Running News Daily

The 41st Vienna City Marathon was won by ethiopian Chala Regasa

The 41st Vienna City Marathon has its winner. The Ethiopian Chala Regasa won on Sunday in 2:06:35 hours. The best Austrian was Mario Bauernfeind, who crossed the finish line after 2:14:19 hours. Nazret Weldu triumphed in the women's race in 2:24:08.

Regasa secured the first Ethiopian VCM victory since 2015, when Sisay Lemma won in 2:07:31. Regasa himself had only competed in one marathon before that, finishing fifth in Rotterdam in April 2023 in 2:06:11. However, he had already been to Vienna in 2019 when he paced Eliud Kipchoge in his 1:59 "lab race" in 2019, including on parts of the VCM course. "I'm not here to hold back," Regasa said on Thursday - and put his plan into action.

Bauernfeind beats HerzogIn the end, he had a huge lead of more than four minutes over the second-placed Kenyan Leonard Barsoton. Bauernfeind clearly won the duel with ÖLV record holder Peter Herzog for the best ÖLV athlete and was also ranked among the European leaders in this race. Herzog was a good minute behind his compatriot. "This is a dream come true for me," said a delighted Bauernfeind.

Mayer defies her periodJulia Mayer was unable to match her ÖLV record, but her performance was almost as impressive as the magnificent 2:26:43 in Valencia. "Unfortunately, I'm going through a difficult phase at the moment, I'm on my period," Mayer reported at the finish. "But I've already been able to prepare myself mentally for it. But it was a really good performance today and I'm proud of it." She finished tenth and second best European in 2:31:25. "That's also a respectable result."

Austrian victoryThere was an Austrian victory in the half marathon. The 19-year-old Timo Hinterndorfer from Vienna ran with the marathon leaders and completed the distance in a new personal best time of 1:03:05 hours, just two seconds slower than the VCM leaders. Just two weeks ago, Hinterndorfer had won the Linz half marathon in 1:03:25. Timon Theuer in 1:05:45 and Thomas Messner in 1:06:29 completed an Austrian triple victory.

The race took place in better conditions than had been feared from the forecast. Even at the start area, the 35,000 athletes, including the side events, were greeted by sunshine, temperatures were in the low single digits and the wind was not as disruptive as expected.

 

(04/22/2024) Views: 526 ⚡AMP
by Nachrichten

Eritrean runner Nazret Weldu wants to get to Paris via Vienna

Nazret Weldu intends to get to Paris via Vienna on Sunday. The Eritrean long distance runner is among a number of athletes who target a last minute qualification for the Olympic Games in August at the Vienna City Marathon.

Weldu is the favorite in the women’s race and could produce the first ever Eritrean victory in the history of Austria’s major road running event.

A total of over 42,000 runners have entered the 41st edition of the Vienna City Marathon. This is the third highest entry number of the event. For the first time since 2013 there are more than 10,000 marathon runners among them. The Vienna City Marathon is an Elite Label Road Race of World Athletics.

Nazret Weldu broke the national marathon record at the World Championships in Eugene in 2022 with 2:20:29. She placed fourth and missed the bronze medal by just eleven seconds. She was additionally unlucky since the qualifying period for the Olympic Games in Paris did not start until a few months later. Nazret Weldu ran two impressive marathons in 2023 as well, but somehow still did not achieve an Olympic qualifier. She was sixth in Boston with a fine 2:23:25. However this course is not record eligible, so World Athletics does not accept the Boston times for qualification. Next Nazret Weldu produced another very strong performance at the World Championships: In tremendous heat she finished eighth in Budapest – this time she was outside the 2:26:50 Olympic qualifying time with 2:27:23.

“I was fourth in the World Championships in 2022 and eighth in 2023 and still I am not qualified for the Olympic marathon this year in Paris,“ she said during Thursday’s press conference in Vienna. “But now I have the big chance to finally do it here in Vienna. My goal is to run a fast time on Sunday. I will see how it goes during the race. If there should be problems then I will make sure to run just fast enough to qualify for Paris,” explained Nazret Weldu, who trains in Ethiopia. “The reason for training in Addis is that I have a strong training group there.“ Among her training partners is Ethiopia’s 2022 World Champion Gotytom Gebreslase who was runner-up in Budapest last year.

While fellow Eritrean Dolshi Tesfu had to cancel her start in Vienna due to visa problems the strongest challenge for Nazret Weldu will probably come from two Kenyans: Shyline Torotich won the Enschede Marathon last year with a personal best of 2:22:45. The personal record of Rebecca Tanui is in a similar time range. She took the San Sebastian Marathon in 2022 with 2:23:09 and has the advantage of knowing the course in Vienna. A year ago she was fourth here with 2:26:34 when there were warm conditions.

“Last year I was unlucky since I was injured two weeks before the race. During training a motorcycle hit me from behind. This year I am fine,” said Rebecca Tanui. “For me the cooler conditions forecasted now are better than the warm weather we had last year. So I hope to run a PB on Sunday.“

Namibia’s Helalia Johannes is the fastest woman on the start list with a personal best of 2:19:52. The 43 year-old is not expected to join the first group which is likely to run roughly a 2:22 pace. However she will be among those runners who target the Olympic qualifying time of 2:26:50. Jovana de la Cruz Capani of Peru will probably join this group as well. To be among the three fastest runners of her country during the qualifying period she needs to improve her PB of 2:26:49 by just three seconds.

With a surprise improvement to 2:26:43 in Valencia last year Austria’s Julia Mayer has achieved the Olympic qualifying time. “I am ready to go on Sunday, it is a home game for me. I don’t expect to run a PB, but the goal is to achieve a very good place,“ said Mayer.

Kenyans Faith Chepkoech and Winny Kosgei are part of this year’s “OPEC Fund Rookie Team” in Vienna. They will both run their marathon debuts on Sunday.

(04/19/2024) Views: 411 ⚡AMP
by AIMS

Bethwell Yegon and Chala Regasa head start list in Vienna

Bethwell Yegon returns to the Vienna City Marathon where he was runner-up in unusually warm conditions last year. The Kenyan hopes to go one better this time and win his first marathon on 21st April. He will be challenged by Ethiopia’s Chala Regasa, who is also targeting a first major marathon triumph.

Both athletes have personal bests of slightly over 2:06 and head the competitive men’s field of the Vienna City Marathon. Over a dozen athletes on the current start list have personal records of sub 2:10 and a number of them hope to qualify for the Olympic marathon in Paris this summer.

With over 40,000 entries the Vienna City Marathon is Austria’s biggest one-day sporting event and the only road race in the country that features a World Athletics Elite Label. The figure includes entries for shorter races staged parallel to the marathon.

Bethwell Yegon ran a stunning marathon race in Berlin in 2021, when he came from far behind, overtook Ethiopia’s superstar Kenenisa Bekele and almost challenged for victory in the final stages. Yegon finished second and improved his personal best by more than two minutes to 2:06:14. This remains the fastest time of the 31 year-old who trains in Iten, the heart of Kenyan long distance running. “I am happy to return to Vienna and my goal is to fight for victory and take a place on the podium. Hopefully the weather conditions will be fine and there will be a strong group to run with,” said Bethwell Yegon, who clocked 2:06:57 a year ago, which is the fifth fastest time ever run in the history of the Vienna City Marathon.

Chala Regasa has already run on Vienna’s roads as well, though in a different role. The 26 year-old Ethiopian was part of the pacemaking team that supported Eliud Kipchoge when he sensationally broke the two hour marathon barrier in 2019. It was a year ago when Regasa finally ran his marathon debut in Rotterdam with a fine 2:06:11 for fifth place. With this time he is currently the fastest runner in the field. Vienna will be his second marathon and his strong half marathon PB of 59:10 suggests that there is some room for improvement. His biggest career win so far came in the New Delhi Half Marathon in 2022, where Regasa clocked 60:30 and beat a strong field.

Felix Kibitok is another runner who features both, a personal best of sub 2:06:30 and a very fast half marathon PB. The Kenyan was fifth in Barcelona in 2022 with 2:06:28 and achieved 59:08 in the Prague Half Marathon back in 2019. On two more occasions Kibitok ran sub one hour half marathon times. Samsom Amare from Eritrea, who won his marathon debut in Abu Dhabi in 2023 with 2:07:10 and was ninth at the World Half Marathon Championships in 2023, plus Kenyans Albert Kangogo (2:07:48) and Leonard Barsoton (2:09:06) could well challenge for a place on the podium as well.

The Vienna City Marathon is one of the last few races during the second half of April giving athletes a chance to qualify for the Olympic Games’ marathon in Paris this summer. The official qualifying time is 2:08:10 and the qualifying window shuts on 30th April. There are a number of athletes who will try to fulfill their Olympic dream in Vienna: Belgium’s Lahsene Bouchikhi has a personal best of 2:08:36 from Valencia last year while Daniel Paulus is the national record holder of Namibia. He clocked 2:08:40 in his debut in Daegu, South Korea, in 2023. Juan Pacheco from Mexico is also expected to try to qualify for Paris. He has a personal record of 2:09:45 while Tiidrek Nurme from Estonia has run 2:10:02.

The Vienna City Marathon will also be hosting the Hungarian national marathon championships for the second time in a row. Around 40 of the best athletes from the neighbouring country will come to Vienna to determine their champions.

(04/03/2024) Views: 479 ⚡AMP
by AIMS

Kenyans Leonard Langat and Vibian Chepkirui will return to defend their Vienna Marathon titles

Kenyans Leonard Langat and Vibian Chepkirui will return to defend their Vienna Marathon titles, while there are three men on the start list who have broken 2:06 and five women featuring personal bests of sub 2:25.

With regard to these personal records it will be strongest line-up in the history of the Vienna City Marathon which will see its 39th edition next week. Including races at shorter distances more than 31,000 runners have registered for Austria’s biggest running event, a World Athletics Marathon Label Road Race.

Kifle had a fine year in 2021: He was third in Enschede, 14th in the Olympic marathon in Sapporo and then 6th in Valencia, where he ran his PB. With his personal record the Eritrean is a little faster than Vienna’s course record of 2:05:41 by Ethiopia’s Getu Feluke in 2014. 

Abdi Fufa of Ethiopia is the third athlete in Vienna’s line-up who has run sub 2:06. A year ago he was second in Siena’s elite only race with 2:05:57.

It looks a tough task for Leonard Langat to defend his title in the Austrian capital. The Kenyan improved to 2:09:25 in Vienna last September. But with this PB he is only the eighth fastest athlete on the start list.  

Unfortunately there were a number of cancellations from elite runners recently. Among them are Mekuant Ayenew and fellow-Ethiopian Derara Hurisa, who had originally crossed the line first in last year’s Vienna City Marathon. However he then had to be disqualified for wearing illegal racing shoes and Leonard Langat became the winner. 

The fastest runner on the women’s start list is Caroline Kilel, who ran 2:22:34 when she took the Frankfurt Marathon back in 2013. While the Kenyan did not reach these sort of times recently there are other athletes who showed promising last year.

Defending champion Vibian Chepkirui may only be number five on the list with her PB of 2:24:29. However she did run this time last September in Vienna in very warm conditions.

Afterwards the Kenyan said that she could have been at least two minutes faster in more suitable conditions. Chepkirui could be capable of attacking the course record of fellow-Kenyan Nancy Kiprop who was the winner in 2019 with 2:22:12. 

Kenya’s Ruth Chebitok and Ethiopia’s Sifan Melaku are number two and three on Vienna’s start list with PBs of 2:23:29 and 2:23:49 respectively.

Sheila Jerotich of Kenya is a contender for victory as well. She took the Istanbul Marathon in November, improving to 2:24:15.

“We are very happy that we were able to surpass the mark of 30,000 entries. Compared to our comeback race in September 2021 this is a nice step forward. We feel the enthusiasm of the runners,“  said Kathrin Widu, the General Manager of the Vienna City Marathon.

There has never been an Eritrean winner in the history of the Vienna City Marathon which had its first edition back in 1984. This may change next week though since the two fastest entrants are from this country: Goitom Kifle and Oqbe Kibrom feature personal bests of 2:05:28 and 2:05:53 respectively.

