ADAC Marathon Hannover

Croatian Matea Parlov Koštro wins the Hannover Marathon in ...

HAJ Hannover Marathon: Hendrik Pfeiffer and Domenika Mayer win in Hannover and take German titles - (Marathon Niedersach...

Credit : HAJ Marathon Hanniver
 Debutant Silas Mwetich won the 29th HAJ Hannover Marathon while Racheal Mutgaa took the race, breaking the course record. Kenya’s Mwetich ran his marathon debut in fine weather conditions and surprisingly won the race in 2:09:37. Fellow-Kenyan Hosea Kipkemboi was second with 2:10:40, Ethiopia’s Debas Alebachew Wale took third place in 2:10:57. Last year’s winner Seboka Negusse of Ethiopia, one of the favourites, dropped out at the 35k mark. Racheal Mutgaa won the women’s race in a course record time of 2:26:15, improving the former mark by almost a minute. Back in 2013 Ukraine’s Olena Burkovska ran 2:27:07. In a contest that was very close for a long time Kenya’s Mutgaa finished ahead of Ethiopia’s Tigist Memuye Gebeyahu who clocked 2:27:35. Karolina Nadolska of Poland was third in 2:27:43. Including shorter races the HAJ Hannover Marathon had a record entry of 26,792 runners. 3,037 of them were running the marathon distance. The event is an IAAF Silver Label Road Race. 
 In very good weather conditions a group of seven men passed the half marathon mark after 63:52. At the 30k mark the group was reduced to four runners. Besides the top three –  Mwetich, Kipkemboi and Alebachew Wale – the defending champion Seboka Negusse of Ethiopia was in this group. After passing the mark in 1:31:45 they were still together at 35k. However Negusse, who had been a late entrant, then dropped out. In the next 5k section Slias Mwetich pushed the pace and took the lead. Hosea Kipkemboi tried to hold on. But after the 40k mark Silas Mwetich then left Hosea Kipkemboi well behind and finished the race in 2:09:37. ,,I never felt tired and really enjoyed the marathon here in Hannover," said 21 year-old Silas Mwetich. Germany’s Arne Gabius finished in 7th place with a time of 2:14:29 and clearly missed his target time of 2:11:30, which is the Olympic qualifying time. “Clearly I had hoped for more, but I am not disappointed. I lost a couple of weeks of training due to an illness, which showed today,” said Arne Gabius. In the women’s race a group of six runners passed the half marathon mark in a quick 72:36. At the 30k mark the group was reduced to four runners leading with a split time of 1:43:43. Shortly after the 35k mark Mutgaa then left behind her rivals Tigist Memuye Gebeyahu and Karolina Nadolska to win the race with a time of 2:26:15. ,,I was hoping to break my personal best and the pacemakers did a great job’’ said Mutgaa, who improved by more than two minutes in Hannover. The 30 year-old had a PB of 2:28:39. 
 After a 14 months break from marathon running Germany’s Anja Scherl struggled in the final third of the race. She finished eighth with 2:32:31. 
 Results 
 Men: 
 1. Racheal Mutgaa    KEN 2:26:15
2. Tigist Memuye     ETH 2:27:35
3. Karolina Nadolska POL 2:27:43
4. Susan Kipsang     KEN 2:29:00
5. Mesera Hussen     ETH 2:31:18
6.  Bojana Bjeljac   CRO 2:31:26
7. Monika Byautiene  LTU 2:32:28
8. Anja Scherl       GER 2:32:31
  
 Women: 
 1. Silas Mwetich         KEN 2:09:37
2. Hosea Kipkemboi       KEN 2:10:40
3.Alebachew Debas Wale   ETH 2:10:57
4. Abdela Godana Gemeda  ETH 2:13:14
5. Edwin Kangogo Kimaiyo KEN 2:13:25
6.Tiidrek Nurme          EST 2:14:29
7. Arne Gabius           GER 2:14:29
 

