by Larry Eder
2013 BMW Frankfurt Marathon: For Carolina Kilel, it was deja vu all over again, and a personal best!
Caroline Kilel won the BMW Frankfurt Marathon in 2010. In 2011, Caroline Kilel won the BAA Boston Marathon in a titantic struggle with Desi Davila, the US marathoner. In 2013, Caroline battled a very tough women’s field, wind and rain to run a two second personal best.
” I like this course, and I like getting my personal best by two seconds here. I would like to come back” noted an ebullent Kilel.
Caroline Kilel battled some of the toughest marathoners in women’s running: Flomena Chepchirchir, Birhane Dibaba, Mamitu Desku, and debut marathoner Gelete Burka, who was up front midway with the leaders, in 1:11.10.
From there, it got tough. Caroline Kilel endured the winds, the rain and Flomena Chipchirchir, who she battled for much of the race.
From 35 kilometers on Caroline Kilel built her lead, winning in 2:22.34 as she finished in the FestivHall. Right behind her though, Flomena Chepchirchir barely held off the fast charging Birhand Daska, who was one second behind! Chepchirchir ran 2:23.00, a personal best and Dibaba ran 2:23.01, a personal best!
For German fans, Anna Hahner ran 2:27:55 for eighth place, and her twin, Lisa, finishing eleventh, ran 2:30.17, personal bests for both. The Hahners had been following a training regimen set up by renowned coach Renato Canova. Both charged hard over the last miles, with Anna running a second half faster than the first by one minute and Lisa staying within a minute of her first half.
Remarkable races for a remarkable field!
2013 BMW Berlin Marathon, Top ten women, 1. Caroline Kilel, KEN, 2:22.34, 2. Flomena Chepchirir, KEN, 2:23.00, 3. Birhane Dibaba, ETH, 2:23.01, 4. Mamitu Deska, ETH, 2:23.23, 5. Eunice Jepki Kirwa, ETH, 2:23.45, 6. Yeshi Esayias, ETH, 2:24.06, 7. Tirfi Tsega Beyene, ETH, 2:26.57, 8. Anna Hahner, GER, 2:27.55 PB, 9. Hilda Kibet, NLD, 2:28.49, 10. M. Neuenschwander, SUI, 2:29.42,#bmwfrankfurt