(03/22/2024) Views: 423 ⚡AMP
by ATAF

Eritrean duo might eye two records at once in Vienna

Eritrean duo Nazret Weldu and Dolshi Tesfu head the current women’s start list of the Vienna City Marathon on 21st April, race organizers have announced.

Weldu and Tesfu, who are by some distance the fastest Eritrean women marathon runners in history, may be challenged by Kenyans Shyline Toroitich and Rebecca Tanui. There are hopes that the 41st edition of Austria’s major road race will see an attempt to break the course record, which currently stands at 2:20:59.

Including races at shorter distances, the organizers of the Vienna City Marathon expect to register over 40,000 entries for the 41st edition. Around 10,000 of them will be marathon runners. The Vienna City Marathon is a World Athletics Elite Label Road Race.

It took 19 years until the women’s course record of Italy’s late Maura Viceconte was finally broken in the Austrian capital in 2019. Kenya’s Nancy Kiprop improved the mark to 2:22:12. However Kiprop’s time lasted much shorter than Viceconte’s. In 2022 fellow-Kenyan Vibian Chepkirui clocked 2:20:59.

Nazret Weldu and Dolshi Tesfu have both already run faster than Vienna’s course record: 34 year-old Weldu clocked a national record of 2:20:29 when she took a very strong fourth place in the World Championships’ Marathon in Eugene in 2022. She won the Daegu Marathon in South Korea with 2:21:56 in the same year and then placed sixth in Boston in 2023 with 2:23:25. Competing in a hot World Championships’ race in Budapest last summer Weldu finished eighth with 2:27:23. Despite this series of strong performances Nazret Weldu still has not achieved the Olympic qualifying standard for Paris. She will want to make sure in Vienna that she runs fast enough to get into the Olympic race.

Dolshi Tesfu features a personal best of 2:20:40. The 24 year-old, who is just 1.56 m tall and weighs just 42 kg, ran this time in her debut marathon when she finished ninth in Valencia in 2022. During the race Dolshi Tesfu ran the first half in 68:53, which is by far the fastest half marathon time ever run by an Eritrean woman. Dolshi Tesfu then showed fine performances in her two marathons in 2023 as well: First she was runner-up in Rotterdam with 2:21:35 and then she finished 10th in a hot World Championships’ marathon in Budapest in August. She is already qualified for the Olympic marathon.

When Weldu and Tesfu will come to Vienna for the first time they could attack two records in one go: While the course record stands at 2:20:59 for the two athletes the national record of 2:20:29 would probably be even more significant.

There is an athlete on the start list with a sub 2:20 PB, but at the age of 43 Helalia Johannes is not expected to challenge for victory. The Namibian ran 2:19:52 in 2020 and holds the masters world record since then.

Two Kenyan women could be the main challengers for Weldu and Tesfu: Shyline Toroitich and Rebecca Tanui both know how to win a city marathon. Toroitich took the Enschde Marathon last year with a personal best of 2:22:45 while Tanui was the winner of the San Sebastian Marathon in 2022 with a PB of 2:23:09 and then also won in Venice last autumn. Tanui will have the advantage of knowing the course of the Vienna City Marathon since she was fourth here last year with 2:26:34 in warm weather conditions.

For Andrea Ramirez Limon the Vienna City Marathon presents the last chance to achieve qualification for the Olympic Games’ marathon this summer. The Mexican has a personal best of 2:26:34. However she ran this back in 2020, so it does not count as an Olympic qualifier for Paris. While the qualifying time is 2:26:50, Andrea Ramirez Limon would need a faster time to succeed since the Olympic race will have a limit of 80 starters.

Austria’s record holder Julia Mayer has achieved qualification since she was among the 64 pre-qualified athletes at the end of January with her PB of 2:26:43. She will be among a group of runners who target the Olympic qualifying standard.

(03/13/2024) Views: 552 ⚡AMP
by AIMS

Kenya’s Samwel Mailu smashed the course record at the Vienna City Marathon

Kenya’s Samwel Mailu smashed the nine-year-old course record of the Vienna City Marathon, running 2:05:08 at the World Athletics Elite Label road race on Sunday (23).

Despite warm conditions during the second half of the race, the 30-year-old was 33 seconds quicker than the former course record-holder GetuFeleke of Ethiopia, who clocked 2:05:41 in 2014. Mailu’s compatriots BethwelYegon and Titus Kimutai followed with 2:06:57 and 2:07:46 in second and third, respectively.

There was a Kenyan double as Magdalyne Masai won the women’s race in 2:24:12 from Agnes Keino, who ran 2:24:25. Ethiopia’s GadiseMulu was third with 2:24:50.

With temperatures climbing to around 20°C in unexpectedly sunny conditions during the second half of the jubilee race, the men’s leading group ran a consistently fast pace. After a 29:43 10km split, a group of 11 runners including three pacemakers reached halfway in 62:43.

The pace continued to be fast and the group then partly broke up between 26km and 28km in the Prater Park, where EliudKipchoge broke the two-hour barrier in 2019.

There were still six runners in contention when the leaders reached 30km in 1:29:13 and it was an all-Kenyan affair: Yegon, Mailu, Kimutai, Joshua Kogo, Bernard Chepkwony and debutant Elvis Cheboi. The latter two then lost contact, while Mailu started to pull away.

Between 32-33km he had a lead of around 10 meters over Kimutai and another 15 meters over Yegon. While these gaps grew considerably in the final five kilometers, Yegon was able to overtake Kimutai for second place.

But there was no way of catching Mailu, who ran an unexpected marathon debut in Frankfurt last year. He was a pacemaker but then continued to run and finished second with 2:07:19.

“The race in Frankfurt gave me a lot of motivation,” he said. “For me, today was kind of another marathon debut. This was my biggest career win.”

In contrast, the women never really started the planned attack on the course record. With slower split times than expected, there were initially 11 runners in the first group. Once the pace picked up a bit the group was reduced to seven at the 10km mark (33:48). Six women then reached halfway in 72:04: Kenyans ViselineJepkesho, Masai, RebeccaTanui and Keino as well as Ethiopians Mulu and NuritShimels. Tanui and Shimels were then dropped while the other four passed the 30km mark in 1:41:58.

With little over seven kilometers to go, Keino made a move in the Prater Park. The winner of last year’s Munich Marathon was around 15 meters ahead of Masai, but she could not increase her advantage. Instead, Masai responded and overtook her Kenyan rival soon afterwards.

“It was a perfect race for me,” said Masai, who is the younger sister of 2009 world 10,000m champion Linet Masai and 2009 world 10,000m bronze medalist Moses Masai. “I ran well and had some energy left for the last couple of kilometers. I have prepared for the Vienna City Marathon since January. I am very happy to have won, but I would have like to run a bit faster than 2:24.”

(04/24/2023) Views: 773 ⚡AMP
by World Athletics

Norway’s Sondre Moen and Visiline Jepkesho of Kenya head the start lists of Vienna Marathon 2023

Fine elite fields have been assembled for the Vienna City Marathon, which will be staged for the 40th time on 23rd April.

Norway’s Sondre Moen and Visiline Jepkesho of Kenya head the start lists of the jubilee edition. The Vienna City Marathon is Austria’s biggest one-day sporting event and the only road race in the country that features a World Athletics Elite Label. Including races at shorter distances organisers have now registered more than 38,000 entries. Over 9,000 of them will run the classic distance.

The men’s field includes eleven athletes with personal bests of sub 2:10. While Sondre Moen features the fastest personal best with a time of 2.05:48 the Norwegian former European record holder will concentrate on running a solid sub 2:10 race to come back from a less successful period. Therefore Abdi Fufa and Bethwel Yegon, who have both been added to the field in recent days, as well as Samwel Mailu and Titus Kimutai are more likely regarded as favorites.

Ethiopia’s Fufa has a PB of 2:05:57 from 2021 and knows the Vienna City Marathon well. He placed tenth here a year ago with 2:10:32. Bethwel Yegon is the fastest Kenyan on the start list and is said to be in fine form. He ran 2:06:14 in 2021 when he surprised with a second place in Berlin. Samwel Mailu looks well placed for a personal best. The Kenyan ran 2:07:19 in Frankfurt for the runner-up position last October. It was an unexpected marathon debut by Mailu since he was originally entered as a pacemaker. Fellow-Kenyan Titus Kimutai ran his marathon debut last autumn as well. He clocked 2:08:31 and was seventh in Linz, Austria. Germany’s Sebastian Hendel is among those athletes looking to break 2:10 for the first time. Andreas Vojta of Austria might also target such a result.

Kenya’s Charles Ndiema and Ser-Od Bat-Ochir of Mongolia as well as Ethiopia’s women only 5k world record holder Senbere Teferi had to withdraw from the race recently. However the women’s elite field of the Vienna City Marathon looks strong. Ten athletes have personal bests of sub 2:30 and four of them have already run faster than 2:23:30.

The former Paris and Rotterdam Marathon champion Visiline Jepkesho is the fastest woman in the field with a PB of 2:21:37. It looks likely that a Kenyan women will win the Vienna City Marathon for a sixth time in a row since the next couple of athletes on the entry list are also from Kenya. Magdalyne Masai (PB: 2:22:16), Rebecca Tanui (2:23:09) and Agnes Keino (2:23:26) should be among the contenders in Vienna. Fellow-Kenyan Caroline Jepchirchir hopes to improve her PB of 2:26:11 and could be among the top finishers. Poland’s Angelika Mach and Branna MacDougall of Canada are the fastest non-African runners on the list with PBs of 2:27:48 and 2:28:36 respectively. Julia Mayer of Austria is expected to perform well and might achieve a time of around 2:30:00.

(04/15/2023) Views: 923 ⚡AMP
by AIMS

Kenyan Magdalene Masai will be going for the win at the Vienna City Marathon on April 23

Fresh from finishing third at the Rome-Ostia Half Marathon, Magdalene Masai will be chasing the Vienna City Marathon on April 23 in Vienna, Austria.

Sharpening her skills in Iten in Elgeyo Marakwet county, the youngest of the Masai running siblings, said she hopes she will run well and earn a slot for Team Kenya at the 2023 World Athletics Championships later in the year in Budapest, Hungary.

“Training is going on well in Iten and I hope to post my personal best in Vienna on my debut in a  race that has been dominated by Kenyans,” said Masai.

Currently enjoying a personal best of 2:22.16 set in 2019 with victory at the Toronto Marathon, Masai said if she runs well, she is likely to land a place in the Kenya team to Budapest.

“I last represented the country in the 2015 Africa Championships, where I finished 4th in the 3,000m steeplechase. This is an opportunity for me to win the confidence of the Kenyan athletics authority,” said Masai.

Kenyans have won Vienna 17 times in the men's cadre and nine in the women's since the inception of the race in 1984.

The title is currently held by Vibian Chepirui, who won both the 2021 and 2022 titles while Cosmas Matolo is the men's champion.

“ Kenyans have in the past performed well in the race and it's because of this that we are always invited for the race. I want to run well on my debut in the race to enter history books,” she said.

The Mount Elgon-born athlete in Bungoma county returned into action last year after maternity leave, where she finished 4th in Toronto Marathon.

She then finished third in the Rome-Ostia Half Marathon where Kenyan Dorcas Tuitoek and Kenyan-born Israeli Lonah Salpeter took the top two positions.

“On my return, I did not manage to run well but at the moment, I have trained well for the championships,” she said.

Masai will be up against fellow Kenyan Visiline Jepkesho as well as Ethiopian Senbere Teferi and home girl Julia Mayer. 

