Running News Daily

German double in Hannover

Amanal Petros and Domenika Mayer achieved a German double on home soil at the Hannover Marathon on Sunday (14) with both athletes smashing the course records in the process.

Petros slashed almost one minute from his course record of 2:07:02, successfully defending his title in 2:06:05 despite the blustery conditions on offer in Hannover to win by over one minute from Kenyans Boaz Kipkemei (2:07:06) and Victor Kiplimo (2:09:58).

“I did not expect to run 2:06:05 today. Without the wind I think I would have been around one minute faster,” said Petros who lowered his German record to 2:04:58 in the Berlin Marathon last September.

Petros, who will compete for Germany at the Olympic Games in the marathon in Paris for the second time later this summer, kept something in reserve for the closing stages. He covered the last 2.195km in a fast 6:18 which yielded a negative second half split of 62:54.   

In the women’s race, Mayer had the company of Kenyan veteran Sharon Cherop, the 2011 Boston Marathon champion, until the last five kilometers. Mayer maintained her pace in the latter stages for victory in a course record of 2:23:50 although she missed her lifetime best by an agonizing three seconds. 

“I am really happy with my race. I was surprised that Sharon held on for so long, but I just concentrated on myself and ran my own race. I am now looking forward to the Olympic Marathon. It will of course be a very different race on a hilly course and without pacers,” said Mayer who took almost two minutes off the previous course record of 2:25:45.

Cherop faded back to second but the 40-year-old was also under the previous course record with her time of 2:24:41. 

Petros and Kostro triumph in Hannover with both course records broken for the first time since 2013

Amanal Petros and Matea Parlov Kostro took the ADAC Marathon Hannover, smashing the course records and celebrating their biggest career wins.

In fine weather conditions Germany’s Amanal Petros triumphed with 2:07:02, improving the course best of 2:08:32 set by South Africa’s Lusapho April in 2013 by 90 seconds. The national record holder missed his PB by just 35 seconds but he is the first German to have run under the Olympic qualifying standard of 2:08:10. Kenyans Denis Chirchir and Frederick Kibii clocked personal bests of 2:07:17 and 2:08:09 respectively for second and third place.

Croatia’s Matea Parlov Kostro dominated the women’s race and ran a huge personal best of 2:25:45. The marathon silver medallist from the European Championships in Munich 2022 improved the course record by 30 seconds and was well under the Olympic qualifying time for Paris 2024 (2:26:50). Four years ago Kenya’s Rachel Mutgaa ran 2:26:15 in Hannover. Pauline Thitu of Kenya clocked 2:29:25 and Mexico’s Risper Gesabwa finished in 2:29:49 for second and third places on Sunday.

It was the third time after 1992 and 2013 that both course records were broken in Hannover. Including races at shorter distances, organisers registered over 19,000 athletes from around 100 nations for the ADAC Hannover Marathon, which is a World Athletics Road Race Label event. Germany’s defending champion Hendrik Pfeiffer ran the half marathon event and won with 62:58. He is preparing for the Boston Marathon in April.

With the pace not as even as planned two pacemakers led a group of five runners through the half marathon mark in 63:30. Originally a split time of 63:00 was planned. The problem seemed to be that the runners right behind the pacers did not really go with their pace while Amanal Petros was at the end of the group. With a split time of 1:30:39 at 30k the German record of 2:06:27 was more or less out of reach. The pace at that stage pointed towards a 2:07:30 finish. When the pacemakers dropped back shortly after the 30k mark Amanal Petros took the lead. For a short period his training partner Denis Chirchir and Frederick Kibii could hold on but then they could no longer cope with the pace of the German, who was fourth in the European Championships’ marathon in 2022. The national record holder was able to increase the pace in the final quarter of the race, but his personal best was out of reach today. “Because of the uneven pace my muscles started to become tired earlier and I realized this at around 25k. But overall I came through very well,” said Amanal Petros. “It was the first time that I ran a German city marathon and this victory means a lot to me. It is a huge motivation for the next races.”

In the women’s race Matea Parlov Kostro ran 2:25 pace from the start. It was around the half way mark, which she passed in 72:34, when Pauline Thitu and Risper Gesabwa were no longer able to follow the Croatian. The gap constantly widened and the race for victory was more or less over a few kilometers later. While Matea Parlov Kostro, who became the first Croatian woman to win a European Championships’ medal in a running event in Munich last year, could not quite hold on to her pace she was ahead by more than a kilometer when she finished in 2:25:45 in front of the impressive Hannover townhall.

