Sunday October 31st, 2021
Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Distance: Marathon
Frankfurt is an unexpectedly traditional and charming city, with half-timbered buildings huddled in its quaint medieval Altstadt (old city), cosy apple wine taverns serving hearty regional food, village-like neighbourhoods filled with outdoor cafes, boutiques and street art, and beautiful parks, gardens and riverside paths.
The city's cache of museums is second in Germany only to Berlin’s, and its nightlife and entertainment scenes are bolstered by a spirited student population. Franfurt am Main, home of the Franfurt Marathon.
The Frankfurt Marathon is a marathon which has taken place every year in Frankfurt am Main since its inception in 1981. It is the longest-established city marathon in Germany and in terms of the number of finishers, Germany's second-largest. It is organized by the agency motion events.
Course OVERVIEW
The route can be run easily and quickly and has resulted in last year in new track records for both men and women - it has a total elevation gain of only 27.8 meters, spread over the entire route length of 42.195 meters. The route is set up circular and runs along both sides of the river Main.
The first part of the route leads the runners through the city of Frankfurt with itsfascinating skyline, then to the district of Sachsenhausen, towards the residential area of Höchst and back along the Mainzer Landstrasse through the city center and the trade fair tower into the Festhalle with its red carpet.
| Division | Time | Name | Age | Home |
| Male | 2:07:08 | Bekele Tefera, Fikre | ETH | |
| 2nd Male | 2:07:10 | Arega Wolde, Dawit | ETH | |
| 3rd Male | 2:07:12 | Yimer, Aweke Ayalew | BRN | |
| 4th Male | 2:07:20 | Kiprugut Kosgey, Martin | KEN | |
| Female | 2:19:10 | Jemeli Aiyabei, Valary | KEN | |
| 2nd Female | 2:21:10 | Alemu Kebede, Megertu | ETH | |
| 3rd Female | 2:22:11 | Wondimagegn Assefa, Meskerem | ETH | |
| 4th Female | 2:23:11 | Chemtai Salpeter, Lonah | ISR |
| Division | Time | Name | Age | Home |
| M 40-49 | 2:08:09 | Kiptoo, Mark | 44 | KEN |
| M 50-59 | 2:27:52 | Hughes, Tommy | 52 | IRL |
| M 60-69 | 2:54:33 | Dr Masak, Dieter | 61 | GER |
| M 70+ | 3:31:56 | Schyns, Alphonse | 71 | BEL |
| F 40-49 | 2:30:47 | Lindholm, Hanna | 42 | SWE |
| F 50-59 | 3:04:59 | Dixon, Julie | 50 | GBR |
| F 60-69 | 3:27:30 | Eichler, Almut | 64 | GER |
| F 70+ | 3:50:10 | Wright, Barbara | 72 | GER |
(2018) Ethiopia´s Meskerem Assefa breaks course record
Having finished on the lower steps of the podium at last year’s Mainova Frankfurt Marathon, Ethiopia’s Meskerem Assefa and Kelkile Gezahegn topped the podium at this year’s edition of the Frankfurt Marathon on Sunday.
In a high-quality women’s race in which the first seven athletes finished inside 2:23, 33-year-old Assefa triumphed in 2:20:36 to take 25 seconds off the course record set by compatriot Meselech Melkamu in 2012. Ethiopian athletes swept the women’s podium as Haftamnesh Tesfay finished second in 2:20:47, also inside the previous course record, and Bedatu Hirpa placed third in 2:21:32.
After a thrilling duel, Gezahegn won the men’s race by just four seconds from Kenya’s Martin Kosgey, clocking 2:06:37. Marathon debutant Alex Kibet was third in 2:07:09, while Mark Kiptoo took 48 seconds off the world M40 masters best with 2:07:50 for sixth place. Assefa wins battle of the Ethiopians, leading a group of 12 women reached the half-way point in 1:09:55, it was obvious that something special was possible.
The group was on course for a sub-2:20 finish and although weather conditions were far from ideal, the leading women maintained the swift pace until late in the race. Their 30-kilometer split of 1:39:30 suggested a sub-2:20 time was still possible, but the group later faced a stiff headwind for several kilometers and their pace suffered slightly.
At 35kilometers there were still five women in the lead group: Ethiopians Assefa, Tesfay, Hirpa and Dera Dida as well as Kenya’s Betsy Saina, the Paris Marathon champion. Saina struggled in the closing stages and eventually finished eighth. Hirpa and Dida also dropped back, leaving Tesfay and Assefa to battle for victory. It was only in the final kilometer when Assefa, who finished third in Frankfurt last year, moved ahead and build a decisive lead before going on to win by 11 seconds in 2:20:36.
“I did not really feel the wind,” said Assefa, a former 1500m specialist. “I prepared for Frankfurt for five months because I wanted to run 2:22 and win the race. Now I had to run a little bit quicker for first place.”