 

(03/21/2023) Views: 825 ⚡AMP
by Emmanuel Sabuni

Senbere Teferi, the 5k world record holder, is among a group of African runners who form a strong women’s elite field at the Vienna City Marathon

Senbere Teferi, the 5k world record holder, is among a group of African runners who form a strong women’s elite field at the Vienna City Marathon. Austria’s major road running event will be staged for the 40th time and it could well be the women who produce the headlines at the jubilee edition on April 23rd.The current course record of 2:20:59 will be a target if weather conditions are suitable on the day. Organisers of the Vienna City Marathon, which is the only World Athletics Elite Label Road Race in Austria, expect to register around 35,000 entries for their event. This includes races at shorter distances staged parallel to the marathon. Registration for all races is still possible at: www.vienna-marathon.com

Teferi brings plenty of promising speed to the marathon. The 27-year-old Ethiopian clocked 14:29 in a 5k race in Herzogenaurach (Germany) in 2021. This time still stands as a world record in a women-only race. So far Teferi could not transform her speed to the marathon. However she is eager to change this in Vienna this spring. “It is my aim to smash my personal best and win the race,“ said Teferi, who will run her third marathon in the Austrian capital. Back in 2018 she ran her debut in Dubai in 2:24:11 and then she clocked 2:25:22 in Tokyo in 2020. However her half-marathon PB of 65:32 indicates that Teferi, who won silver medals at the World Cross Country Championships and in the 5,000m final of the World Championships in 2015, should be capable of running significantly quicker.  

Running a faster time is one thing, winning is another. The Vienna City Marathon will provide quite a challenge for her. There are four Kenyans in the women’s field who have run faster in the marathon than the Ethiopian. Visiline Jepkesho, Magdalyne Masai, Rebecca Tanui and Agnes Keino. They intend to add to Kenya’s Vienna win streak. In the past five editions of the VCM the women’s winner was Kenyan. A year ago Chepkirui broke the course record with a time of 2:20:59. 

Jepkesho is the fastest on the current women’s start list with a personal best of 2:21:37. The 33-year-old has plenty of experience in the marathon and will start a comeback in Vienna after giving birth to her two sons. She ran her PB when finishing fourth in Paris in 2017. Visiline Jepkesho has run four sub 2:23 marathons and took major victories in Rotterdam (2018) and Paris (2016). 

Magdalyne Masai is another athlete who recently came back from maternity leave and who has been successful before the break. In 2019 she took the Toronto Marathon with a personal best of 2:22:16. Little over a week ago the 29-year-old showed fine form, when she clocked a half marathon PB of 67:07 in the Rome Ostia race finishing third. 

Rebecca Tanui and Agnes Keino will travel to Vienna full of confidence, since both of them won their autumn marathon race with personal bests. Tanui triumphed in San Sebastián in 2:23:09 while Keino smashed the course record of the Munich Marathon with 2:23:26, leaving behind the former World Marathon Champion Mare Dibaba of Ethiopia. Keino then also won the Buri Ram Marathon in Thailand in January in 2:28:08, smashing another course record.

(03/18/2023) Views: 891 ⚡AMP
by Christopher Kelsall

Vienna City Marathon's strong women's field set for April 23rd

Women’s field includes 5k world record holder Senbere Teferi

Senbere Teferi, the 5k world record holder, is among a group of African runners who form a strong women’s elite field at the Vienna City Marathon. Austria’s major road running event will be staged for the 40th time and it could well be the women who produce the headlines at the jubilee edition on 23rd April.

The current course record of 2:20:59 will be a target if weather conditions are suitable on the day. Organisers of the Vienna City Marathon, which is the only World Athletics Elite Label Road Race in Austria, expect to register around 35,000 entries for their event. This includes races at shorter distances staged parallel to the marathon. Registration for all races is still possible at: www.vienna-marathon.com

Senbere Teferi brings plenty of promising speed to the marathon. The 27 year-old Ethiopian clocked 14:29 in a 5k race in Herzogenaurach (Germany) in 2021. This time still stands as a world record in a women only race. So far Senbere Teferi could not transform her exciting speed to the marathon.

However she is eager to change this in Vienna this spring. “It is my aim to smash my personal best and win the race,“ said Senbere Teferi, who will run her third marathon in the Austrian capital. Back in 2018 she ran her debut in Dubai in 2:24:11 and then she clocked 2:25:22 in Tokyo in 2020. However her half marathon PB of 65:32 indicates that Senbere Teferi, who won silver medals at the World Cross Country Championships and in the 5,000 m final of the World Championships in 2015, should be capable of running significantly quicker.

Running a faster time is one thing, winning is another. The Vienna City Marathon will provide quite a challenge for Senbere Teferi. There are four Kenyans in the women’s field who have run faster in the marathon than the Ethiopian. Visiline Jepkesho, Magdalyne Masai, Rebecca Tanui and Agnes Keino intend to add to Kenya’s Vienna win streak. In the past five editions of the VCM the women’s winner was always a Kenyan. A year ago Vibian Chepkirui broke the course record with a time of 2:20:59.

Visiline Jepkesho is the fastest on the current women’s start list with a personal best of 2:21:37. The 33 year-old has plenty of experience in the marathon and will start a comeback in Vienna after giving birth to her two sons. She ran her PB when finishing fourth in Paris in 2017. Visiline Jepkesho has run four sub 2:23 marathons and took major victories in Rotterdam (2018) and Paris (2016).

Magdalyne Masai is another athlete who recently came back from maternity leave and who has been successful before the break. In 2019 she took the Toronto Marathon with a personal best of 2:22:16. Little over a week ago the 29 year-old showed fine form, when she clocked a half marathon PB of 67:07 in the Rome Ostia race finishing third.

Rebecca Tanui and Agnes Keino will travel to Vienna full of confidence, since both of them won their autumn marathon race with personal bests. Tanui triumphed in San Sebastián in 2:23:09 while Keino smashed the course record of the Munich Marathon with 2:23:26, leaving behind the former World Marathon Champion Mare Dibaba of Ethiopia. Keino then also won the Buri Ram Marathon in Thailand in January in 2:28:08, smashing another course record.

 

(03/15/2023) Views: 789 ⚡AMP
by David Monti

2023 Vienna City Marathon features promising field for jubilee race

Vienna features promising mix for jubilee race

The men’s elite race of the Vienna City Marathon promises to present an interesting mix of athletes with different time goals on 23rd April. While there will be a group of Africans who aim to break the long standing 2:05:41 course record for a number of other runners the qualifying time for the World Championships this summer in Budapest is a major goal. 2:09:40 is the standard for the global championships and Norway’s Sondre Moen will be among those targeting this mark in Vienna.

Organizers of Austria’s biggest one-day sporting spectacle expect to register up to 35,000 entries for their event, including races at shorter distances staged parallel to the marathon. With such a figure the 40th edition of the Vienna City Marathon (VCM) will almost reach the dimensions of pre-pandemic years. Entry for the VCM, which is a World Athletics Elite Label Road Race and the only one in Austria that features such a high standard, is still possible at: www.vienna-marathon.com.

There are hopes that the jubilee edition will be crowned by a course record. It was back in 2014 when Ethiopia’s Getu Feleke clocked 2:05:41. An athlete who could be capable of such a performance is Samwel Mailu, who ran his debut in last year’s Frankfurt Marathon although he was only entered into the race as a pacemaker. However the Kenyan carried on after leading for 30k and managed a fine 2:07:19 debut. He was runner-up in warm weather conditions.

While Mailu will be running in Vienna for the first time fellow-Kenyan Charles Ndiema returns to the Vienna City Marathon. He finished fourth here a year ago when he clocked his PB of 2:08:12. At least two other athletes are expected to join a leading group which targets the course record: Kenya’s Elvis Cheboi and Abe Gashahun of Ethiopia have run very fast half marathons of 59:14 and 59:46 respectively. While Cheboi will run his marathon debut in Vienna Gashahun will be eager to improve his marathon PB of 2:09:25. 

After a period with injuries and below par performances Sondre Moen intends to bounce back at the Vienna City Marathon. The main goal for the Norwegian record holder, who ran a European record of 2:05:48 when sensationally winning the Fukuoka Marathon in 2017, will be to qualify for the World Championships at the Vienna City Marathon. “I hope for a positive race in Vienna – physically as well as mentally“, said the 32 year-old Scandinavian. “I plan to run a controlled race with a negative split. Last year was one to forget because of injuries. Now I want to have a good race experience again.“ 

Another non-African runner who opted for the Vienna City Marathon to achieve the 2:09:40 qualifying time for the World Championships is Ser-Od Bat-Ochir from Mongolia. While the 41 year-old multiple national record holder ran the Mongolian marathon record of 2:08:50 back in 2014 in Fukuoka he broke 2:10 again in Otsu, Japan, two years ago where he ran 2:09:26. Ser-Od Bat-Ochir, who lives in Japan with his family and is sponsored by the Shin Nihon Jusetsu company, has already participated at ten World Championships.

He now wants to improve this record by qualifying for his eleventh start. Last year he finished 26th in Eugene. Ser-Od Bat-Ochir also has been an Olympic marathon runner five times, first competing at the Games in Athens in 2004. „I opted for Vienna because the race is known for producing fast times and the level of the elite field will suit me,“ said the Mongolian.

Andreas Vojta could be among others who are expected to join Sondre Moen and Ser-Od Bat-Ochir in the chase for the World Championships’ qualifying time. There are high hopes in Vienna that the 33 year-old will establish himself as a top Austrian marathon runner on 23rd April. “I want to be 100 percent ready when I will at the starting line. And I am looking for a time of 2:10,“ said Andreas Vojta.

The former middle distance runner, who competed in the 1,500 m at the London 2012 Olympics and at two outdoor World Championships, has an eye on the 2:09:40 standard as well. While he finished last year’s Vienna City Marathon in 2:23:21 after running as a pacemaker this will be his proper elite marathon debut.

(03/08/2023) Views: 798 ⚡AMP
by Christopher Kelsall

Vienna City Marathon set for April 23 2023

The men’s elite race of the Vienna City Marathon promises to present an interesting mix of athletes with different time goals on 23rd April. While there will be a group of Africans who aim to break the long standing 2:05:41 course record for a number of other runners the qualifying time for the World Championships this summer in Budapest is a major goal. 2:09:40 is the standard for the global championships and Norway’s Sondre Moen will be among those targeting this mark in Vienna.

Organizers of Austria’s biggest one-day sporting spectacle expect to register up to 35,000 entries for their event, including races at shorter distances staged parallel to the marathon. With such a figure the 40th edition of the Vienna City Marathon (VCM) will almost reach the dimensions of pre-pandemic years. Entry for the VCM, which is a World Athletics Elite Label Road Race and the only one in Austria that features such a high standard, is still possible at: www.vienna-marathon.com

There are hopes that the jubilee edition will be crowned by a course record. It was back in 2014 when Ethiopia’s Getu Feleke clocked 2:05:41. An athlete who could be capable of such a performance is Samwel Mailu, who ran his debut in last year’s Frankfurt Marathon although he was only entered into the race as a pacemaker. However the Kenyan carried on after leading for 30k and managed a fine 2:07:19 debut. He was runner-up in warm weather conditions. While Mailu will be running in Vienna for the first time fellow-Kenyan Charles Ndiema returns to the Vienna City Marathon. He finished fourth here a year ago when he clocked his PB of 2:08:12. At least two other athletes are expected to join a leading group which targets the course record: Kenya’s Elvis Cheboi and Abe Gashahun of Ethiopia have run very fast half marathons of 59:14 and 59:46 respectively. While Cheboi will run his marathon debut in Vienna Gashahun will be eager to improve his marathon PB of 2:09:25.

After a period with injuries and below par performances Sondre Moen intends to bounce back at the Vienna City Marathon. The main goal for the Norwegian record holder, who ran a European record of 2:05:48 when sensationally winning the Fukuoka Marathon in 2017, will be to qualify for the World Championships at the Vienna City Marathon. “I hope for a positive race in Vienna - physically as well as mentally“, said the 32 year-old Scandinavian. “I plan to run a controlled race with a negative split. Last year was one to forget because of injuries. Now I want to have a good race experience again.“

Another non-African runner who opted for the Vienna City Marathon to achieve the 2:09:40 qualifying time for the World Championships is Ser-Od Bat-Ochir from Mongolia. While the 41 year-old multiple national record holder ran the Mongolian marathon record of 2:08:50 back in 2014 in Fukuoka he broke 2:10 again in Otsu, Japan, two years ago where he ran 2:09:26. Ser-Od Bat-Ochir, who lives in Japan with his family and is sponsored by the Shin Nihon Jusetsu company, has already participated at ten World Championships. He now wants to improve this record by qualifying for his eleventh start. Last year he finished 26th in Eugene. Ser-Od Bat-Ochir also has been an Olympic marathon runner five times, first competing at the Games in Athens in 2004. „I opted for Vienna because the race is known for producing fast times and the level of the elite field will suit me,“ said the Mongolian.