Racheal Mutgaa breaks course record, Silas Mwetich wins HAJ Hannover Marathon

Credit : Thomas Wenning
 Defending champion Seboka Negussa returns, course records targeted  in Hannover Defending champion Seboka Negussa is a late addition to the elite field of the HAJ Hannover Marathon, which now boosts eight runners with personal bests of sub 2:10. Fellow-Ethiopian Abdela Godana Gemeda is the fastest athlete on the start list with a personal best of 2:08:32. Number two on the list is Germany’s Arne Gabius, whose national marathon record stands at 2:08:33. Karolina Nadolska of Poland heads the women’s field with a PB of 2:26:32. She is one of four runners who have broken 2:30. Hannover’s course records stand at 2:08:32 and 2:27:07 respectively. With current weather forecasts suggesting very good conditions both marks will be targeted on Sunday. Including running events at shorter distances organisers of the 29th HAJ Hannover Marathon expect a record total of around 26,000 athletes. Around 3,000 will compete in the marathon, which is an IAAF Silver Label Road Race. 
 “The HAJ Hannover Marathon has developed very well in terms of entry figures and elite racing. We are proud to be able to present very strong German runners, which is always a bonus for the spectators,” explained Christoph Kopp, who is in charge of the elite fields in Hannover. “The IAAF Silver Label is very helpful as it attracts very good elite runners.” Kopp will plan for the leading groups to run a pace that could lead to new course records on Sunday:“The pacemakers for the first group will be instructed to pass half way in 64:00 while the women’s leading group will aim for a split time of 73:00.” 
 The men’s race 
 Abdela Godana Gemeda comes to Hannover after showing two fine marathon performances in autumn 2018 and earlier this year. First the 26 year-old Ethiopian improved his PB to 2:08:32 in Seoul, where he was third. By coincidence this exactly matches the course record of the HAJ Hannover Marathon, which was established by South Africa’s Lusapho April in 2013. Abdela Godana Gemeda then took second in the Beppu Oita Marathon just over two months ago, clocking 2:09:04. 
 While it remains to be seen if Gemeda can produce a third strong race within a very short time fellow-Ethiopian Seboka Negussa is expected to challenge again. “It is my goal to run faster than last year. I want to go sub 2:08 on Sunday,” said the defending champion, who clocked 2:09:44 last year and has a personal best of 2:09:14. 
 Kenyans Paul Kangogo and Josphat Leting had good results last year, which suggest that they are contenders for the podium on Sunday as well. Kangogo was third in Rome with personal best of 2:09:20 and Leting placed fourth in Japan’s Oita Marathon in 2:10:54. However elite coordinator Christoph Kopp also expects a debutant to do very well in Hannover: Teklemariam Medhin might be in for an upset. The Eritrean has a very strong track and cross country background. He was seventh in the Olympic 10,000 m final in 2012 and won a silver and a bronze medal in the World Cross Country Championships in 2010 and 2013 respectively. 
 While the favourites from Africa are all expected to run in the first group Germany’s Arne Gabius is happy with a more careful approach. The 38 year-old intends to run the first half on Sunday in 65:00. “I will run in the second group. But I hope to overtake as many as possible in the later stages of the race,” said Arne Gabius, who due to injuries has never finished a spring marathon. After dropping out in London in 2016, Hannover in 2017 and Boston last year he wants to make sure that this unlucky series comes to an end on Sunday. But he will also watch his watch. Gabius is confident that he can run sub 2:11:30, which is the entry standard of the IAAF for the Olympic marathon in Tokyo next year. “If I run this time I am pretty sure that I will be qualified for the Olympics. However I hope to achieve a time between 2:09 and 2:11 here,” said Arne Gabius. 
 The women’s race 
 While the men’s race looks very open there is a group of four women who are regarded as favourites. They are the ones who have broken 2:30 already. Poland’s Karolina Nadolska, who has been training at high altitude in Albuquerque (USA), is the fastest on the start list with a personal best of 2:26:32. 
 While Nadolska ran her personal best back in 2014, when she was second in Osaka two of the others clocked their PBs much more recently in 2018: Tigist Memuye Gebeyahu of Ethiopia ran 2:27:39 when she took third place in Lisbon and Kenya’s Racheal Mutgaa was second in Hefei with 2:28:39. Anja Scherl is the fourth woman with a personal best of sub 2:30. She ran 2:27:50 in Hamburg in 2016 and now hopes for a good comeback in Hannover after injury problems. “This is a fast course and I have good memories from two years ago when I ran a half marathon here. However I don’t set myself a certain time goal,” said Anja Scherl. She is expected to run the first half in a time of 74:00 to 74:30. 
 With the first group planning to go through half way in 73:00 the six year-old course record of Ukraine’s Olena Burkovska may well be challenged. She ran 2:27:07 in 2013. 
 Selected elite athletes with personal bests 
 Men: 
 Abdela Godana Gemeda ETH 2:08:32
Arne Gabius          GER 2:08:33
Samwel Maswai        KEN 2:08:52
Edwin Kimaiyo        KEN 2:09:12
Seboka Negusse       ETH 2:09:14
Paul Kangogo         KEN 2:09:20
Josphat Leting       KEN 2:09:34
Alebachew Debas Wale ETH 2:09:40
Hosea Kipkemboi      KEN 2:11:31
Tiidrek Nurme        EST 2:15:16
Valdas Dopolskas     LIT 2:16:35
Silas Mwetich        KEN Debüt
Teklemariam Medhin   ERI Debüt
   