“I am really happy with my personal best and with the qualification for the Olympic Games. Paris will be my second Olympics,” said Matea Parlov Kostro, who can be confident that her performance in Hannover will be good enough for Olympic selection. With her PB she moved up to second place behind Romania’s Delvine Meringor (2:20:49) in the current European season’s list. For Matea Parlov Kostro the victory was her first in a marathon. “While my biggest success was surely the silver medal at the European Championships this was my greatest career victory today.”

Petros, Wanders and Kostro head elite fields for Hannover

Some of Europe’s top names in long distance running will compete at the ADAC Marathon Hannover on March 26th.

Germany’s multiple record holder Amanal Petros and European half marathon record holder Julien Wanders of Switzerland are on the start list for the traditional spring race while the European Championships’ silver medallist Matea Parlov Kostro of Serbia returns to the race where she clocked her personal best.

With a PB of 2:04:56 Kenya’s Jonathan Maiyo is currently the fastest athlete in the elite field while Rabea Schöneborn of Germany heads the women’s list with 2:27:03.

Organisers of the ADAC Marathon Hannover, who moved the race from the traditional April date to the end of March for the first time, expect to register over 20,000 runners for the 31st edition, including races at shorter distances. Last year’s Hannover marathon champion Hendrik Pfeiffer, who switched clubs recently and now competes for local club TK Hannover, will compete in the half marathon on 26th March since he will run the Boston Marathon on 17th April. The ADAC Marathon Hannover is a World Athletics Road Race Label event. Online entry for all races is still possible at: www.marathon-hannover.de

Amanal Petros recently became the first German male athlete in history to have broken the three main national road running records: He already held the best marks for the half marathon (60:09) and the marathon (2:06:27) and then added the 10k record with a time of 27:32 in Castellón, Spain. The 27 year-old, who was fourth in the European Championships’ marathon in Munich last summer, currently trains in Iten, Kenya. “I am looking really forward to run in Hannover for the first time. I am curious about the fast course,” said Amanal Petros, who is a training partner of Julien Wanders. “If my training continues to go well and weather conditions are good on the day I hope to run another personal best.” With such a result he would smash Hannover’s 2:08:32 course record.

Julien Wanders so far could not transform his enormous potential to the marathon distance. The 26 year-old European record holder at 10k (27:13) and in the half marathon (59:13) ran his debut in Paris in spring 2022. Suffering of stomach problems he had to stop three times but still finished in 2:11:52. Wanders then did not finish his second marathon in Valencia in December after running a first half of 63:22. With its flat course and very good pacemaking options the ADAC Marathon Hannover might well be the place where Julien Wanders can finally perform well in the marathon. “A time of sub 2:10 would be nice. I opted for Hannover after speaking with Amanal about the race,” said Julien Wanders.

It will be interesting to see what Jonathan Maiyo will be capable of in Hannover. The 34 year-old Kenyan clocked his personal record of 2:04:56 back in 2022 in Dubai. At that time it was a world-class time. Although Maiyo did not yet manage to run that fast again he showed a number of fine performances. In December he ran a solid 2:09:47 and took fourth place in Malaga.

Germany’s Rabea Schöneborn, the twin sister of Deborah Schöneborn, returns to the ADAC Marathon Hannover and currently is the fastest woman on the start list with a PB of 2:27:03. She was runner-up here a year ago with 2:27:35 and then showed a fine performance at the European Championships. Finishing in 12th position she won the European Cup with the German team in Munich.

The athlete who finished behind Rabea Schöneborn last year in Hannover then turned the tables at the European Championships and became a surprise silver medallist: Matea Parlov Kostro was third at the ADAC Marathon Hannover with a PB of 2:28:39 and then finished runner-up in soaring temperatures in Munich with 2:28:42. The 30 year-old recently improved her half marathon PB to 69:53 and could be in a position for a big personal best in Hannover.

With a PB of 2:27:05 Viktoriia Kaliuzhna of Ukraine is the second fastest woman on the start list. Due to the war in Ukraine she currently lives near Wroclaw in Poland. Kaliuzhna competed in the 2021 Olympic Games as well as the European Championships, but on both occasions did not finish in very high temperatures. She will now be eager to bounce back. Aleksandra Brzezinska will be full of confidence when she travels to Hannover. The Pole ran a PB of 2:28:09 in Valencia in December.

