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Kenyan Sheila Kiprotich Chepkirui breaks course record at Generali Berlin Half Marathon

Sheila Kiprotich Chepkirui produced the performance of the day, breaking the course record of the 41st GENERALI BERLIN HALF MARATHON. Despite very cold conditions with almost freezing temperatures at the start she clocked a world-class time of 65:02. It is the 18th fastest half marathon time ever run by a woman.

Fellow-Kenyans Joyce Chepkemoi and Irene Kimais took second and third with 65:50 and 66:34 respectively. For the first time in the history of the race three women broke 67 minutes.

The men’s race was also dominated by the Kenyans, who took all podium places. Alex Kibet was the winner with 58:55, missing the course record by just 13 seconds. Joshua Belet was second in 59:53 while pre-race favourite Abel Kipchumba finished third with 59:58. Including competitions staged parallel to the main race, organisers of the 41st GENERALI BERLIN HALF MARATHON registered a total of 33,336 athletes from 121 nations.

Cold temperatures and even a bit of snow just before the start did not provide good conditions for record attempts. Despite this 31 year-old Sheila Kiprotich Chepkirui stormed away right after the start. Guided by pacemakers she passed 10k in 30:32 and was on course for 64:30 at this stage of the race. “But during the final five kilometers I felt really cold and could not hold on to the pace,“ said Sheila Kiprotich Chepkirui. „I had hoped to break my personal best of 64:36, but at least I won the race with a course record. I am now planning to run my marathon debut later in the year, so maybe I will return to Berlin in September,“ said the Kenyan. She broke the course record of fellow-Kenyan Joyciline Jepkosgei who had won in Berlin in August last year with 65:16.

While Britain’s Samantha Harrison was the fastest non-African runner with a personal best of 68:12 in fifth place, once again Katharina Steinruck coped very well with cold conditions. She was the fastest German runner in sixth place with a personal best of 69:38. “For me it was fun today,“ said Katharina Steinruck.

As expected Kenya’s elite runners dominated the men’s race as well. Early on they were forming the leading group. After a 10k split time of 28:00 it was Alex Kibet who took the initiative soon after that mark. The 31 year-old broke away and no-one was able to challenge him in the second half of the race. Kibet had entered the race with a PB of 59:06 and was the number two on the start list. The Kenyan increased his advantage to almost one minute and crossed the line at the Brandenburg Gate in 58:55. While he missed the course record Alex Kibet clocked the second fastest time ever run in the history of the GENERALI BERLIN HALF MARATHON and a personal best. “I hoped to run quite a bit faster, but it was difficult in the cold conditions. I have not broken the world record today, but at least I have won the race,“ said Alex Kibet.

Norway’s Zerei Mezngi and Dominic Lobalu of Switzerland were the fastest Europeans taking fifth and sixth positions in 60:42 and 61:01 respectively. Surprisingly Germany’s national record holder Amanal Petros, who clocked 60:09 last year, was not the fastest German in Berlin. Trying to bring his own record down to a sub one hour time he faded in the cold conditions and finished 15th in 62:21. Johannes Motschmann was the fastest German runner. Competing for the Marathon Team Berlin of race organiser SCC EVENTS he improved to 61:45 and placed tenth.

German double victory by Josie Hofmann and Felix Rijhnen in the skaters' race

A spectacular sprint led Felix Rijhnen (Powerslide) to his third victory at the GENERALI BERLIN HALF MARATHON. He beat Frenchman Martin Ferrié (EOSkates) by a razor-thin margin in 33:49 minutes. A German also won the women's race: Josie Hofmann (Powerslide) from Erfurt in 37:53 minutes. A total of 1,042 inline skaters celebrated the start of the roller season and the GERMAN INLINE CUP 2022.