 Women: 
 Karolina Nadolska      POL 2:26:32
Tigist Memuye Gebeyahu ETH 2:27:39
Anja Scherl            GER 2:27:50
Racheal Mutgaa         KEN 2:28:39
Susan Jeptoo           KEN 2:30:50
Mesera Hussen Dubiso   ETH 2:32:05
Amelework Fikadu Bosho ETH 2:32:39
Bojana Bjeljac         CRO 2:32:48
Laura Hottenrott       GER 2:33:01
Sara Makera            TAN 2:33:08
Alemenesh Herpha Guta  ETH 2:33:20
Monika Bytautiene      LIT 2:34:40
Milda Eimonte          LIT 2:34:48
Mariia Korobitskaia    KGZ 2:34:50
Brendah Kebeya         KEN 2:36:44
  

HAJ Hannover Marathon on Sunday: Defending champion Seboka Negussa returns, course records targeted in Hannover

Koech and Nadolska head fields for Hannover Marathon 

Negusse and Kiprop win in Hannover

Credit : Thomas Wenning
 Marathon 
 Allan Kipkorir Kiprono won the race with a time of 02:09:52. Allan Kipkorir Kiprono and Philip Kimutai Sanga end up toghether at the second place with a time of 02:10:07 
 For the women,  it was Fate Tola who took the top spot in 02:27:48 , followed by Nataliya Lehonkova who finished with a time of 02:33:20. Rounding out the top three was Mulunesh Zewdu Asefa with a time of 02:37:27. 
 Top 5 Men 
 Top 5 Women 
 Complete results 
 Halbmarathon 
 Marco Hüls outpaced more then 7548 runners to win in 01:02:24, followed by Philipp Baar who finished with a time of 01:04:57. Rounding out the top three was Hendrik Pfeiffer with a time of 01:05:09. 
 For the women,  Sabrina Mockenhaupt scored victory with a time of 01:10:54 , followed by Anja Scherl who finished with a time of 01:11:10. Finishing third was Corinna Harrer (01:14:28). 
 Top 5 Men 
 Top 5 Women 
 Complete results 
 10 km 
 Viktor Kuk grinded past more than 3671 runners to win in 00:31:30. Coming in second was Yannick Stubbe (00:31:48). Adam Konieczny got the third place in 00:32:25. 
 For the women,  Svenja Meyer scored victory with a time of 00:36:48 . She finished 38 seconds ahead of Regina Salinas. Rounding out the top three was Gwendolyn Mewes with a time of 00:38:22. 
 Top 5 Men 
 Top 5 Women 
 Complete results 
 The next edition of the HAJ Marathon Hannover will be on April 08, 2018. 
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Results 2017: HAJ Marathon Hannover

