Eliud Kipchoge’s record under threat as Guye Adola and Tsegaye Mekonnen meet in Hamburg

Reigning Berlin Marathon champion Guye Adola wil be chasing the course record at the 35th edition of the Haspa Marathon that will be held on Sunday (12) Hamburg, Germany.

Adola comes to this race with the fastest time on paper of 2:03.46, which was an unofficial world debut record that he got in Berlin in 2017. He will partner with his fellow country-mate and the 2017 Hamburg winner Tsegaye Mekonnen who also carries a personal best of 2:04.32 that he got at the 2014 Dubai Marathon when 18 years-old which is also the unofficial world junior marathon record.

Adola will be remembered for leading the Olympic Marathon until the 40km before Eliud Kipchoge took charge of the race and winning his second Olympic marathon title by 14 seconds. The 31 year-old has been kept out of active competitions due Injuries and health problems which had stopped him from competing a couple of times in the past few years.

There are four other title contenders who have run faster than the race course record. These include Ethiopia’s Kinde Atanaw who carries a personal best of 2:03.51 that he got at the 2019 Valencia Marathon, while his fellow-country-mate Abebe Negewo Degefa has a personal best of 2:04.51 from the same race where he finished outside the podium place.

Kenya’s Barselius Kipyego carries the hope of his country as he has also been roped in and he comes with a personal best of 2:04.48 that he got at the Schneider Electric Marathon last year where he finished in fourth place.

Eritrea’s Afewerki Berhane, comes to this race with second fastest time of 2:05.22, that he got at the TCS Amsterdam Marathon last year will also be on the start line up to fight for the honors.

Uganda’s Stephen Kissa will be making his marathon debut and he is the man to watch out as he comes with a very fast time in half marathon of 58:56 that he got in 2020 at the Airtel Delhi Half Marathon where he won the bronze medal.

LEADING TIME

42KM MEN

1. Guye Adola                  (ETH) 2:03.46
2. Kinde Atanaw              (ETH) 2:03.51
3. Tsegaye Mekonnen    (ETH) 2:04.32
4. Kinde Atanaw              (ETH) 2:03.51
5. Barselius Kipyego       (ETH) 2:04.48
6. Afewerki Berhane       (ETR) 2:05.22
7. Stephen Kissa              (UGA) Debut