Andreas Vojta could be among others who are expected to join Sondre Moen and Ser-Od Bat-Ochir in the chase for the World Championships’ qualifying time. There are high hopes in Vienna that the 33 year-old will establish himself as a top Austrian marathon runner on 23rd April. “I want to be 100 percent ready when I will at the starting line. And I am looking for a time of 2:10,“ said Andreas Vojta. The former middle distance runner, who competed in the 1,500 m at the London 2012 Olympics and at two outdoor World Championships, has an eye on the 2:09:40 standard as well. While he finished last year’s Vienna City Marathon in 2:23:21 after running as a pacemaker this will be his proper elite marathon debut.

 

(02/28/2023) Views: 782 ⚡AMP
by David Monti

Vibian Chepkirui defended her title and smashed the course record at the Vienna City Marathon.

The Kenyan Vivian Chepkirui won with 2:20:59 after a close battle with fellow-Kenyan Ruth Chebitok who finished second in 2:21:03. Sheila Jerotich made it an all-Kenyan podium, taking third place in 2:23:01. 

Cosmas Muteti won the men’s race with 2:06:53, which is the second fastest time in the history of the Vienna City Marathon. Fellow-Kenyan Leonard Langat was second in 2:06:59 and Eritrea’s Oqbe Kibrom followed in third with 2:07:25.

Although there was no course record in the men’s race the wider top results were the best ever in the history of the event. There have never been two results below 2:07before in Vienna. And seven times sub 2:10 is also a record for Austria’s prime road race. 

A total of 32,000 runners from about 100 nations had registered for the 39th edition of the Vienna City Marathon, including events at shorter distances. Around 8,000 of them competed in the marathon. The Vienna City Marathon is Austria’s biggest sporting event and a World Athletics Label Road Race.

Men’s Race

There was good pacemaking with an even pace in the men’s race for a long time although the 2:05:41 course record was never really threatened. A group of 17 runners including the three pacers passed half way in 63:21 and then went on to a 30k split time of 1:30:12. However when the pacers all dropped out at the same time right after the 30k point the race for victory was on immediately.

It was Oqbe Kibrom who surged ahead instantly. The fastest runner on the start list (PB: 2:05:53) seemed on course for a first Eritrean victory in the history of the race. However with kilometer splits of 2:54 and 2:51 for the 31st and 32k Oqbe Kibrom misjudged his potential and the picture changed.

“I knew he was strong. But I decided not go with him at 30k and run my own pace instead. I hoped to close the gap slowly,“ explained Cosmas Muteti, who soon realised that he did gain ground on the leader. With around five kilometres to go the Kenyan, who is partly coached by former world marathon record holder Patrick Makau and was fifth in Berlin last September, caught Oqbe Kibrom and then moved away from him. 

In the final stages fellow-Kenyan Leonard Langat took second place and made up some ground to the leader. “I knew that he was coming nearer, but I was sure to win as I would have been able to put in a sprint if needed,“ said Cosmas Muteti, who wrote history by becoming the 50th runner of the Vienna City Marathon to achieve a sub 2:10 finish.

“This is my biggest victory. I hope to be able to defend my title here next year and then may be break the course record,“ said Cosmas Muteti, who improved his former PB of 2:08:45 by almost two minutes. 

Austrian’s Lemawork Ketema was the best European runner in Vienna with a 2:15:42 finishing time in 13th place. However he missed the qualifying standard for the European Championships.

Women’s Race

In relatively good weather conditions but some wind the women’s race developed differently. Defending champion Vibian Chepkirui, who ran only her second marathon after her Vienna debut triumph in 2021, broke away after eight kilometres. At the 10k mark she had a split time of 33:11 which pointed to a 2:20 finishing time.

She was six seconds ahead of fellow-Kenyans Ruth Chebitok and Viola Yator. For an unexpected reason the 27 year-old was then not able to maintain this pace. “My husband and pacemaker Wesley Kongogo had a problem with his shoes and got a blister, so he slowed a bit,“ explained Vibian Chepkirui. While she had a lead of nine seconds at half way, which she passed in 70:38, she was unable to significantly increase it.

In contrast Ruth Chebitok, who had left behind Viola Yator after the half way mark, made up the deficit and was running right behind the defending champion at 35k. 

Vibian Chepkirui stayed ahead by a step in the final section and it was with around one kilometer to go at Vienna’s Opera House when she increased the pace again and secured her second Vienna marathon victory.

“I am of course very happy to have won again in Vienna. I want to come back next year and then my goal will be to improve to 2:18,“ said Vibian Chepkirui, who ran 2:24:29 in her debut last September in warm conditions. 

Slovenia’s Neja Krsinar was the fastest European runner in Vienna. She finished eighth in 2:35:30.

Results, Men:

1. Cosmas Muteti KEN 2:06:53

2. Leonard Langat KEN 2:06:59

3. Oqbe Kibrom ERI 2:07:25

4. Charles Ndiema KEN 2:08:12

5. Raymond Chose KEN 2:08:32

6. Edwin Soi KEN 2:09:10

7. Noah Kipkemboi KEN 2:09:55

8. Abdi Fufa ETH 2:10:32

9. Abraham Kipyatich KEN 2:10:51

10. Mike Chesire KEN 2:11:32

Women:

1. Vibian Chepkirui KEN 2:20:59

2. Ruth Chebitok KEN 2:21:03

3. Sheila Jerotich KEN 2:23:01

4. Urge Soboka ETH 2:27:13

5. Caroline Kilel KEN 2:29:29

6. Viola Yator KEN 2:30:40

7. Teresiah Omosa KEN 2:31:44

8. Neja Krsinar SLO 2:35:30

9. Kellys Arias COL 2:38:28

10. Chaltu Marame ETH 2:38:34

(04/24/2022) Views: 1,264 ⚡AMP

Defending champion Vibian Chepkirui hoping to run 2:20 in Vienna

Defending champion Vibian Chepkirui hopes to make another big step at the Vienna City Marathon, aiming to win her second race at the classic distance as well. The Kenyan believes she is ready to run a time of around 2:20 on Sunday. Such a result would not only smash her PB but the course record of 2:22:12 as well.

It was in September when Vibian Chepkirui won her debut marathon in Vienna with 2:24:19 in very warm weather conditions. While five women feature personal bests of sub 2:25 there are two men on the start list who have run below 2:06. Oqbe Kibrom of Eritrea is the fastest runner in the field with a PB of 2:05:53. 

Organisers of the 39th edition of the Vienna City Marathon have registered more than 31,000 entries including events at shorter distances. Around 8,000 of them are marathon runners. The Vienna City Marathon is Austria’s biggest running event and a World Athletics Label Road Race.

The Vienna City Marathon will be streamed live from 8.30 am on Sundayat: www.vienna-marathon.com There will also be English live reporting of the elite races on the event’s Twitter account, which is accessible through the website as well.

"I have very good memories of Vienna and I am happy to be back. It is a good course and the people are fantastic,“ said Vibian Chepkirui, with her manager Julien di Maria of Ikaika helping her to answer the questions during the press conference. 

"I have prepared well and because of my training I think that in good weather conditions a time of around 2:20 is possible for me.“ As Julien di Maria explained Vibian Chepkirui became more confident when she saw the result of her training partner Joan Melly last Sunday: She won the Seoul Marathon with a course record of 2:18:04. 

“Vibian and Joan always train together in Iten. And they are more or less on the same level. It was only during the final stages of some sessions when Joan was a little stronger than Vibian,“ explained Julien di Maria. Vibian Chepkirui has only run a single international race since her Vienna triumph in September and has fully focussed on defending her title in the Austrian capital.

The 27 year-old was fifth in Spain’s Santa Pola half marathon in January with 69:35. On Sunday she will again be paced by her husband Wesley Kangogo, who also acts as a pacemaker for the group when they are training in Iten. 

There are four women with faster personal bests than the defending champion on the start list of the Vienna City Marathon. One of them is Ruth Chebitok, who has run 2:23:29 in Toronto in 2018. “I had injury problems for some time, but then ran quite well in Berlin last year with 2:28:18. Now I am well prepared and confident that I can run a time around my PB again,“ said the Kenyan. 

The Vienna City Marathon is among a number of top road races that experienced an unusually high number of late cancellations. Goitom Kifle of Eritrea had to cancel his start because of an injury. He had been the fastest runner on the start list with a PB of 2:05:28. Another one who can not compete in Vienna is the defending champion Leonard Langat of Kenya.

There could still be a winner from Eritrea, which would be a novelty in the history of the race. Oqbe Kibrom is now the fastest runner on the start list with a PB of 2:05:53. The Eritrean, who held the national record for some time with his PB from 2020, looks ahead with confidence.

“I have trained well and hope to run a personal best on Sunday,“ said Oqbe Kibrom. The pace of the leading group will likely be perfect for him as it is planned to pass through half way in around 63:00. An attack on the course record would then still be possible. Ethiopia’s Getu Feleke holds this mark with 2:05:41 from 2014.

Cosmas Muteti might not be a pre-race favourite, but the Kenyan has developed very well recently. Coached by former world record holder Patrick Makau he improved to 2:08:45 in Berlin last year, where he took a fine fifth place in warm conditions. „Patrick is a good coach and I have improved under his guidance,“ said Cosmas Muteti, who targets his personal best on Sunday.

There is also an OPEC Fund Rookie Team competing in Vienna on Sunday. The idea is to give unknown African athletes a chance to compete internationally in Vienna and to support them to hopefully build a successful career. Victor Serem is the most experienced of the group. The Kenyan has a PB of 2:12:00 which he ran in Nairobi in 2019. “This will be my first marathon outside Kenya and I am grateful for the opportunity. I hope to improve to 2:10 on Sunday,“ said Victor Serem. The other three runners of the OPEC Fund Rookie Team are Kenya’s Dickson Kiptoo (PB: 2:23:56 in Eldoret), Fanose Tessema Gonfa and fellow-Ethiopian Chaltu Fikadu Marame.

Elite fields with personal bests

Men:

Oqbe Kibrom ERI 2:05:53

Abdi Fufa ETH 2:05:57

Raymond Choge KEN 2:08:11

Cosmas Muteti KEN 2:08:45

Weldu Gebretsadik NOR 2:09:14

Edwin Soi KEN 2:09:16

Charles Ndiema KEN 2:10:43

Lemawork Ketema AUT 2:10:44

Leonard Langat KEN 2:10:49

Noah Kipkemboi KEN 2:11:09

Victor Serem KEN 2:12:00

Anderson Seroi KEN 2:12:21

Mike Chesire KEN 2:13:28

Tomasz Grycko POL 2:13:30

Solomon Tesfamariam SUI 2:14:51

Abraham Kipyatich KEN Debüt

Timon Theuer AUT Debüt

Women:

Caroline Kilel KEN 2:22:34

Ruth Chebitok KEN 2:23:29

Sifan Melaku ETH 2:23:49

Sheila Jerotich KEN 2:24:15

Vibian Chepkirui KEN 2:24:29

Esther Kakuri KEN 2:26:11

Urge Soboka ETH 2:28:10

Nataliya Lehonkova UKR 2:28:58

Kellys Arias COL 2:29:36

Viola Yator KEN 2:30:03

Teresiah Omosa KEN 2:30:12

Benny Cheruiyot KEN 2:34:18

Neja Krsinar SLO 2:35:44

(04/22/2022) Views: 1,388 ⚡AMP

Strong Vienna elite fields could attack course records

Both course records could become a target at the Vienna City Marathon, which features strong elite races on April 24. Kenyans Leonard Langat and Vibian Chepkirui will return to defend their Vienna titles while there are three men on the start list who have broken 2:06 and five women featuring personal bests of sub 2:25.

