FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

HASPA MARATHON HAMBURG

Defending champion Bernard Koech and debutant Irine Cheptai win
in Hamburg with fast times

Defending champion Bernard Koech and fellow-Kenyan Irine Cheptai won the
Haspa Marathon Hamburg with world-class times. Koech crossed the line in a
brilliant 2:04:24 and clocked the eighth fastest time in the world this
year. Missing his own course record and PB by just 15 seconds Koech became
the first man to successfully defend the title in Hamburg since Julio Rey
of Spain in 2006. Ethiopia's Haymanot Alew took second with 2:05:30 and
Philemon Kiplimo of Kenya was third in 2:05:37. There was a thrilling duel
in the women's race. Irine Cheptai won the battle and produced one of the
fastest marathon debuts in history with 2:18:22. Fellow-Kenyan Winfridah
Moseti smashed her PB with 2:18:25 for second place. These are the second
and third fastest times in the history of the race. Ethiopia's Gotytom
Gebreslase took third with 2:21:19.

Organisers registered a record entry number of 38,210 athletes for the 38th
edition of the Haspa Marathon Hamburg. This includes races at shorter
distances. 15,000 marathon runners were among the entries. "It was a superb
race which produced some of the fastest times ever in Hamburg. However for
many athletes conditions became tough when it suddenly warmed up strongly
during the race," said Chief Organiser Frank Thaleiser.

For long periods of the race the leading group was on course to break the
course record of 2:04:09 which Bernard Koech established a year ago. After
a 1:28:14 split time at 30k the last pacemaker dropped out and then Koech
took off, immediately leaving behind Haymanot Alew, Philemon Kiplimo and
fellow-Kenyan Ronald Korir. Koech covered the next 5k section in a
breathtaking 14:17 and when he went through 35k in 1:42:31 it looked like
he might finish in around 2:03:30. "But then I had a difficult section and
because of that I missed the course record," Bernard Koech later explained.
"But this is sport, I am not at all disappointed. It was a great race and I
might well come back again next year." For the second time since 2022 four
athletes ran sub 2:06:00 in Hamburg.

Germany's Sebastian Hendel finished in a strong tenth place with a huge PB
of 2:08:51. The 28 year-old had a personal record of 2:10:14 before and now
became the ninth fastest German marathon runner ever.

For over 30 kilometres Gotytom Gebreslase, the Marathon World Champion from
2022, ran together with Kenyans Irine Cheptai and Winfridah Moseti in the
leading group. However with 10k to go the Ethiopian dropped back. With the
leaders out of sight her dream of competing in the Olympics probably
vanished. In the end Gotytom Gebreslase finished a distant third in
2:21:19. The battle for victory continued right into the home straight.
Then the 2017 World Cross Country Champion Irine Cheptai opened a small gap
and crowned her strong marathon debut with a win in 2:18:22. She was three
seconds ahead of Winfridah Moseti. The two Kenyans managed to run the
second half quicker than the first (69:44) and placed themselves on
positions eleven and twelve in the 2024 world list.

"I never expected to win the race. I had hoped to may be finish second or
third," said Irine Cheptai. "Perhaps I can now run between 2:14 and 2:15 in
my next marathon. I would like to run here in Hamburg again next year." In
seventh place Argentinian Daiana Ocampo was the only athlete in Hamburg to
achieve Olympic qualification.

There was very bad luck for Katharina Steinruck once more. The German, who
hoped to break her mother's PB (Katrin D?rre-Heinig, the Olympic bronze
medallist from 1988, ran 2:24:35 in Hamburg 25 years ago), had to side step
at a refreshment point when a pacemaker stepped into her way. She then
collided full speed with a drinks table, fell and had to give up injured
shortly after that. This happened shortly before the half way point and she
had been running 2:23 pace. Rabea Sch?neborn was the best German with
2:35:07 in 13th place.

Results, Men:

1. Bernard Koech KEN 2:04:24
2. Haymanot Alew ETH 2:05:30
3. Philemon Kiplimo KEN 2:05:37
4. Ronald Korir KOR 2:05:41
5. Tsedat Ayana ETH 2:06:40
6. Oqbe Ruesom ERI 2:06:50
7. Brimin Misoi KEN 2:07:06
8. Getaneh Molla ETH 2:07:38
9. Martin Musau UGA 2:08:42
10. Sebastian Hendel GER 2:08:51

Women:

1. Irine Cheptai KEN 2:18:22
2. Winfridah Moseti KEN 2:18:25
3. Gotytom Gebreslase ETH 2:21:19
4. Jackline Cherono KEN 2:21:40
5. Aminet Ahmed ETH 2:23:27
6. Cynthia Limo KEN 2:25:10
7. Daiana Ocampo ARG 2:26:24
8. Kidsan Alema ETH 2:26:50
9. Ayantu Kumela ETH 2:27:19
10. Neheng Khatala LES 2:28:37

More information about the Haspa Marathon Hamburg is available at:
www.haspa-marathon-hamburg.de

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