Kiprono and Tola prevail at Hannover Marathon

Credit : HAJ Marathon Hanniver
 Cheshari Jacob and Souad Ait Salem won the 25th edition of the HAJ Hannover Marathon on Sunday. In very good weather conditions 31 year-old Kenyan Jacob clocked 2:09:32. In a close finish Ethiopia’s Chala Bekele had been in the lead briefly in the final kilometre but then had to settle for second in 2:09:42. Martin Kosgey of Kenya also ran a sub 2:10 time with 2:09:50 for third place. 
 Algeria’s national marathon record holder Souad Ait Salem built a big lead during the second half and clocked a fine 2:27:21. The 36 year-old missed the course record by just 14 seconds. Olha Kotovska of Ukraine was second with 2:29:13 and South Africa’s Mapaseka Makhanya clocked a personal best of 2:31:02 to take third. 
 Adding other races at shorter distances the HAJ Hannover Marathon had a record entry of slightly over 20,000 runners. The event is an IAAF Silver Label Road Race. 
 With temperatures slightly below 10 Celsius at the start, overcast skies and hardly any wind conditions were almost perfect. And the pace was during the first part of the race. A big leading group passed the 10 k point in 30:08 minutes. 15 runners including three pacemakers then reached the half way point in 64:08 – a pace just inside the course record of 2:08:32 set by South Africa’s Lusapho April two years ago. However once the pacemakers dropped out at the 25 k point the pace dropped considerably for around six kilometres. Nine runners were still in contention. “There was noone pushing and it turned tactical,” said Cheshari Jacob, who has a personal best of 2:07:46 from Frankfurt in 2013. 
 It was Jacob who then surged ahead around 32 k, covering the next few kilometre sections below 3:00 minutes. The group split up immediately and Jacob was about five seconds in front of Bekele and Kosgey after 35 k. The Ethiopian managed to catch the leader around the 40 k mark. Bekele then even took the lead briefly with less than a kilomtre to go. But Jacob responded, went clear and finally won with an advantage of ten seconds. “I knew I had something left and was confident that I would overtake him,” said Jacob, who comes from Iten. “It is my aim to achive a time of 2:06 one day and I think it is possible in Hannover, because the course is flat,” said Jacob, who will now target an autumn marathon. “I would like to run in Frankfurt in October,” he said after his biggest career win so far. 
 A group of five women – Ethiopians Kidist Tedla, Ayantu Hailemaryam and Aynalem Woldemichael, defending champion Souad Ait Salem and Kenyan debutant Maryanne Wanjiru – passed the 10 k mark in a 34:26, a 2:25 pace. They were still running together beyond the 15 k point. However before half way Wanjiru dropped out while Tedla and Hailemaryam also did not make it to the finish. With a 1:12:55 half way split only Salem and Woldemichael were left in the first group. The Ethiopian then fell back between 25 and 30 k and was a minute behind the Algerian at 30 k. Ait Salem reached that point in 1:43:50. Still well inside the course record set by Ukraine’s Olena Burkovska in 2013 (2:27:07) she was going strong. 
 “But during the final two kilometres I had a cramp in my calf,” said Souad Ait Salem, who slowed but still clocked her second best marathon time with 2:27:21. Her personal record stands at 2:25:08. “I was not aware that I was that close to the course record at this late stage. But I am very happy with my performance. The weather was perfect and it is a very good course,” said Souad Ait Salem. 
 While second placed Olha Kotovska was well behind in second with 2:29:13 third placed Mapaseka Makhanya improved by more than five minutes from 2:36:36 to 2:31:02. The South African reached the qualifying times for both, the World Championships this year and the Olympic Games in 2016. 
 Results 
 Men 