With regard to these personal records it will be strongest line-up in the history of the Vienna City Marathon which will see its 39th edition next week. Including races at shorter distances more than 31,000 runners have registered for Austria’s biggest running event, a World Athletics Marathon Label Road Race.

“We are very happy that we were able to surpass the mark of 30,000 entries. Compared to our comeback race in September 2021 this is a nice step forward. We feel the enthusiasm of the runners,“ said Kathrin Widu, the General Manager of the Vienna City Marathon.

There has never been an Eritrean winner in the history of the Vienna City Marathon which had its first edition back in 1984. This may change next week though since the two fastest entrants are from this country: Goitom Kifle and Oqbe Kibrom feature personal bests of 2:05:28 and 2:05:53 respectively. Kifle had a fine year in 2021: He was third in Enschede, 14th in the Olympic marathon in Sapporo and then 6th in Valencia, where he ran his PB. With his personal record the Eritrean is a little faster than Vienna’s course record of 2:05:41 by Ethiopia’s Getu Feluke in 2014.

Abdi Fufa of Ethiopia is the third athlete in Vienna’s line-up who has run sub 2:06. A year ago he was second in Siena’s elite only race with 2:05:57. It looks a tough task for Leonard Langat to defend his title in the Austrian capital. The Kenyan improved to 2:09:25 in Vienna last September. But with this PB he is only the eighth fastest athlete on the start list.

Unfortunately there were a number of cancellations from elite runners recently. Among them are Mekuant Ayenew and fellow-Ethiopian Derara Hurisa, who had originally crossed the line first in last year’s Vienna City Marathon. However he then had to be disqualified for wearing illegal racing shoes and Leonard Langat became the winner.

The fastest runner on the women’s start list is Caroline Kilel, who ran 2:22:34 when she took the Frankfurt Marathon back in 2013. While the Kenyan did not reach these sort of times recently there are other athletes who showed promising last year. Defending champion Vibian Chepkirui may only be number five on the list with her PB of 2:24:29.

However she did run this time last September in Vienna in very warm conditions. Afterwards the Kenyan said that she could have been at least two minutes faster in more suitable conditions. 

Vibian Chepkirui could be capable of attacking the course record of fellow-Kenyan Nancy Kiprop who was the winner in 2019 with 2:22:12.

Kenya’s Ruth Chebitok and Ethiopia’s Sifan Melaku are number two and three on Vienna’s start list with PBs of 2:23:29 and 2:23:49 respectively. Sheila Jerotich of Kenya is a contender for victory as well. She took the Istanbul Marathon in November, improving to 2:24:15.

Elite fields with personal bests

Men:

Goitom Kifle ERI 2:05:28

Oqbe Kibrom ERI 2:05:53

Abdi Fufa ETH 2:05:57

Raymond Choge KEN 2:08:11

Cosmas Muteti KEN 2:08:45

Weldu Gebretsadik NOR 2:09:14

Edwin Soi KEN 2:09:16

Leonard Langat KEN 2:09:25

Charles Ndiema KEN 2:10:43

Lemawork Ketema AUT 2:10:44

Jeison Suarez COL 2:10:51

Iraitz Arrospide ESP 2:10.59

Noah Kipkemboi KEN 2:11:09

Ebba Chala ETH 2:11:27

Abraham Kipyatich KEN Debut

Timon Theuer AUT Debut

Women:

Caroline Kilel KEN 2:22:34

Ruth Chebitok KEN 2:23:29

Sifan Melaku ETH 2:23:49

Sheila Jerotich KEN 2:24:15

Vibian Chepkirui KEN 2:24:29

Esther Kakuri KEN 2:26:11

Urge Soboka ETH 2:28:10

Marcela Joglova CZE 2:28:16

Nataliya Lehonkova UKR 2:28:58

Kellys Arias COL 2:29:36

Viola Yator KEN 2:30:03

Teresiah Omosa KEN 2:30:12

Nataliya Lehonkova UKR 2:30:28

(04/14/2022) Views: 1,181 ⚡AMP

Defending champion Leonard Langat will run against Derara Hurisa and Mekuant Ayenew at the Vienna City Marathon

Two defending champions will both be returning to the Vienna City Marathon on April 24th: Kenyans Leonard Langat and Vibian Chepkirui.

While some elite women’s contenders were released earlier, organisers now confirmed a number of male competitors.

There will be unprecedented depth in Vienna’s men’s elite field with five athletes featuring personal bests of sub 2:06. This group is led by Ethiopia’s Mekuant Ayenew who has a PB of 2:04:46. Additionally the Vienna City Marathon will feature a rematch between Derara Hurisa of Ethiopia, who had crossed the line first last year but was then disqualified for inadvertently wearing an illegal racing shoe, and Leonard Langat.

Well over 27,000 runners have so far registered for Austria’s leading road race, including entries for shorter running events. Online entry for the 39th Vienna City Marathon, which is a World Athletics Marathon Label Road Race, is still possible at: www.vienna-marathon.com

“Elite racing forms a thrilling part of our event. These runners bring high quality performances and often emotional stories to our race,” said Race Director Wolfgang Konrad. “We are very happy to welcome back both winners from last year to Vienna. And we keep our fingers crossed for Derara Hurisa, who will also return.”

In unusually warm conditions Derara Hurisa became the first athlete being disqualified for wearing an illegal shoe in a major city marathon last September in Vienna. The Ethiopian, who has a personal best of 2:08:09, crossed the line first in 2:09:22. However it appeared the he wore shoes that have a sole thickness of five centimeters while a maximum of four is allowed. Derara Hurisa had chosen the shoes for the race because he used them in training and thought they were within the rules. The athlete looked upset and distraught when he learnt about the disqualification and will be eager to take his second chance when he returns to Vienna. Though he was happy to become the winner it was not the ideal scenario for Leonard Langat as well. “Of course I would have preferred to have broken the tape,” said the Kenyan, who improved his PB to 2:09:25 in Vienna last year.

Such is the strength of the elite field this time that both runners might have to improve their personal bests quite significantly if they want to be in contention for victory on 24th April. With a personal record of 2:04:46 Mekuant Ayenew is the second fastest runner ever entered into a Vienna City Marathon behind former world record holder Dennis Kimetto (2:02:57). The Kenyan did not finish the 2018 race. Mekuant Ayenew, who won the Sevilla Marathon 2020 when he clocked his PB, heads the start list.

The other four athletes with personal bests of sub 2:06 are Goitom Kifle of Eritrea (2:05:28), Bahrain’s Marius Kimutai (2:05:47), Oqbe Kibrom from Eritrea (2:05:53) and Ethiopian Abdi Fufa (2:05:57). While Kimutai was the winner of the Rotterdam Marathon in 2017 Kifle achieved a notable 14th place in the Olympic marathon in Sapporo last summer.

The group of leading runners look to be in a perfect position to target the course record of the Vienna City Marathon. Ethiopia’s Getu Feleke established this mark when he won the race with 2:05:41 back in 2014.

(03/29/2022) Views: 1,051 ⚡AMP

Defending champion Vibian Chepkirui returns to Vienna City Marathon

Defending champion Vibian Chepkirui will return to the Vienna City Marathon on April 24th.

The Kenyan surprised last year in the Austrian capital when she won her debut at the classic distance. Organizers announced some top contenders of the women’s elite field today and there are currently six athletes on the start list who feature personal bests of sub 2:25:00.

Including shorter distances, around 25,000 runners have so far registered for Austria’s biggest one day sporting event. Online entry for the Vienna City Marathon, which is a World Athletics Marathon Label Road Race, is still possible at: www.vienna-marathon.com

The Vienna City Marathon is among the major spring road races coming back to their original event date. While the race had to be cancelled at short notice in 2020 due to the Corona pandemic it was moved to the autumn season last year and took place in September. The Vienna City Marathon then became the first major marathon worldwide with a strong international elite field and a mass race since the start of the Corona pandemic.

“We are happy that we are now able to return to our traditional spring date. The Vienna City Marathon is a huge motivator for sports and activity in Austria and we recognize great anticipation to our race among the runners,” said Race Director Wolfgang Konrad. With regard to the women’s elite runners he said: “The quality of the women’s elite field looks very promising and the course record may well be challenged by a group of runners.“

It will be little over seven months ago when Vibian Chepkirui returns to the race where she achieved her biggest career victory so far. Last September she came to Vienna as an underdog and had to cope with travel problems: Flying to Austria via Doha with a group of fellow-Kenyan runners they missed their connecting flight and had to sleep on the floor at Doha airport. In very warm weather conditions Vibian Chepkirui then was the only woman to run under 2:25. The Kenyan took the race with 2:24:29. “Without the heat I would have run at least two minutes faster,” she said.

In more favorable conditions Vibian Chepkirui might be able to make a significant improvement in her second marathon and could attack the Vienna course record of 2:22:12. One of the challengers of the 27 year-old is Sheila Jerotich. She also took a major international marathon in the 2021 autumn season. The Kenyan won the Istanbul Marathon, coming from behind and producing a stunning finish in 2:24:15. However there are three runners who have faster personal bests than Chepkirui and Jerotich: Juliet Chekwel of Uganda and Ethiopia’s Bontu Bekele took first and second in the Sevilla Marathon in 2020 with 2:23:13 and 2:23:39 respectively. Kenya’s Ruth Chebitok has a personal best of 2:23:29 from Toronto 2018.

Jessica Augusto is the leading European runner on the current start list. The Portuguese, who was sixth in the London Olympic marathon in 2012, features a personal best of 2:24:25 from 2014. Jessica Augusto then took the Hamburg Marathon in 2017 but could not match her best performances recently.

(03/09/2022) Views: 1,103 ⚡AMP
by AIMS

Professional singer caught cutting course at Vienna City Marathon

On Sept. 12, British musician James Cottriall ran the Vienna City Marathon, setting an eyebrow-raising personal best of 2:56:46. Upon a further breakdown of his result by Derek Murphy of marathoninvestigation.com, it became obvious that Cottriall’s cut the course on an out-and-back route between 32 and 35 kilometres, clocking a world record 5K split of nine minutes. 

Cottriall was on pace for a 3:10 to 3:15 marathon at the 30K mark when he decided to cut the course. What made his activity more suspicious was the singer’s uploads on his Strava page: “I am feeling ready, it’s time to break 3 hours! The training is done, my legs are prepared!” Clearly, he said the sub-three-hour marathon goal in his mind before the start of the race. 

After the marathon, the singer did the media rounds, appearing on Austrian news shows and doing an interview with Heute.at, where he talked about beating Austria’s Labour Minister, Martin Koche, and how he ran the marathon off six hours of sleep while promoting his new album. Cottriall also spoke with Heute about his four months of training leading up to the race where he ran 100 km per week. But on further investigation, his highest training in last the year was one 90 kilometre week. 

Cottriall crossed the line in 75th place and said after the race that breaking three was a lifelong dream. In 2019, Cottriall legitimately ran Vienna City Marathon in 4:03:51 and the LA Marathon in 3:55:04. “I am unsure of his motivation,” says Murphy. “He would have run a fast time and still shattered his marathon personal best even without cutting this small section.”

Earlier this year, Cottriall released his fourth album “Let’s Talk,” which was written throughout the various lockdowns in Austria. He has also appeared as Fauke on Austria’s version of The Masked Singer in 2020. 

(12/18/2021) Views: 1,267 ⚡AMP
by Marley Dickinson

No Covid cases at all related to Vienna City Marathon held Sept 12 with over 18,000 runners

The Vienna City Marathon staged on 12 September was the first major marathon worldwide with a strong international elite field and a mass race since the start of the Corona pandemic. In total 18,118 runners from 126 nations competed during the two day event. 6,000 of them were marathon runners. Organisers were now able to confirm that no Covid cases at all are related to the Vienna City Marathon.

A tailor-made prevention concept combined with a very high vaccination rate of 93 per cent of the participants made it possible to stage the race. A couple of days ago the Public Health Service of the City of Vienna confirmed that no infections with Covid-19 were recorded in connection with the event. “After consultation with our cluster monitoring team, no cases or clusters related to the Vienna City Marathon have been reported so far,“ informed Dr Ursula Karnthaler, project manager for medical measures related to the coronavirus at the City of Vienna Health Service.

