Vibian Chepkirui hopes to become the joint record winner of the Vienna City Marathon on Sunday. The Kenyan has taken the race in 2021 and 2022 and holds the course record with 2:20:59 which is also her personal best.
The only female runner to have recorded three wins in the history of the Vienna City Marathon is fellow-Kenyan Nancy Kiprop (2017 to 2019). However Vibian Chepkirui will be challenged by another Kenyan on Sunday: Rebecca Tanui’s personal best of 2:21:08 is just a couple of seconds slower than Chepkirui’s course record.
A record number of over 13,000 runners has entered the 42nd edition of the Vienna City Marathon, one of Europe’s classic races over the distance and a World Athletics Elite Label event. Including other races staged during the weekend the total entry figure is over 45,000 runners, which is a record as well.
“Our race has developed tremendously and we are well prepared to stage an event that will be emotional for everyone involved,“ said Kathrin Widu, the managing director of the Vienna City Marathon. “We record much more interest from younger people and from women, which is a great development.“
Indeed it could well be the women who will produce the highlight on Sunday. Vibian Chepkirui and Rebecca Tanui look ready for a fast race. The course record might become a goal. However the current weather forecast suggests that it will be very cold with some wind, which could spoil any record attempts.
“Vienna has a special place in my heart,“ said Vibian Chepkirui during the press conference in Austria’s capital. Four years ago she won her debut marathon here with 2:24:29 and in the following year she took the course record with 2:20.59. Now she is back for her third Vienna City Marathon and wants to stay undefeated here.
“I am well prepared and my form is not bad,“ said Chepkirui, whose brother in law is Justus Kangogo. He is the leading runner in the men’s field. Asked about the prospect of a double family triumph in Vienna Kangogo said: “Please pray for us!“
Victory number three looks unlikely to be a straightforward affair. Rebecca Tanui will most likely make it a Kenyan duel on Sunday. She has some good Vienna City Marathon experience as well, having been fourth here two years ago and third in 2024.
“I came back again to win the race,“ said Tanui, who ran an impressive 2:21:08 course record and personal best in Kosice last autumn. “My goal is to run a PB, I have prepared well. I expect that we will run together for much of the race and in the end there will be a winner.“
Kenyans Catherine Cherotich and Risper Chebet are number three and four on the start list with personal bests of 2:22:42 and 2:23:45 respectively. Cherotich ran her PB in Frankfurt last year, where she finished fourth. Chebet’s personal record is from Milan in 2021.
Faith Chepkoech is another Kenyan who is expected to do very well on Sunday. A year ago she ran her first major international race in Vienna and improved her PB by over twelve minutes taking second place with 2:26:22. “My goal is to break this personal best on Sunday. Last year’s race has changed my life,” said Chepkoech.
The fastest European runner in the women’s field is from Germany: Fabienne Königstein has a 2:25:48 PB from Hamburg in 2023. She has however run a marathon just four weeks ago. In Nagoya Königstein clocked 2:28:20 which is her second best ever.
“After a long period with injuries I started with a careful approach when I resumed training. My weekly mileage for the Nagoya race was far less than normal during a marathon preparation. I felt really fine after the marathon and immediately wanted to run another race.“
Königstein recovered for five days, then started training again and could even increase her milage in these two weeks. She then decided to run the Vienna City Marathon.
“I am an athlete who puts quite some pressure on myself before major races. I was really happy with my Nagoya performance and because of that the pressure is off. Now I can simply enjoy running in Vienna.“
The cold weather forecasted is not what she favours. However, it will be the same for everyone and it might become a more open contest. “I hope to achieve a good position on Sunday,” she added.
Once again the Vienna City Marathon will include the Hungarian Marathon Championships. While national record holder Nora Szabo will be the big favourite for the women’s title she might well achieve a top overall position as well. She has a 2:25:52 PB from last year’s Valencia Marathon.
Elite runners with personal bests
- Vibian Chepkirui KEN 2:20:59
- Rebecca Tanui KEN 2:21:08
- Catherine Cherotich KEN 2:22:42
- Risper Chebet KEN 2:23:45
- Fabienne Königstein GER 2:25:48
- Nora Szabo HUN 2:25:52
- Faith Chepkoech KEN 2:26:22
- Zaida Ramos PER 2:29:49
- Eva Wutti AUT 2:30:43
- Rutendo Nyahora ZIM 2:32:00
- Betty Chebokel KEN 2:34:52