	
		1 
		Cheshari Jacob 
		KEN 
		2:09:32
	
	
		2 
		Chala Bekele 
		ETH 
		2:09:42
	
	
		3 
		Martin Kosgey 
		KEN 
		2:09:50
	
	
		4 
		Munyo Mutai 
		KEN 
		2:10:42
	
	
		5 
		Augustine Ronoh 
		KEN 
		2:10:45
	
	
		6 
		Benjamin Kolum 
		KEN 
		2:11:09
	
	
		7 
		Weldon Kirui 
		KEN 
		2:12:47
	
	
		8 
		Patrick Kimeli 
		KEN 
		2:18:15
	
	
		9 
		Dominico Ricatti 
		ITA 
		2:18:23
	
	
		10 
		Habetamu Beyene 
		ETH 
		2:19:31
	

 Women 

	
		1 
		Souad Ait Salem 
		ALG 
		2:27:21
	
	
		2 
		Olha Kotovska 
		UKR 
		2:29:13
	
	
		3 
		Mapaseka Makhanya 
		RSA 
		2:31:02
	
	
		4 
		Vaida Zusinaite 
		LTU 
		2:37:59
	
	
		5 
		Aynalem Woldemichael 
		ETH 
		2:38:11
	


Cheshari Jacob takes Hannover, second win in a row for Souad Ait Salem

Credit : Thomas Wenning
 Henry Chirchir from Kenya finished the marathon in a sprint. He crossed the finish line in 2:11:30, just before Francis Bowen (Kenya) who was credited with the same time, but finished second. Evans Ruto (Kenya) who had won the race in 2009 finished third. §race_link(2116) was Henry Chirchir’s first victory in a marathon. 
Credit : Thomas Wenning
 In the ladies race, the victory goes to Algeria’s Souad Ait Salem in 2:33:09. The second and third places go to Nadeshda Leonteva (Russia) and Bornes Kitur (Kenya). 
 Record number of participants 
 A record number of participants in the different races organized around the marathon was set with 18,418 runners. 
1,729 runners finished the marathon. 
 Marathon results 
 Top 10 Men 

	
		1
		Chirchir, Henry Kipsigei (KEN)
		02:11:30
	
	
		2
		Bowen, Francis (KEN)
		02:11:30
	
	
		3
		Ruto, Evans Kipkogei (KEN)
		02:11:34
	
	
		4
		Kosgey, Martin Kiprugut (KEN)
		02:11:37
	
	
		5
		Ayenew, Mekuant (ETH)
		02:11:46
	
	
		6
		Kipkemboi, Hosea (KEN)
		02:12:32
	
	
		7
		Kebede, Fikadu Girma (ETH)
		02:12:51
	
	
		8
		El Hachimi, Abdelhadi (BEL)
		02:14:14
	
	
		9
		Arusei, Isaac Kipkogei (KEN)
		02:16:54
	
	
		10
		Rybak, Vitaly (UKR)
		02:20:46
	

 Top 10 Women 

	
		1
		Salem, Souad Ait (ALG)
		02:33:09
	
	
		2
		Leonteva, Nadeshda (RUS)
		02:33:32
	
	
		3
		Kitur, Bornes (KEN)
		02:33:50
	
	
		4
		Conrad, Nolene (RSA)
		02:54:59
	
	
		5
		Wagner, Carola (GER)
		02:57:06
	
	
		6
		Friedrich, Katrin (GER)
		03:04:43
	
	
		7
		Sato, Sachiko (JPN)
		03:09:22
	
	
		8
		Kosmala, Sylwia (POL)
		03:18:27
	
	
		9
		Ilse, Karola (GER)
		03:20:24
	
	
		10
		Wonik, Jasmin (GER)
		03:24:07
	

 Complete results for the 2014 TUI Hannover Marathon 

Henry Chirchir sprinted to victory at the 2014 TUI Hannover Marathon; Souad Ait Salem won the women's race