Hendrik Pfeiffer and Domenika Mayer win in Hannover and take German titles

In freezing conditions Germans Hendrik Pfeiffer and Domenika Mayer took the HAJ Hannover Marathon and the national championships which were included in the event. 

Hendrik Pfeiffer clocked 2:10:59 and was well ahead of Kenyan debutant Josphat Kiptis who ran 2:13:47. Martin Olesen of Denmark took third in 2:14:35. Despite temperatures around zero Celsius Domenika Mayer ran a surprisingly strong marathon debut with 2:26:50. German pre-race favourite Rabea Schöneborn was second with 2:27:35 while Croatia’s Matea Parlov Kostro took third in 2:28:39. Hendrik Pfeiffer and the top three women all achieved the qualifying standards for the European and the World Championships. 

In total 18,098 athletes were registered for the 30th edition of the HAJ Hannover Marathon, which is a World Athletics Label Road Race. 3,527 athletes ran the marathon distance. “We are impressed with the event and obviously we were able to make our participants happy,“ said Race Director Stefanie Eichel. Next year organisers hope to be able to come back with a bigger field and with a much stronger elite race. The 31st edition of the HAJ Hannover Marathon is scheduled for 26th March 2023.

A group of eight runners passed the half way mark in 65:25. That was almost exactly as planned. At around 25k Hendrik Pfeiffer began to take the initiative. He broke away with Kenyans Josphat Kiptis and Wilfred Kiptoo. Until the 30k mark they had support of pacemaker and fellow-Kenyan Kiprotich Kirui. With around 12k to go Hendrik Pfeiffer left behind his rivals and was then all alone at the front, building a huge lead. 

“The atmosphere was superb. The spectators helped me getting through the race. It was a bit tough during the final twelve kilometers,“ said Hendrik Pfeiffer, who ran his second fastest marathon in Hannover. The German has a PB of 2:10:18 from 2020. “I have reached all my goals today, which was important for me,“ said Hendrik Pfeiffer, who won the race and his first major German title. Additionally he achieved the qualifying standards for the European and the World Championships.

In the women’s race Domenika Mayer, Rabea Schöneborn and Kenya’s Flomena Ngurais were in the leading group when the half marathon mark was passed in 1:13:36. By 30k pre-race favourite Rabea Schöneborn had lost around 20 seconds and soon after that Flomena Ngurais could not cope with Domenika Mayer’s pace. The Kenyan dropped back to fourth later when Matea Parlov Kostro overtook her around the 40k mark.

"I did not think too much about what could happen. Sometimes in a race it just rolls, sometimes it does not. Today was a good day. I just concentrated on my pacemakers. But the wind was partly disturbing,“ said Domenika Mayer, who is a mother of two. “It was a great debut. Of course I had no clue before what could happen.“ While Domenika Mayer had a promising half marathon PB of 69:52 she had a Corona infection recently. Because of this her triumph was quite a surprise. And she came relatively close to Hannover’s course record: Three years ago Kenya’s Rachel Mutgaa clocked 2:26:15.

Runner-up Rabea Schöneborn ran 2:27:35 which was her second best marathon time. “It was a struggle today and I am happy to have finished,“ she said.

Results, Men:

1. Hendrik Pfeiffer GER 2:10:59

2. Josphat Kiprop Kiptis KEN 2:13:47

3. Martin Olesen DEN 2:14:35

4. Wilfred Kiptoo KEN 2:14:43

5. Frank Schauer GER 2:14:43

6. Erik Hille GER 2:15:04

Women:

1. Domenika Mayer GER 2:26:50

2. Rabea Schöneborn GER 2:27:35

3. Matea Parlov Kostro CRO 2:28:39

4. Flomena Ngurais KEN 2:30:42

5. Runa Skrove Falch NOR 2:33:53

6. Vaida Zusinaite-Nekriosiene LTU 2:36:04

Hannover Marathon returns with focus on German championships

The HAJ Hannover Marathon will be back on Sunday after a two-year gap due to the Corona pandemic. Returning with its 30th edition the race will feature the German Marathon Championships. Because of uncertainties regarding the Covid 19 situation in the build-up organisers decided to focus on the national championships this year and to only allow a limited international elite field.

While Hendrik Pfeiffer and Rabea Schöneborn are the clear favourites in the race for the national title there might still be international overall winners. The HAJ Hannover Marathon is a World Athletics Label Road Race.

"It will be a very emotional return for all participants as well as for the organising team,“ said Race Director Stefanie Eichel.