This information was received with joy by the Vienna City Marathon organising team. “We have shown that a major running event can be organised in an inspiring and responsible manner. The efforts regarding personnel and logistics were very high. Equally important was the willingness of the running community to support the prevention concept. We would like to thank everyone for this. The Vienna City Marathon has sent a strong message for running in Austria and internationally. Running events are a great motivator for regular exercise for all age groups, something our society urgently needs,“ said race organiser Wolfgang Konrad.

The safety concept included the compulsory presentation of an up to date negative Covid test for all participants when they were collecting their race number. Organisers also provided more space at the start and finish areas as well as at refreshment points. The size of the field was also reduced compared to 2019 and before.

The next edition of the Vienna City Marathon will be held on 24 April 2022.

(09/28/2021) Views: 1,133 ⚡AMP

Kenyan Vibian Chepkirui: From sleeping on the floor in Doha to triumph in Vienna City Marathon

The 38th edition of the Vienna City Marathon delivered a great comeback for major international city marathon running during the pandemic. One of the stories of the day written in Austria’s capital was that of Vibian Chepkirui, who won her debut marathon in 2:24:29.

The 27 year-old Kenyan was clearly not among the hot favorites when she arrived in Vienna. She had never run a marathon before and in the past twelve months Vibian Chepkirui was only able to compete in a single international race due to the corona pandemic. It was a 10,000 m track event in Stockholm, where she finished eighth with a personal best of 31:09.42.

„It was a tough time because of Corona. I tried to qualify for the Olympics in Stockholm, but I did not manage. After that I decided to concentrate on a marathon,“ said Vibian Chepkirui, whose half marathon PB of 69:09 did not indicate either that something spectacular might be on the cards for her in Vienna.

Additionally she had to cope with a major obstacle on her way to Vienna. Flying via Doha from Nairobi Vibian Chepkirui and a group of Kenyan runners - among them Vienna’s men’s winner Leonard Langat as well - missed their connecting flight. The plane from Kenya had been delayed. „They were stuck in Doha and the airline did not care. So they had to sleep on the floor,“ explained Vibian Chepkirui’s coach Julien di Maria. „Obviously this is not ideal two days before a marathon.“

Despite all this Vibian Chepkirui ran a brilliant marathon debut and dominated a strong field. At 30 k she was well in the lead and her split time of 1:40:37 pointed towards a 2:21:30 finish, well inside the course record of 2:22:12. „I was surprised to win the race, but I started to believe by the half way mark. Of course this is the biggest win in my career,“ said Vibian Chepkirui, whose husband Wesley Kangogo was her pacemaker. „The heat was a problem though. In cooler conditions I could have run at least two minutes faster. Additionally I got problems with a calf muscle with around four kilometres to go.“ She finally finished in 2:24:29.

It was only in 2020 when Vibian Chepkirui ran her first international races. She clocked her half marathon PB in Prague, the home of her management group Ikaika. In Kenya she trains in Iten and one of her training partners is the three-time winner of the Vienna City Marathon and course record holder Nancy Kiprop. Vienna’s record winner could not return to the race due to a back injury. „Nancy gave me advice on Vienna. I was trying to break her course record,“ said Vibian Chepkirui, hoping that both of them will be on the start line at the next Vienna City Marathon on 24 April 2022. One thing is sure: They will avoid flying to Vienna via Doha.

(09/13/2021) Views: 1,920 ⚡AMP

Vienna City Marathon winner disqualified for wearing shoes that are one centimetre too thick

Derara Hurisa is disqualified after winning the marathon by three seconds for wearing shoes not sanctioned by the event

Vienna is where Eliud Kipchoge ran his sub-two hour marathon

The winner of the Vienna City Marathon has been disqualified for wearing shoes that do not fit the race rules. Derara Hurisa ran the race in two hours, nine minutes and 22 seconds, but was stripped of his title when it was discovered the soles of his shoes is 5cm thick. It is one centimetre thicker than allowed in the race.

“Winner disqualified: The initial winner of the Vienna City Marathon had to be disqualified for wearing shoes which are not compliant with the rules. Ethiopia’s Derara Hurisa crossed the finish line first after 2.09:22,” the race Twitter account said.

“The sole of road running shoes has to be no thicker than four centimetres. Hurisa was running with a model that has a sole thickness of five centimetres.”

“Kenya’s Leonard Langat is now the winner of the Vienna City Marathon with a time of 2.09:25,” the account posted.

Hurisa, 24, made a name for himself last year by setting the Mumbai Marathon record, in 2.08:08.

Running shoes have been the centre of debate in the athletics world. Nike were the first to add a carbon plate into their sole, which in theory helped spring athletes forward. Fans and commentators alike wondered if getting an additional boost from shoes is within the ethos of running, where it is a test of fitness and not technology.

Since Nike’s invention, other brands have followed suit. Many records, including Eliud Kipchoge’s sub-two hour marathon, which was run in Vienna, have been set in carbon plated shoes.

The so called “technology doping” prompted the Olympics to set out guidelines for shoes allowed. In January 2020, the Olympics announced shoes with more than one carbon plate were banned, and so were soles thicker than 4cm.

live stream of event

https://live.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/vienna-city-marathon.html

(09/12/2021) Views: 1,518 ⚡AMP

A Strong Japanese Quartet Of Elite Runners In Vienna’s Comeback Marathon

With a strong quartet of Japanese elite runners headed by Kento Kikutani the Vienna City Marathon will go ahead for the first time since April 2019 on Sunday. Austria’s major road race event sees its 38th edition and organizers have registered around 26,000 entries. This includes races at shorter distances. Around 6,000 marathon runners will compete in Vienna on Sunday. The Vienna City Marathon will be the first major marathon worldwide with a strong international elite field and a mass race since the start of the Corona pandemic. It is a World Athletics Label Road Race. The marathon will be streamed live from 8.30 am on Sunday at: Vienna-Marathon.com.

It is the first time in the history of the Vienna City Marathon that a Japanese male elite team will be on the start line. And partly this development has to do with Eliud Kipchoge. When the Kenyan Olympic Champion broke the two hour barrier in the Austrian capital two years ago the world took notice of a unique running spectacle co-organized by the Vienna City Marathon. Back in Japan Kento Kikutani, Yuta Koyama, Koki Yoshioka and Daji Kawai all watched Kipchoge’s race through Vienna’s Prater Park, which is also part of the marathon course.

“I was watching the live stream. This was a huge effort by Kipchoge. I think that good weather conditions in Vienna had a big influence on the result,“ said Kento Kikutani, who has a personal best of 2:07:26 from Lake Biwa this year. He is the fastest of the Japanese quartet and wants to improve his personal best on Sunday: „I will follow to pacers and then I want to go for the win after the 30k point“, said the 27 year-old, who then hold up his watch during the press conference: “At least I already have the same watch Kipchoge used in Vienna!“

Yuta Koyama has a personal best of 2:08:46 and is the second fastest of the four Japanese. He is also ready for a fast race and possibly a personal best. „My plan is to go with the leading group,“ said Koyama, who also clocked his PB in Lake Biwa this year. „Vienna is a good opportunity for me to race despite the corona pandemic.“

Koki Yoshioka and Daji Kawai feature personal records of 2:10:13 ans 2:10:50 respectively. Both target their personal bests on Sunday. “I really appreciate that I am able to run here during the pandemic. My goal is to go under 2:10,“ said Yoshioka while Kawai stated: “Vienna is a traditional race and I am happy to run here. As there are pacers, I think the race will have a good pace. I want to stay calm and will then decide how to react.“

“This will be the most important Vienna City Marathon since the first edition back in 1984,“ said Race Director Wolfgang Konrad. “On Sunday we will send a strong message as the first major international marathon worldwide since the start of the pandemic.“ He compares the situation to when he was an elite runner back in the 80ies. “After a fine Olympic season I was injured in a car crash in 1980. When I could finally start running again I had to stop after two kilometers. Four months later I ran a PB,“ recalled the former steeplechaser, who achieved a fine PB of 8:17.22 in 1982. “Back then it was just about me, now it is about everyone. We were desperate to bring the race back on as early as possible. It was a disaster for us when we had to cancel on short notice in 2020. But we continued to work hard to make the race possible again.“

“We want to stage a great race that stands for joy and motivation. With this event we also want to say thank you to all those who have supported us during this very difficult time," said Kathrin Widu, one of the Managing Directors of the Vienna City Marathon. She explained that runners from 126 nations entered the race. “Most of the foreigners are obviously from EU countries.“ While over 90 % of all runners are vaccinated organizers have implemented strict hygiene rules. Everyone needs to provide a negative Corona test to receive the bib number.

Fellow Managing Director Gerhard Wehr said: “We have never been out of touch regarding organizing races. Under most difficult situations we did stage a number of smaller races whenever possible,“ said Gerhard Wehr. “We are now experiencing a very strong togetherness from all those involved. Everyone wants the Vienna City Marathon to come back.“

More information is available at: Vienna-Marathon.com.

(09/09/2021) Views: 1,304 ⚡AMP

Ethiopians Betesfa Getahun and Gelete Burka will be the fastest athletes on the start list for the Vienna City Marathon next Sunday

Strong Ethiopians will feature world-class personal bests of 2:05:28 and 2:20:45 respectively.

The 38th edition of Austria’s biggest road running event is the first major international marathon featuring a strong international elite field and a mass race since the start of the Corona pandemic. Including races at shorter distances a total of 25,000 athletes have registered for the event. 6,000 of them will run the marathon. The Vienna City Marathon is a World Athletics Marathon Label Road Race.

Betesfa Getahun heads the elite start list which includes ten runners who have personal bests of sub 2:10. The Ethiopian ran 2:05:28 in his debut marathon in Amsterdam two years ago. Returning to the Vienna City Marathon will be Switzerland’s record holder Tadesse Abraham, who was the runner-up here in 2019 with 2:07:24.

With a personal best of 2:06:40 Tadesse Abraham is among the fastest European marathon runners. Due to breathing problems he dropped out of the Olympic marathon in Sapporo (Japan) a month ago. While this was of course a major disappointment he then quickly decided to go for the Vienna City Marathon. “I am in form and I want to show it. I am really looking forward to Vienna as I have such great memories of this race,” he said.

The women’s field includes six runners with personal bests of sub 2:28. Gelete Burka is the fastest on the start list with 2:20:45. She achieved this time in Dubai in 2018 and then won the marathons in Ottawa (2018) and in Paris (2019). The women’s race will also feature the Swiss marathon record holder: Fabienne Schlumpf ran 2:26:14 in her debut in Bern earlier this year and then finished in a very strong 12th position at the Olympic marathon.

(09/06/2021) Views: 1,669 ⚡AMP
by AIMS

Gelete Burka and Fabienne Schlumpf will head the women’s field of the Vienna City Marathon

With a personal best of 2:20:45 Ethiopia’s Gelete Burka will be the fastest woman ever on a start list for Austria’s most prestigious and biggest road running event.

The Vienna City Marathon will see its 38th edition next week and organizers currently have registered a total of around 25,000 athletes. While this includes races at shorter distances there will be 6,000 marathon runners. Some of the events will take place on the Saturday.

The Vienna City Marathon is a World Athletics Marathon Label Road Race and will be the first major international marathon featuring a strong elite field and a mass race since the start of the Corona pandemic. After providing a hygiene concept organizers received the final go ahead from the city a couple of days ago.

Gelete Burka has been a very successful track and cross country runner. The Ethiopian took the World Cross Country Championships’ gold medal in 2006 (short course) and won the 1,500 m final at the World Indoor Championships two years later. In 2015 she was second in the 10,000 m final of the World Championships. By that time she already had a few attempts at the marathon distance. However despite a personal best of 2:26:03 from 2014 in Houston she did not manage to transform her great potential to the classic distance. It was then in Dubai 2018 when she returned to the marathon after a four-year break and achieved a breakthrough performance: Gelete Burka improved to 2:20:45 in the Emirate.