 Despite warm weather conditions both course records were broken in the TUI Marathon Hannover: South Africa’s Lusapho April clocked 2:08:32 while Ukraine’s Olena Burkovska crossed the line in 2:27:07. While temperatures climbed to over 20 Celsius during the final part of the race both winners ran the second half faster than the first and improved their personal bests. Adding races at shorter distances a record total of around 16,000 athletes took part in the TUI Marathon Hannover. The event is an IAAF Bronze Label Race. 
 The men’s race started with a much slower pace than planned. A 10 k split time of 30:54 indicated a finishing time of just under 2:11 – that was well off the targeted course record of 2:08:52. It was only after the 15 k mark when the pacemakers finally started to run according to schedule on the very flat Hannover course. 16 runners then passed the half way mark in 64:48 minutes. 
 Four kilometres later Lusapho April made a serious attack with the help of pacemaker Frederick Ngeny (Kenya), who was originally scheduled to go only until half way. “I asked him if he could continue until 30 kilometres. That was very helpful and I thank him for that,” said Lusapho April. At 30 k (1:31:17) the 30 year-old, who had won the TUI Hannover Marathon in 2011 with a personal best of 2:09:25, was 39 seconds ahead of a group of four: Wesley Langat, David Kisang (both Kenya), Mekuant Ayenew and Samuel Getachew Demie (both Ethiopia). Defending champion Joseph Kiptum (Kenya) had already lost contact shortly before and later dropped out with a hip problem. 
 For several kilometres it looked as if Wesley Langat (Kenya) might be able to catch Lusapho April, but in the later stages the Kenyan faded and finally had to be content with seventh place in 2:13:49. In contrast the South African continued to run strong despite very warm sunshine and increased the gap, although running alone for the final 12 k. “I was confident. And I knew I could break the course record,” Lusapho April later explained. 
 “It was the first time in my career that I started a marathon race fully fit and without any problems,” said Lusapho April, who had been unlucky when he fell at the 30 k refreshment station during the Olympic Marathon in London. He then limped in the final lap and finished 43rd. As his coach Karen Zimmerman explained they decided to have a longer break after that and then started the build-up for Hannover. It was worth being patient for Lusapho April since he now has establisehd himself as South Africa’s number one marathon runner. It is four years ago that a runner from this nation has last run faster than Lusapho April today: Hendrik Ramaala clocked 2:07:44 in 2009. “With a faster pace in the first part of the race and in cooler conditions I could have run sub 2:08 today,” said Lusapho April. Such a time will be a next goal in the future. 
 Luspaho April was more than one and a half minutes ahead of second placed Mekuant Ayenew (2:10:05). Fellow-Ethiopian Samuel Getachew Demie took third (2:12:38) while Kenyans Jonathan Yego (2:13:18), Isaac Arusei (2:13:23) and Wilfred Kigen (2:13:41) followed in fourth to sixth places. 
 After a number of unsuccessful attempts by the organisers they finally got their first sub 2:30 performance in the women’s race. Olena Burkovska (Ukraine) improved the course record of 2:30:17 by more than three minutes with 2:27:07. The 31 year-old, who had a personal best of 2:28:31 from the Berlin Marathon 2010, passed the half way mark in 1:13:49. She was running together with Marta Megra (Ethiopia), debutant Edinah Kwambai and Agnes Cheserek (both Kenya). Megra then lost contact and when Burkovska increased the pace shortly before the 30 k mark (1:44:34) the other two could not cope. “At that point I knew that I would run a course record and a personal best. To break both records, that was my aim coming to Hannover,” said Olena Burkovska. 
 Edinah Kwambai ran a fine debut in warm conditions with 2:29:49 and took second. Marta Megra was third in 2:31:05 while Agnes Cheserek was suffering in the final stages and clocked 2:39:36 for fourth. 
 More information about the TUI Marathon Hannover is available online at: www.marathon-hannover.de 

