:28:59. While elite
fields for this edition had to be cut drastically for financial reasons
there are hopes for a national winner in the men's race. With the Rio
Olympic Games already in mind Andr? Pollm?cher intends to go for a sub 2:12
time. Adding other events at shorter distances a total of 18,000 runners
have entered the METRO GROUP Marathon Duesseldorf.

There are hopes that next year the METRO GROUP Marathon Duesseldorf will
return to higher standards again. However this year the fastest man in the
elite field is former Maroccan Abdelhadi El Hachimi who competes for
Belgium. Already 40 years of age he has a personal best of 2:11:30 from
2011. Last year El Hachimi clocked 2:12:45 in Berlin.

Germany's Andr? Pollm?cher is the second fastest on the start list with a
personal record of 2:13:05. A year ago he finished elventh in Duesseldorf,
clocking 2:13:59 in driving rain. Pollm?cher then ran a fine marathon in
the European Championships in Zurich, taking eighth position. "My big goal
is to qualify for the Rio Olmypic Games," said 32 year-old Pollm?cher, who
intends to pass half way on Sunday in 65:30. While the national qualifying
time for Rio is not yet announced it is expected to be in the region of
2:12:00 to 2:12:30.

While Annie Bersagel caused some upset by taking the METRO GROUP Marathon
Duesseldorf last year, it would be quite a surprise if the American would
not be first to cross the line again on Sunday. Her closest rival is
Brasil's Sirlene De Sousa Pinho who has a PB of 2:35:45. "I remember well
when suddenly the pace car appeared in front of me last year ? it was a big
surprise for me to win the race," Annie Bersagel said. "I was told about
the situation in Duesseldorf this year. But for me it does not really
change anything, I will follow the pacemakers. I will try to run a fine
time and improve my personal best," said Annie Bersagel, who intends to run
a 2:28:00 pace.

While the weather might well turn wet on Sunday again this does not bother
Bersagel too much. Living in Oslo she is used to running in bad weather ?
and she proved this last year. "Rain itself is not so bad. And the forecast
looks better than last year. I really enjoyed this race and I am looking
forward to run on this fast course again on Sunday," said Annie Bersagel.
On Sunday she might well see the pace car during the whole race.

More information is available at: www.metrogroup-marathon.de

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