The 2012 Olympic games silver medallist, Prisca Jeptoo will lead seven women who have gone under the sub 2:27 at 36th edition of the Haspa Marathon that will be held on Sunday (24) in Hamburg, Germany.
The 37 year-old comes to this race with the fastest time on paper of 2:20.14 that she got at the 2012 London Marathon, where she took the bronze medal, has set her eyes on top honors with the aim of taking the title.
The 2011 World silver medallist will battle for glory with the 2009 World 10,000m silver medallist, Meselech Melkamu from Ethiopia, who is the current course record holder with a time of 2:21.54. The 37 year-old is also the five time World Cross Country Bronze medallist, and she comes to this race carrying a lifetime best of 2:21.01 that she got at the 2012 Frankfurt Marathon, where she took the top honor.
The two will battle for honors with the defending champion, Gadise Mulu who won this race with a personal best of 2:26.20.
Dibabe Kuma is also another title contender who also won this race in 2019, but she also comes with the second fastest on paper of 2:23.24 which is also her lifetime best, that she got at the 2018 Ljubljana Marathon, where she took the bronze medal.
While the elite women often have their individual pacemakers Jurrie van der Velden hopes that a group of athletes will run together for at least the first half of the race. “The pace for this group will likely be between 70:30 and 71:00, “he said.
Germany will be represented by their top athletes, Deborah Schöneborn and Kristina Hendel. Schöneborn, who achieved a strong 18th place in the Olympic marathon, last year, comes to this race with a personal best of 2:26.55. Hendel the Croatian born athlete who has received her German citizenship and hopes to be eligible to compete for Germany at the European Championships. She holds a personal best of 2:27.31
Another title contender is Alice Cherono from Kenya who comes with a personal best of 2:26.51 that she got at the 2019 Barcelona Marathon where she won the bronze medal.
The race surprise inclusion is the World 10k record holder, Yalemzerf Yehualaw who will be making her marathon debut and she is expected to run good time.
“We are happy to be back in the spring with a large race and with a very strong elite field. I am really looking forward to some very good performances. We hope to see a women’s course record on Sunday, “said chief organiser Frank Thaleiser.
LEADING RESULTS
42KM WOMEN
- Priscah Jeptoo (KEN) 2:20.14
- Dibabe Kuma (ETH) 2:23.24
- Carla Rocha (POR) 2:24.47
- Tseginesh Mekonnen (ETH) 2:24.50
- Gadise Mulu (ETH) 2:26.20
- Alice Cherono (KEN) 2:26.51
- Deborah Schöneborn (GER) 2:26.55
- Kristina Hendel (CRO) 2:27.31
- Rosa Chacha (ECU) 2:28.17
- Andreia Hessel (BRA) 2:34.55
- Maria Sagnes Wagan (NOR) 2:35.34
- Camilla Elofsson (SWE) 2:35.37
- Yalemzerf Yehualaw (ETH) Debut
- Alia Mohamed (UAE) Debut