“We are really happy to come back with this race and we are well aware about our responsibility under the current conditions. Our approach is to make sure that our participants feel good and safe during our event.“

Including events at other distances the organisers of the HAJ Hannover Marathon set a limit of 18,400 participants for this year. Close to 4,000 of them will run the classic distance.

A Mongolia runner heads the start list of the HAJ Hannover Marathon: Byambajav Tseveenravdan has a personal best of 2:09:03 from Oita (Japan) in 2020. While this remains his only sub 2:10 time he ran in the Olympic Marathon last summer and placed 55th. With this result Byambajav Tseveenravdan is in a similar performance range as Hendrik Pfeiffer, who was 50th in the tough Olympic race.

The German has a personal best of 2:10:18 from Sevilla in 2020, which makes him the clear favourite in the race for the German title on Sunday.

"My goal is to qualify for the European Championships in Munich and to run a personal best in Hannover. It is a nice and fast course and I look forward to enjoy the atmosphere with spectators back along the course,“ said Hendrik Pfeiffer. 

While Hendrik Pfeiffer is likely to run in a group that targets a half marathon split time of 65:30 a few Kenyan athletes might go much faster on Sunday. Daniel Muteti is the second fastest runner on the start list with a personal best of 2:09:25. He clocked this time in Cape Town in 2019.

However Daniel Muteti has not raced internationally in the past two years. It is a similar story with fellow-Kenyan Josphat Kiptis, who only competed once during this time. He will run his marathon debut on Sunday. While Josphat Kiptis features a promising half marathon PB of 60:21, he ran this back in 2015. 

Germany’s Rabea Schöneborn is not only the big favorite in the title race but additionally she is the fastest woman on the start list. The runner from Berlin improved to 2:27:03 last spring in Enschede, where she missed a place on the German Olympic team by just nine seconds.

It was her twin sister Deborah Schöneborn who qualified with a PB of 2:26:55 and then achieved a strong 18th place in the Olympic race. Looking at her sister’s family record Rabea Schöneborn said: “I want to run a personal best on Sunday and rectify this.“

There is one athlete who could be able to challenge Rabea Schöneborn in Hannover: Matea Parlov Kostro. The Croatian achieved a fine 21st place in the Olympic marathon in 2021 and has a personal best of 2:28:52. Matea Parlov Kostro’s aim will be to qualify for the European Championships on Sunday.

2021 Hannover Marathon won´t take place, the event has been cancelled for second year due to the pandemic

Lower Saxony’s largest running spectacle, planned for 17–18 April, will fall victim to the current pandemic situation, as it did last year. The next HAJ Hannover Marathon will be held on 3 April 2022.

“We planned a number of scenarios and possibilities to implement a responsible marathon in an adapted form,” explained organiser Stefanie Eichel. “But the current infection situation makes this absolutely impossible.”

A final decision has not yet been made on a possible elite-only race over the marathon distance for the German Marathon Championships, which were planned for April in Hannover. “We are currently in talks with the German Athletics Association and our athlete manager Christoph Kopp to give the athletes a chance to qualify for the Olympic Games in Tokyo,” said Eichel.

In the previous year, almost 30,000 active participants had already registered for the various competitions as part of the 30th HAJ Hanover Marathon, which will now have to celebrate its milestone event next year.

But there is still a small glimmer of hope for autumn: “If a running event with a good number of participants can be implemented responsibly, we will hopefully be able to give the starting signal for a really nice new running experience,” promises Eichel. “The plans for this are already on the table.”

A word from the HAJ Hannover Marathon Team concerning their April 26th 2020 race

Current statement regarding the corona virus.  "Dear participants of the 30th HAJ Hannover Marathon on the 26th April 2020,

Regarding the current situation concerning the Corona Virus (COVID-19), we are still planning to let the 30th HAJ Hannover Marathon take place on April 26th without any far-reaching restrictions. All of our planning and organizational steps are designed for this.

Therefore, we have a close look on the situation on a daily basis and we see it as our responsibility to be in close contact with the decisive authorities and committees to be able to react to further developments as good as possible.

Furthermore, we will examine all possibilities about how the hygiene standards can be improved for our participants, helpers and spectators at the event weekend and put them into action!We are still firmly assuming that we will welcome you all to our birthday celebrations in Hanover and we are looking forward to seeing you.

Of course, we will keep you up to date with any new information about our marathon.

Check our website or My Best Runs for the latest information.

The Hannover Marathon this weekend has a strong elite field

Kenya’s Duncan Koech, 37, was third in Hannover last year in 2:10:19, but holds a 2:07:53 lifetime best set in Cologne in 2012, the fastest in the field.