There was more success in the marathon for Gelete Burka after her sixth place in Dubai: In May that year she won the Ottawa race in 2:22:17, then she took the Paris Marathon in 2019 with 2:22:47. A third place in the Chicago Marathon (2:20:55) followed later in the year. The Vienna City Marathon will now be the first marathon for the 35 year-old since 2019.

In contrast Fabienne Schlumpf is still a newcomer to the marathon. The former steeplechaser, who took the silver medal at the European Championships in 2018, first ran a series of national records in the half marathon. Last autumn she achieved a very respectable 13th place in the World Half Marathon Championships with an improvement to 68:38. She then took the Dresden Half Marathon this March with 68:27. Easily breaking the Olympic qualifying standard she clocked 2:26:14 in her marathon debut in Bern in April when she took second place. Fabienne Schlumpf then ran her second marathon at the Olympics in the extremely tough conditions in Sapporo. She achieved a superb 12th place in 2:31:36 which suggests that there is much more to come from the 30 year-old in the marathon. “I had already planned to run Vienna after the Olympics for a long time,” said Fabienne Schlumpf.

Gelete Burka and Fabienne Schlumpf will face a group of strong Kenyan contenders at the Vienna City Marathon. Risper Chebet is the second fastest on the start list with a personal best of 2:23:45. She achieved this time when she was fifth in Milan earlier this year, improving her PB by almost four minutes. Returning to the Vienna City Marathon will be Rebecca Kangogo and Celestine Chepchirchir. Kangogo ran her personal record of 2:24:25 here when she was runner-up in 2017 while Chepchirchir was third in 2018. She has a personal best of 2:24:48 from Seoul in 2019.

(09/03/2021) Views: 1,273 ⚡AMP
by AIMS

Vienna Marathon organizers do not expect any drastic rule changes that would limit outdoor events in the coming weeks

As things stand in Austria the Vienna City Marathon will go ahead on September 12. It is one month to go tomorrow and organizers do not expect any drastic rule changes that would limit outdoor events in the coming weeks.

Since July 1st the Austrian government has allowed all events to go ahead, no matter how many people are involved. The Vienna City Marathon could be one of the first major international marathons to take place since the start of the pandemic in March 2020. Organizers, who are working closely with the city to provide the required hygiene concept, have today released a number of elite runners for the men’s event. Among those who will feature in Austria’s number one road running event are Uganda’s Solomon Mutai and Betesfa Getahun of Ethiopia, who has a personal best of 2:05:28.

It was in Vienna where Kenya’s Olympic Champion Eliud Kipchoge famously broke the two hour marathon barrier in October 2019 in a race co-organized by the same team that is in charge for the Vienna City Marathon. Almost exactly two years after this phenomenal performance by Eliud Kipchoge Vienna plans to stage a marathon again.

Adding races at shorter distances a total of 24,900 athletes have so far registered for the Vienna City Marathon, which will be spread over two days with some of the shorter events taking place on the Saturday. Online entry for this World Athletics Marathon Label Road Race is still possible until next Sunday.

“With their incredible performances and elegantly smooth running styles elite runners belong to the Vienna City Marathon. We are really happy that even in these extraordinary circumstances this year we will be able to present world-class sport on the streets of Vienna,” said Race Director Wolfgang Konrad.

Betesfa Getahun heads the current start list with a personal best of 2:05:28. The 22 year-old Ethiopian ran this time when finishing fourth in his marathon debut in Amsterdam in 2019. Since Vienna will only be his second marathon he will be eager to improve his PB. Among his rivals will be Kenyans Bethwell Rutto and Edwin Kosgei who clocked personal bests of 2:07:41 and 2:07:51 respectively in this year’s Siena Marathon. Solomon Mutai, who took a bronze medal in the 2015 World Championships’ marathon, will have the advantage of knowing the course when he returns to the Austrian capital. The Ugandan placed third in the Vienna City Marathon with a personal best of 2:08:25 in 2019.

A strong Japanese team will feature: Kento Kikutani improved his personal best to 2:07:26 this February in Otsu where he finished ninth. Yuta Koyama (2:08:46), Koki Yoshioka (2:10:13) and Daiji Kawai (2:10:50) are the other three Japanese who are currently in training for the race in Vienna.

Regarding mass participation organizers look ahead with confidence. “We are really happy with the interest runners are showing for our event. This is a great boost for all our activities. Two and a half years after the most recent Vienna City Marathon we are ready to go again.

When we organized smaller running events recently we already got a great response from the running community,” said Kathrin Widu, the Managing Director of the Vienna City Marathon. A recent anonymous survey among runners entered for the race showed that over 92.7% of them will compete in the Vienna City Marathon fully vaccinated.

(08/12/2021) Views: 1,070 ⚡AMP
by AIMS

2021 Vienna City Marathon on course for September 12

The Vienna City Marathon is on course to take place in September 2021, after the cancellation of its 2020 event as well as one planned for spring this year.

“We are incredibly grateful to the runners,” says VCM organizer Wolfgang Konrad. “Many have carried over their start from 2020 and many have newly registered so that almost 23,000 participants are already on the start list.

“Thanks to the continued support of all our sponsors and partners and the very good cooperation with the responsible ministries and authorities, all participating municipal departments of the City of Vienna as well as police departments and offices in Vienna, we are in the best possible position economically and organizationally.”

With the lifting of the maximum number of participants for events from 1 July a central legal basis for the implementation of major events has been restored. “All interested parties can be assured that we as a professional organizer are ready to organize the VCM in a safe and at the same time atmospheric way. We are well on schedule in all areas that we can influence through our work,” said Konrad.

(07/05/2021) Views: 1,184 ⚡AMP

2020 Vienna City Marathon will celebrate the anniversary of the INEOS 1:59 Challenge and Eliud Kipchoge’s historic marathon in Vienna on Monday

The Vienna City Marathon will celebrate the first anniversary of the INEOS 1:59 Challenge and Eliud Kipchoge's historic marathon in Vienna during this weekend and on Monday. The Kenyan became the first athlete to break the two hour marathon barrier a year ago in Vienna. He clocked 1:59:40.2 on the Prater Hauptallee on 12th October 2019. His race still inspires and excites people throughout the world today.

The Vienna City Marathon (VCM) will organize the "VCM Tribute to Eliud Race" on Monday, 12 October. The challenge is to cover as much distance as possible during a set time of 1:59:40.2. There will be two separate races during the afternoon and in early evening in the Prater Park, the venue of Kipchoge’s unique race. While these races are almost sold out runners all over the world have the opportunity to participate in a virtual event which runs from Saturday until Monday.

You can run or walk for 1:59:40.2 with family, friends or alone wherever you are. Whether it is a half marathon or an even longer distance, you can track your activity and upload your distance with a GPS sports watch or a running app. The challenge ends on Monday at 8.30 pm (Central European Time). At this time you will need to have entered the distance you have covered. Please follow your local Covid-19 rules when you choose the location of your race.

By taking part in the "VCM Tribute to Eliud Race" runners will support a VCM charity project. The organizers support the running and health initiative "The Daily Mile Austria", which is active in primary schools and kindergardens. Runners who enter the virtual race will receive an individual start number with their name and the signature of Eliud Kipchoge to download and print. They will also receive a certificate with a signature of Eliud Kipchoge to download and print. While they will be included in the results list of the "Tribute to Eliud - Global Race" they also become part of the "Tribute to Eliud" community.

Next year’s Vienna City Marathon, a World Athletics Gold Label Road Race, will take place on 12 September.

(10/09/2020) Views: 1,371 ⚡AMP

2021 Vienna City Marathon moves from April into September

The Vienna City Marathon is the second major international marathon which has been moved from a spring date of 2021 into the second half of the year. The race is now scheduled for 12 September. This spring organizers had to cancel Austria’s biggest one day sporting event due to the corona virus pandemic. Because of the ongoing uncertainties during the pandemic there was too much risk continuing to plan with a race on 18 April 2021, organizers explained. The first major race that was moved from spring into the autumn in 2021 was the London Marathon. The Vienna City Marathon is a World Athletics Gold Label Road Race.

The world is still in a state of upheaval and constant change due to the corona virus pandemic. This especially applies to organizers of major events. That led to the decision to postpone the upcoming Vienna City Marathon from April to 12 September 2021. "In accordance with health experts and those in charge for the City of Vienna, we are convinced that on this date in September we will find an improved overall Covid-19 situation and be able to organize a major marathon in Vienna. We want to hold an event that offers a thrilling experience and inspires the participants and spectators - a race like the one we staged in 2019 or in the years before. Moving it to the second half of 2021 is the more honest answer to the difficult situation and brings more reliability and planning security, also for the participants", reads a statement of the organizers.

"Our goal is to organize the Vienna City Marathon safely but also with a great atmosphere. However, we cannot carry out the extensive conceptual and preparatory work for the marathon under unknown and constantly changing regulations. We want to organize running events and will do so according to the current rules. For our major event, the Vienna City Marathon, however, moving it to September is the more realistic way," says Vienna City Marathon Race Director Wolfgang Konrad.

"I am delighted that the Vienna City Marathon 2021 is planned to take place in an attractive and customary manner. The event mobilizes Vienna and the Viennese population. As a tourist magnet with strong economic effects, the event is of great importance beyond sports and health promotion. It is clear that due to the Covid-19 pandemic, events like the Vienna City Marathon have to cope with great challenges. However, in the light of the Covid-19 pandemic, holding the event in September 2021 offers a clear perspective. We hope that the marathon can be held on this new date on the well-known route, which passes numerous tourist attractions of Vienna," says Vienna’s Mayor Michael Ludwig.

The date of the Vienna City Marathon is usually fixed for several years in advance. "It would not have been feasible to wait and hope for the next few months. We could then have found ourselves in a position urgently trying to find a new date in the autumn of the same year. The move required coordination with the City of Vienna, the police, public authorities and other event organizers in order to keep the course through the entire city and the finish area in the Ringstrasse / Rathausplatz area available for the races and for the set-up work," says Gerhard Wehr, Managing Director of the Vienna City Marathon. He thanked the City of Vienna as well as the sponsors and partners for their support and cooperation.

"We hope that the current circumstances and regulations will continue to allow running events to take place. We look forward to every event that can go ahead. This is what our heart beats for, and this is what we will continue to do with all our commitment," Vienna organizers announced. Online entry for the Vienna City Marathon 2021 will start in autumn at: www.vienna-marathon.com

(09/18/2020) Views: 1,274 ⚡AMP

The Vienna City Marathon 2020 will not take place until 2021

This message was sent out to friends of th Vienna City Marathon:

We've been torn apart these last few days. Until the very last moment we wanted to organize the 37th Vienna City Marathon (VCM) and we told you so. Your feedback has strengthened us. Nevertheless we noticed how the situation has changed. Europe is in an exceptional situation. In Austria and several other countries far-reaching measures have been taken to contain Covid-19.

We have put all our energy into planning this event, the realisation of which has been increasingly questioned. This is perhaps the most difficult announcement we have ever had to make in regard to the VCM. But it is what it is.

The Vienna City Marathon 2020 will not take place.This concerns all running events on Saturday, 18th April and Sunday, 19th April, the Expo Vienna Sports World in the Marx Halle as well as the VCM Carbo Loading Party in the Festsaal of the Vienna City Hall.

Also yesterday the last run of the VCM Winter Running Series in the Vienna Prater, which was planned for March 29th, was cancelled. "We are deeply sorry for all our hobby runners, for all top athletes and for all our employees who have been preparing for the event with great commitment for months. In the light of a health crisis that is affecting all countries, and out of a sense of responsibility towards all runners, staff and the entire population, we cannot help but refrain from holding the VCM," says event organizer Wolfgang Konrad.

"We wanted to make the VCM fit for Covid-19 and have looked at all areas of the event and reorganized many parts. However, there is probably no major event with an expected 45,000 participants from 130 countries, 12,000 of them from abroad, that can compete with the virus while at the same time reducing social contacts," says VCM Managing Director Gerhard Wehr.

This step is also intended to give all runners the opportunity to orientate them newly and, if possible, to cancel booked trips and overnight stays. We do not want to get into a situation where our participants might be infected or quarantined before, during or after their participation in the Vienna City Marathon or contribute to the spread of the virus. We are also well aware that this is a very difficult time for the health stuff and we do not want to put additional pressure, strain or endanger our medical service and medical team.

