The Frankfurt Marathon is one of the most impressive marathons in Europe, with a beautiful history. I have visited it almost a dozen times and thought that the course gave runners a wonderful tour of the historic parts of Frankfurt, Germany. The organization is top-notch, one of the finest I have seen anywhere in the world, and the crew at the Frankfurt Marathon are spectacular.
If you want to run a marathon in Germany, please check out the Frankfurt Marathon! It is superb!
Negasa, Kiptanui, Masai and Abayechew look for new momentum in Frankfurt
A group of athletes who have achieved world-class results in different events in the past want to use the fast course of the Mainova Frankfurt Marathon to give their careers new momentum. Among the runners targeting fast times is Ethopia’s Herpasa Negasa, who became the eighth fastest ever at the Dubai Marathon 2019, and Kenya’s 2009 World 10,000m Champion Linet Masai. The 41st edition of the Mainova Frankfurt Marathon on 27th October is a World Athletics Elite Label Road Race. Organizers expect over 25,000 athletes for their event, including around 12,000 marathon runners. Entries are still accepted at www.frankfurt-marathon.com
“We look forward to another high-class race which could well produce surprises. After achieving the fastest combined winning time in the history of our race last year, we are eager to see what will be possible on 27th October,“ said Race Director Jo Schindler.
Herpasa Negasa achieved a breakthrough at the Dubai Marathon 2019 when the Ethiopian was runner-up in a world-class time of 2:03:40. Two years ago, he clocked another perfect time in Seoul, where he ran 2:04:49 and placed second once more. Now, the 30-year-old intends to reach those levels again. Herpasa Negasa belongs to what currently is probably the world’s most substantial marathon training group. Coached by Gemedu Dedefo in Addis Ababa, Olympic Champion Tamirat Tola and current Boston winner Sisay Lemma are among his training partners.
Eric Kiptanui will be among Herpasa Negasa’s strongest challengers. As a newcomer, he immediately became one of the fastest half-marathon runners 2018. First, the Kenyan took the Lisbon Half Marathon, then ran a 58:42 course record in Berlin that still stands today. During a Corona lockdown, he won one of very few high-class marathon races in Siena, Italy, in 2021 with 2:05:47. Despite acceptable results in Chicago 2021 (3rd) and Boston 2022 (5th), he could not yet improve his time from Siena. After a weaker year in 2023, the 34-year-old wants to bounce back in Frankfurt.
For Linet Masai, the Mainova Frankfurt-Marathon could be one of her last chances and the best to achieve a late breakthrough in the marathon. The 34-year-old is the 10,000m World Champion from 2009 and won an Olympic bronze medal over this distance in 2008. From 2009 to 2011, she took three silver medals in the highly competitive World Cross Country Championships. However, after a fine 2:23:46 debut in Amsterdam in 2018 (without the benefit of the new shoe technology), she could not build on this performance. In Frankfurt, Linet Masai wants to finally break her PB.
Tigist Abayechew will be among the favourites on 27th October. Two years ago, the 30-year-old Ethiopian smashed her best and improved to 2:18:03 for third place. After a break due to an injury, she returned with a ninth place in Tokyo this March. Tigist Abayechew will now want to cross the line first in Frankfurt’s indoor finish at the Festhalle.
Further information and online registration is available at: www.frankfurt-marathon.com
Sailer / photorun.net