Fellow Kenyan Samwel Maswai clocked his 2:08:52 lifetime best back in 2013, but finished third in Vienna last year in 2:11:08 on a warm day.

Five other runners with sub-2:10 credentials are also in the field: Kenyans Edwin Kimaiyo (2:09:12), Paul Kangogo (2:09:20) and Josphat Leting (2:09:34), Ethiopia’s Alebachew Wale (2:09:40), and German record-holder Arne Gabius.

Karolina Nadolska is the fastest of the entrants in the women’s field. The Pole clocked her 2:26:32 PB in Osaka in 2014, but was a few minutes shy of that mark in Nagoya last year where she ran 2:30:46.

The field also includes Ethiopia’s Tigist Memuye Gebeyahu, whose biggest career win came two years ago in Zhengzhou when she clocked 2:27:39. Kenya’s Racheal Mutgaa, who ran 2:28:39 to finish second in Hefei last year, will also be among the favourites.

Germany’s Anja Scherl, a 2:27:50 performer at her best, is returning from injury but appears to be in good form as shown by her 1:12:43 run at the Barcelona Half Marathon in February.

Kenya's Duncan Koech and Karolina Nadolska of Poland will head the field at the HAJ Hannover Marathon

Duncan Koech, 37, was third in Hannover last year in 2:10:19, but holds a 2:07:53 lifetime best set in Cologne in 2012, the fastest in the field.

Samwel Maswai, another Kenyan, is expected to mount a stiff challenge. Maswai clocked his 2:08:52 lifetime best at the 2013 Berlin Marathon where he finished fifth. More recently, he finished third in Vienna last year, running 2:11:08 in very warm weather conditions.

Five other runners with sub-2:10 credentials have also been announced: Kenyans Edwin Kimaiyo (2:09:12), Paul Kangogo (2:09:20) and Josphat Leting (2:09:34), Ethiopia’s Alebachew Wale (2:09:40), and Arne Gabius of Germany.

Gabius, the German record holder in the event, will be gunning for the first marathon podium finish of his career. The 37-year-old came close at the Frankfurt Marathon in 2015, when he broke the 27-year-old German record with a 2:08:33 run to finish fourth.

Hannover’s course record, set six years ago by South African Lusapho April, is just one second faster than Gabius’ personal best. 

"Hannover is one of three spring marathon races where I have to put things right,“ said Gabius, who was forced to drop out of this race by an ailing achilles tendon after 33 kilometres two years ago.

On the women's side, Nadolska is the fastest of the entrants, courtesy of the 2:26:32 personal best set at the Osaka Women's Marathon in 2014. But in her most recent marathon appearance, last year's Nagoya Women's Marathon, the 37-year-old finished a distant 14th.

The field also includes Ethiopia’s Tigist Memuye Gebeyahu, whose biggest career win came two years ago at the Zhengzhou Marathon when she clocked 2:27:39, clipping more than nine minutes from her previous personal best. Kenya’s Racheal Mutgaa will also be among the favourites. The 31-year-old ran 2:28:39 at last year’s Hefei Marathon, finishing second.

Like Gabius in the men's race, Anja Scherl will be defending German turf in the women's. The 32-year-old finished third in Hannover in 2016 clocking 2:27:50, an improvement of more than eight minutes.

Kenya Michael Kunyuga was nearing the finish line of the Hannover Marathon when the unexpected happened

Kenya Michael Kunyuga was nearing the finish line of the Hannover (Germany) Marathon on Sunday April 8 when the unexpected happened. The Kenyan had been keeping a steady pace throughout the entire Marathon and was in the lead pack with the finish line in sight. Kunyuga was heading towards victory when he began to wobble and stagger.

Soon, he collapsed, but miraculously continued to the finish line on his hands and knees. Crowds began to cheer and watched in amazement as he crossed the line to finish second in 2:10:16. Kunyuga managed to barely hold off his compatriot Duncan Koech who clocked 2:10:19 and his determination was rewarded with a personal best as well as the runner-up spot.

The race characterized by sunny conditions and rising temperatures was won by Ethiopia’s Seboka Negusse clocking 2:09:44. An eight-strong group reached halfway in 1:04:12. The pacemakers had fulfilled their task to the letter, putting the field at this point on target to attack the course record of 2:08:32.

As temperatures rose the lead group slackened their pace and the prospect of attacking the course record slipped out of reach.