In a decree of the Federal Ministry of Social Affairs, Health, Care and Consumer Protection (Measures against the confluence of large crowds of people according to §15 Epidemic Law), the holding of outdoor events with more than 500 participants and indoor events with more than 100 participants has been banned for the time being until April 3. This was the end of the planning of the event. The Vienna City Marathon works together with approximately 450 companies and partners and a total of 3,500 employees to realize Austria's largest sporting event in a long-prepared, joint effort.

Many of our helpers are also students and pupils whose institutions are about to close. Stalling our participants, suppliers, sponsors and partners until the Easter holidays without any prospect of clarification of the situation would be irresponsible and unreasonable.

"We have to change our lives for a few months", said Health Minister Rudolf Anschober on 10 March when presenting the first measures to limit the spread of Covid-19. "Further measures and steps will be needed", said Federal Chancellor Sebastian Kurz on the same day on ORF: "We must assume that the situation will keep us busy for many weeks or months to come". Taking into account the decree and these statements, there is no further perspective for the VCM 2020.

All of us in the VCM organisation have worked hard over the past few months, and have pushed ahead with our preparations with professionalism and passion. We have seen how you have trained and run with great commitment, at the VCM Winter Run Series, at the VCM Training Runs or elsewhere. It was great, fun, inspiring.

The INEOS 1:59 Challenge in October 2019 has given a huge boost to running in Vienna and to the VCM in general. We were extremely looking forward to a big runners' festival in Vienna in April.

The preparations, the efforts and the anticipation that we all share - runners and organizers - will unfortunately not culminate in an emotional running festival. But we are convinced that we will have many more great marathon moments in the future.

We still have to get used to the situation ourselves. More than once we have been desperate in the last few days. At some point, each of us has cried once. We can well imagine how it looks like inside of you now. But we are sportsmen. We get up again. We look ahead. We keep running.

In the coming weeks we will comprehensively evaluate and clarify the consequences of this cancellation for the organization of the Vienna City Marathon. As soon as possible we will send you, the participants, an offer so that you can participate with pleasure in one of the next events of the Vienna City Marathon.

We ask for your understanding that this is also for us an extraordinary and unprecedented situation. Please allow us some time to evaluate all aspects and for administrative preparation.We have also checked if it is possible to postpone the VCM to a later date in 2020, but due to numerous activities in the federal capital Vienna, there is not enough space available for a marathon. The dates for the marathon are fixed several years in advance in coordination with the city administration and other organizers. A short-term postponement is not possible in this context. Many other races and events are now postponing their staging until autumn. However, from the current perspective, nobody can say whether major events will be possible at such a date in 2020.

Thank you to everyone who has supported us on the way so far - the entire stuff, the various departments of the City of Vienna, our sponsors and above all the runners from all over Austria and the world who have chosen to run the Vienna City Marathon.We hope above all that you and your families and friends are in good health. Adhere to the hygiene regulations and the measures to contain Covid-19.It only remains for us to wish you a nevertheless beautiful running spring. We would be happy if you continue to be friends of the Vienna City Marathon. We will continue to be there for you with full energy and will do everything we can for a great Vienna City Marathon on 18 April 2021.

Keep on running - this is how you strengthen your immune system. Go outside. Do things that you enjoy. Do something good for someone else. Run and enjoy it. Keep reaching for the stars.

(03/12/2020) Views: 1,373 ⚡AMP
by Team of the Vienna City Marathon

Nancy Kiprop smashes record at Vienna Marathon

Nancy Kiprop produced the outstanding performance of the 36th Vienna City Marathon on Sunday April 7, when she broke the women’s course record by over a minute and a half in running 2:22:12 at this IAAF Gold Label road race.

Kiprop led a Kenyan clean sweep of the podium with all three women setting personal bests. Angela Tanui was runner-up in 2:25:37 and Maurine Chepkemoi third in 2:26:16.

In the men’s race Kenyan Vincent Kipchumba won with a personal best of 2:06:56, improving his lifetime best by almost four minutes.

Kipchumba surged away in the closing stages from Switzerland’s Tadesse Abraham who finished second with 2:07:24. Uganda’s Solomon Mutai took third with 2:08:25, improving his best by just over one minute.

(04/07/2019) Views: 2,037 ⚡AMP

Defending champion Nancy Kiprop hopes to make it three victories when she returns for the 36th edition of the Vienna City Marathon

More than 30 years ago, Austrian Gerhard Hartmann won three consecutive victories from 1985 to 1987 in Vienna.  More recently Kenya’s Henry Sugut became a three-time champion with victories in 2010, 2012 and 2013. While no woman has achieved this feat, Kiprop is in a position to do so after collecting victories at the last two editions.

In 2017 she won with a personal best of 2:24:20, finishing just five seconds ahead of fellow-Kenyan Rebecca Chesire. Last year she dominated, beating back the warm conditions and winning by more than five minutes in 2:24:18, another lifetime best. In the meantime, the 39-year-old has gotten even faster, clocking 2:22:46 in Frankfurt last October.

"For me it is an easy decision to return to Vienna, as the race is well organised, people are welcoming and I feel appreciated and respected. I am truly humbled by each experience in Vienna,“ said Nancy Kiprop, a mother of seven who used most of her winnings to found a school in her home village of Chesitek near to Iten.

Her victories in Vienna have been instrumental with her school project, Kiprop said, helping to make “the impossible possible."

“My school, the Nancy Cletius Academy in Chesitek, is now educating 122 pupils, providing employment to five teachers. We have a total of five classrooms and administrative buildings with two staff. Our plans are to continue to grow. We want to add one new class each year and keep on investing in education of the next generation."

Kiprop’s strongest rival may well be 25-year-old Ethiopian Rahma Tusa, who achieved a hat-trick of her own when winning the Rome Marathon last year for the third consecutive time. In 2018, she improved her personal best to 2:23:46. Tusa also showed fine form in the New York City Marathon last November, finishing fifth with 2:27:13. This will be her first appearance in Vienna.

Switzerland’s national record holder Maja Neuenschwander, who won at this race in 2015, is also hoping for a successful return to the marathon after a stress fracture cut her season short last year. 

(03/06/2019) Views: 2,242 ⚡AMP

Swiss record holder Tadesse Abraham will Lead Field at the Vienna City Marathon

Swiss record holder Tadesse Abraham will run his next marathon in Austria. Organizers of the Vienna City Marathon confirmed the start of the 36 year-old who holds a personal best of 2:06:40 and was runner-up in the European Championships’ marathon in Berlin last summer.

Returning to Vienna will be the winner of the race from 2016, Robert Chemosin. Kenneth Keter is another Kenyan who can challenge Tadesse Abraham in the Austrian capital. Including running events at shorter distances staged parallel to the marathon organizers expect more than 40,000 athletes for the 36th edition of the Vienna City Marathon.

For Abraham it is about bouncing back in Vienna. He competed at the Dubai Marathon in January, but did not reach the level he had hoped and trained for. Instead of breaking his personal best he had to be content with a 2:09:50 performance and tenth place in the United Arab Emirates.

Since he is the fastest runner on the current start list he will run in Vienna with a different goal: “My main aim will be to win the Vienna City Marathon. However I want to run a good time as well,“ said Tadesse Abraham, who could become the first European male winner of the race for 18 years. Back in 2001 Luis Novo of Portugal took the race with 2:10:28. Since then there were only African winners in Vienna.

“It is too early to speak about possible time goals, but I want to run faster than in Dubai,“ said Abraham, who will travel to his training camp in Addis Ababa this Wednesday.

Originally from Eritrea, Tadesse Abraham received Swiss citizenship in June 2014. Since then he has been among the very best European marathon runners. With a seventh place in the Olympic race in 2016 Abraham was the strongest European in Rio. 

(02/19/2019) Views: 2,215 ⚡AMP

Surprise winner at Vienna Marathon, WR holder Dennis Kimetto failed to finish

Morocco’s Salaheddine Bounasser was the surprise winner of the Vienna (Austria) marathon on Sunday while world record holder Dennis Kimetto’s injury frustration continued as he failed to finish. Bounasser, who won in two hours, nine minutes and 29 seconds, and Kenya’s Ishmael Bushendich broke away from the rest of the pack as they passed the Ernest Happel stadium. They raced side-by-side for around 20 minutes before Bounasser made his move at the 39-kilometer mark and left the Kenyan in his wake. Bushendich finished second in 2:10:03 and his fellow Kenyan Samwel Maswai was third. Kimetto, who ran a world record of 2:02:57 in Berlin 2014, was hoping to rekindle his career in Vienna after a series of injury frustrations. The 34-year-old has not finished a marathon since London in 2016 and suffered another unhappy day as he also dropped out in Vienna. Kimetto was clearly limping as he lost touch with the leading pack around halfway through the race and he dropped out after one hour and 20 minutes. (04/22/2018) Views: 1,857 ⚡AMP

Kenya´s Defending champion Nancy Kiprop heads strong women’s field for Vienna Marathon

In one of the strongest women’s fields ever assembled for Austria’s number one road running event four athletes feature personal bests of sub 2:25. Kiprop is one of them with a PB of 2:24:20 but Helen Tola of Ethiopia has been well over a minute faster with a record of 2:22:51. In a thrilling battle for victory Nancy Kiprop was just five seconds ahead in the Vienna City Marathon 2017, clocking her personal best. It was the closest women’s finish in the history of the event. And it could well end similar on 22nd April. Despite the wind she ran the second fastest time ever recorded in the race. With 2:24:20 the Kenyan missed the course record by just 33 seconds. Italy’s Maura Viceconte clocked 2:23:47 back in the year 2000. Kiprop may have to further improve in Vienna to defend her title. Despite being already 38 years old she did just that last September in a half marathon. She was second in Usti nad Labem, Czech Republic, when she smashed her PB with a time of 67:22. (04/16/2018) Views: 1,735 ⚡AMP

Ethiopian Dino Sefir faces WR Holder Dennis Kimetto at Vienna Marathon

World record holder Dennis Kimetto will face some strong challengers at the 35th Vienna City Marathon, an IAAF Gold Label road race, on April 22. Dino Sefir is the next fastest man in the field after the the world record holder dennis Kimetto. The 29-year-old smashed his PB at the 2012 Dubai Marathon where he clocked 2:04:50, finishing second. A year earlier he had improved significantly in the half marathon when he clocked 59:42. While he hasn't matched those time in recent years, he has been consistent in the 2:08-2:09 range, collecting victories in Barcelona and Ottawa two years ago. More recently he was eighth in the 2017 Boston Marathon. One year ago, Bushendich was involved in the closest race ever in the history of the Vienna City Marathon, crossing just behind fellow Kenyan Albert Korir in 2:08:42. While he knows the course well, he'll return with added confidence after taking the Lisbon Marathon last autumn with 2:10:51. The 26-year-old has already won five marathons during his career: Enschede and La Rochelle in 2012, Ljubljana in 2014, Toronto in 2015 and Lisbon last October. Another contender with a marathon victory under his belt is Abrah Milaw. The 30year-old Ethiopian, who has a 2:07:46 from the 2014 Dubai Marathon, won the Stockholm Marathon last year in 2:11:36. (04/11/2018) Views: 1,990 ⚡AMP

World record holder Dennis Kimetto is going to run the Vienna City Marathon

The 34-year-old Kenyan’s decision is a coup for the Vienna race, held on the same day as the London Marathon which usually draws the sport’s biggest names. Dennis Kimetto will be the first world record holder to take part in the Vienna race, which began in 1984, and his inclusion is part of director Wolfgang Konrad’s strategy to raise the international profile of the event. “While our motto is ’35 years of theatre of emotions’ we now have a sort of leading actor for this: an athlete who has extraordinary capabilities and who will be in the focus,” Konrad said in a statement. Kimetto smashed the world record in 2014, clocking two hours, two minutes 57 seconds at the Berlin Marathon to shave 26 seconds off the record set by compatriot Wilson Kipsang in 2013. (03/20/2018) Views: 1,764 ⚡AMP