Three women, one target: Yeshi Chekole, Hawi Feysa and Magdalyne Masai have as their goal breaking the course record at the 41st Mainova Frankfurt Marathon on Sunday. This currently stands at 2:19:10.
The Ethiopian Yeshi Chekole is the fastest on the start list this year with 2:21:17 while Elisha Rotich is the quickest man among the elite. The Kenyan won the Paris title in 2021 with 2:04:21 and still retains the course record there.
The men’s entry offers five athletes with best times under 2:07 while a further ten have broken 2:10. For the women, five have run under 2:23. Despite some late withdrawals, that still makes Frankfurt’s elite field a strong prospect, offering the chance of fast and enthralling competition.
“We are delighted to have another world class and exciting race to offer which has every chance of producing one or two surprises,” said the Race Director Jo Schindler.
Germany’s oldest city marathon has this year around 14,000 entrants. Taking into account events held in conjunction, more than 25,000 will be in action.
The Mainova Frankfurt Marathon is a member of the Elite Label Road Race Events under the auspices of World Athletics, the international governing body.
Elisha Rotich among the men’s favourites
Looking at past results, Elisha Rotich probably has the best claim to be considered the men’s favourite.
The Kenyan has proven form over the years in producing strong results in major marathons. His greatest day, so far, was victory in the Paris Marathon in 2021.
The course is by no means easy and Rotich ran 2:04:21 to break the event record. Also notable was his feat in surpassing the course record time of no less than the great Ethiopian Kenenisa Bekele.
“I’ve trained intensively for five months with the Mainova Frankfurt Marathon as my sole aim. If the weather conditions are good – I’m hoping for somewhat cooler temperatures and that us runners in the leading group help each other – good times will come. this would make results under 2:05 possible,” explained the Kenyan.
Rotich will have to reckon with strong opposition on Sunday, including four fast Ethiopians: Lencho Tesfaye (2:06:18), Aychew Banti (2:06:23), Abay Alemu (2:06:50) and Birhan Nebebew (2:06:52). The lead group is likely to be aiming for a finishing time of between 2:04 and 2:05.
The leading German runner among the men is Tom Thurley. He ran a personal best of 2:14:52 in Hanover in the spring which earned second place in the integrated national championships.
Hawi Feysa is ready to produce a surprise
The top attraction among the elite performers for Sunday’s Mainova Frankfurt Marathon is likely to be provided by the high quality women’s field. The leading group is expected to attack the course record held by Valary Aiyabei. The Kenyan ran 2:19:10 to win the title in 2019.
Five women are on the start list who have already run under 2:23: the Ethiopians Yeshi Chekole (2:21:17), Shuko Genemo (2:21:35), Kidsan Alema (2:22:28) and Meseret Dinke (2:22:35) plus the Kenyan Magdalyne Masai (2:22:16).
Chekole returns after ankle injury to competitive action. “My aim is the course record but I have to be careful about my foot. If I don’t break the course record, I certainly want to set a personal best,” she said.
The claims of the Ethiopian Hawi Feysa should also be given strong consideration. Her half marathon best is an impressive 65:41 and suggests that she is clearly capable of running faster than her current best of 2:23:36.
Last year she also produced a world-class showing at the World Cross Country Championships in Bathhurst, Australia by finishing sixth.
“I’m ready for a surprise and a fast time,” announced Feysa who is a member of a very high quality training group in Addis Ababa.
The group includes the Olympic silver medallist Tigst Assefa, who broke the then world record with 2:11:53 in Berlin last year, the current Berlin champion Tigist Ketema and Amane Beriso Shankule, the world marathon champion in 2023.
“There’s not much difference between us in training. We are more or less on the same level. But competition is a different matter altogether,” said Feysa. Olympic Champion Tamirat Tola is also among the group coached by Gemedu Dedefo.
The fastest European woman is from Germany: Laura Hottenrott. The 32-year-old caused a surprise in running a huge personal best of 2:24:32 in Valencia last December. She then went on to finish 38th in the Olympic Marathon. This will be her first race since Paris.
High quality family affair in Frankfurt
Frankfurt’s elite field has an unprecedented entry this year: Jake Robertson, Magdalyne and Linet Masai are all related.
The New Zealander Robertson (2:08:26) is married to Magdalyne, whose elder sister Linet won the World 10,000m title in 2009 and has a marathon best of 2:23:46. It will be the first time ever that all three of them compete in the same race.
Magdalyne Masai ran in Frankfurt last year. She finished ninth in challenging weather conditions and with what appeared to be the start of an infection, only for it to be diagnosed later as Covid.
The Kenyan returned to more like her true form this February, finishing second in Seville with 2:22:51.
She is determined to put things right in Frankfurt this time and is delighted at the prospect of this family adventure: “It has been my dream for a long time that we could run a marathon together.”
She believes she is in the best form of her life, wants to run under 2:20 and, if possible, win.
The Masai sisters live in Kenya but in different places: Magdalyne lives with Jake and their son in Iten, Linet in Kaptagat.
The race in Frankfurt is the first time they have met for several months. Linet has prepared for the Mainova Frankfurt Marathon in the group trained by Patrick Sang, which also includes Eliud Kipchoge.
“I hope I can achieve the same success in the marathon which I did on the track and in cross country. My transition from track to marathon has taken a long time and it wasn’t easy,” explained Linet, who has two daughters aged three and seven.
Elite runners with personal bests
MEN
- Elisha Rotich KEN 2:04:21
- Lencho Tesfaye ETH 2:06:18
- Aychew Bantie ETH 2:06:23
- Birhan Nebebew ETH 2:06:52
- Gossa Challa ETH 2:07:43
- Workneh Serbessa ETH 2:07:58
- Abdelaziz Merzougui ESP 2:08:00
- Gerba Dibaba ETH 2:08:25
- Jake Robertson NZL 2:08:26
- Belay Bezabeh ETH 2:08:58
- Ebba Chala SWE 2:09:06
- Reuben Narry KEN 2:09:06
- Bernard Muia KEN 2:09:17
- Vincent Ronoh KEN 2:09:21
- Tom Thurley GER 2:14:52
- Jonathan Dahlke GER 2:15:42
- Jan Lukas Becker GER Debüt
WOMEN
- Yeshi Chekole ETH 2:21:17
- Shuko Genemo ETH 2:21:35
- Magdalyne Masai KEN 2:22:16
- Kidsan Alema ETH 2:22:28
- Meseret Dinke ETH 2:22:52
- Betty Chepkwony KEN 2:23:02
- Agnes Keino KEN 2:23:26
- Hawi Feiysa ETH 2:23:36
- Linet Masai KEN 2:23:46
- Laura Hottenrott GER 2:24:32
- Tadelech Nedi ETH 2:26:23
- Georgina Schwiening GBR 2:26:28
- Aberash Korsa ETH 2:29:04