Lusapho April and Olena Burkovska Break Course Records Despite Warm Temperatures

 Germany’s busy spring marathon season will see its final race of international significance this Sunday: The TUI Marathon Hannover will have the defending champion Joseph Kiptum on the starting line. The Kenyan, who ran a personal best of 2:09:56 in 2012, will be up against the winner from 2011, Lusapho April. The South African also clocked his PB in Hannover when he won with 2:09:25. Five more Kenyans are in the race who have run sub 2:10 times before, making this the best quality elite field in the history of the race so far. The men will be targeting the course record of 2:08:52. In the women’s race Ukraine’s Olena Burkovska is the fastest athlete entered with a PB of 2:28:31. Here organisers hope for a first sub 2:30 time. Adding races at shorter distances a total of around 15,000 athletes is expected to take part in the TUI Marathon Hannover, which is an IAAF Bronze Label Race. 
 With weather conditions expected to be almost perfect and Hannover providing a very flat course Elite Race Coordinator Christoph Kopp intends to instruct the pacemakers for a 64:20 half way pace. “We are careful not to overpace. I hope that a group of eight to ten runners will still be together at the 25 k point and possibly until 30 k. Then we should be on schedule for a course record,” said Christoph Kopp. A year ago he had hoped that Joseph Kiptum would be able to improve the course best of 2:08:52 set by Yussuf Sangoka (Kenya) in 2010. But Kiptum had severe stomach problems during the race. However he still managed to win with 2:09:56. “I would think Joseph can run at least one minute faster,” said Christoph Kopp. 
 “A 64:20 for half way should be easy,” said 25 year-old Joseph Kiptum. “I hope to run well, to run a personal best, a course record and may be even a time slightly under 2:08,” said the defending champion, who had run the Berlin half marathon a month ago. There he finished sixth with 61:38 minutes. Asked about his stomach problems a year ago the runner from Iten explained: “I woke up in the night before the race and was very hungry. So I had six bananas and then I was sick during the race.” 
 For Lusapho April the TUI Marathon Hannover will be his first race at the classic distance since the Olympic Games in London. “Despite some smaller injury problems in the build-up to London he ran well in the first 30 kilometres. Lusapho was in the group with Meb Keflezighi, who went on to finish fourth. But he was unlucky since he fell hard at the 30 k refreshment point. So he was limping during the final lap,” explained his coach Karen Zimmerman. Lusapho April finished 43rd in London with 2:19:00. On Sunday his coach hopes that he will be back in peak form. The 30 year-old runner from Uitenhage near Port Elizabeth had a good half marathon test in the Two Oceans race in March. On the hilly course he was outsprinted and finished second with 63:40. “I am back in Hannover to do well and I want to win,” said Lusapho April. 
 The fastest runner in the field is Wilfred Kigen (Kenya), who has a PB of 2:07:33 from Hamburg in 2007. While he was second in that race he is the three-time Frankfurt Marathon winner (2005 to 2007). The 38 year-old may no longer be a big favourite but he still trains seriously. “I will run with the leading group on Sunday and then see what I can do,” said Wilfred Kigen. He had been a pacemaker at the Seoul Marathon in March, where he ran until 25 k in a 2:06 pace. 
 Four more Kenyans are in Sunday’s race with PBs of sub 2:10: Daniel Kosgei (2:08:45), David Kisang (2:08:54), Sila Toek (2:09:09) and Jonathan Yego, who won the Rome Marathon in 2008 with 2:09:57. 
 For various reasons the TUI Marathon Hannover still has no women’s time of sub 2:30. Last year Russia’s Natalya Puchkova improved the course record to 2:30:17. This Friday there was an early set-back for the organisers. Mercy Kibarus was regarded as the big pre-race favourite because the Kenyan recently clocked 68:18 in the Rome Ostia Half Marathon. But her visa was made void apparently by a French embassy official at Nairobi airport on Friday evening. “She had a Schengen visa for France, but the flight was going into Amsterdam. So they stopped her and fellow-Kenyan Patrick Terer, who was supposed to do very well on Sunday as well,” said a furious Christoph Kopp. There was nothing he could do. “If they would not have made the visas void we could have rebooked the flights. This is unbelievable and puts the athletes in a very bad position – months of training for nothing.” 
 Hopes for a course record and a sub 2:30 times now remain with Olena Burkovska (Ukraine/2.28:31) and Russia’s national champion from 2012, Natalya Sokolova (2:30:10). But Marta Megra (Ethiopia) and debutant Edinah Kwambai (Kenya) could also do well. Megra has improved to 2:31:01 in Mumbai this January while Kwambai has a half marathon PB of 70:36 from 2012. 
 More information about the TUI Marathon Hannover is available online at: www.marathon-hannover.de 

News: ADAC Marathon Hannover

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