On the course, a leading group around Valentin Thiebault (FRA/Powerslide) had initially broken away. At kilometer 15 Felix Rijhnen and Martin Ferrié managed to close the gap to the leaders and pull away. Until the finish they extended their lead to almost 50 seconds. In the final sprint to the finish, Rijhnen beat Ferrié by a razor-thin margin. In the mass sprint of the chasing pack sprint specialist Valentin Thiebault (FRA/Powerslide) secured 3rd place in 34:41 minutes. "I am mega happy that I could win after such a long and hard ice season. I'm surprised how well it went today, especially since I couldn't prepare that well due to illness," Rijhnen said after the race. "I was able to make full use of my experience over the many years in Berlin. It's just a pity that Kathi couldn't be there due to her Corona infection," said the Darmstadt native with regard to his wife Katharina Rijhnen (formerly Rumpus), who herself has won the GENERALI BERLIN HALF MARATHON four times.

In the women's race, too, a duel on the home stretch decided the race. Josie Hofmann and Marine Lefeuvre (FRA/EOSkates) distanced themselves from the field already at the halfway mark. Until the finish they extended their lead to more than 1:30 minutes. Particularly noteworthy was the spectacular, especially deep finish step with which Hofmann pushed her rollers across the finish line first after 37:53 minutes. After Lefeuvre (37:53 minutes), Belgian Sabrina Gaudesaboos (EOSkates) finished third in 39:25 minutes. "My goal was clearly to win today. But having just switched from the ice back to the road, I didn't know how good I was," Hofmann said. "My long-term goal is clearly the Olympics on ice, but I won't let inline skating out of my sight for that," the winner explained.

Top men:

Alex Kibet KEN 58:55

Belet Joshua KEN 59:53

Abel Kipchumba KEN 59:58

Fastes German men: Johannes Motschmann (Marathon Team Berlin) 61:45

Top women:

Sheila Kiprotich KEN 65:02

Jocye Chepkemoi KEN 65:50

Irene Kimais KEN 66:34

Fastes German woman: Katharina Steinruck (Eintrach Frankfurt) 69:38

Japan’s Mao Ichiyama and Kenya’s Hillary Kipkoech storm to half marathon PBs at Olympic test event in Sapporo

Japan’s Mao Ichiyama and Kenya’s Hillary Kipkoech cruised to half marathon PBs on the grounds of Hokkaido University in Sapporo on Wednesday, at the official test event for the Tokyo Olympics road races.

The course is similar to the first half of the marathon route that will be used for this year’s Olympic Games, and the race attracted a small elite field comprising some of Japan’s leading marathon contenders along with a handful of international athletes who were keen to get a feel for the streets of Sapporo.

Ichiyama, who booked her spot on Japan’s Olympic marathon team after winning in Nagoya at the end of 2020, fellow Olympic team member Ayuko Suzuki and team reserve Matsuda Mizuki set off at a swift pace alongside three male pace makers, passing through the first 5km in 16:10.

Their pace eased slightly approaching the half-way point, having reached 10km in 32:39, but they picked it up again at the start of the second half and covered the next five-kilometer section in 15:48.

Suzuki stuck with her compatriots until the final few kilometers and, unable to match their pace, started to drift behind. With about two kilometers to go, Ichiyama opened up a gap of about 25 meters on Mizuki and still looked extremely comfortable. The gap didn’t grow significantly in the closing stages, but Ichiyama did just enough to keep her opponent at bay.

Ichiyama crossed the line in a PB of 1:08:28 with Mizuki following close behind in 1:08:32. Suzuki finished third in 1:08:53.

Honami Maeda, who won Japan’s Marathon Grand Championship race in 2019 to secure her Olympic spot, ran solo for much of the race, in between the lead trio and the main chase pack. She was overtaken by Germany’s Katharina Steinruck in the final kilometer as Steinruck finished fourth in 1:10:43, seven seconds ahead of Maeda.

Kipkoech, who clocked a world-leading 27:35 for 10km just 11 days prior, broke away from the rest of the men’s field just before the half-way point. He passed through 5km in 14:35 as part of the lead pack but then opened up some distance a few kilometres later, reaching 10km in 28:59 with a four-second lead over fellow Kenyan Simon Kariuki.

By the time Kipkoech reached 15km in 42:49, his lead over Kariuki had grown to 12 seconds, while the main chase pack was a further 44 seconds adrift.

Kipkoech went on to win in a personal best of 1:00:46 with Kariuki taking second place in 1:01:11. Shin Kimura was the top Japanese finisher, placing third in 1:01:46. Olympic team member Yuma Hattori, opting not to race flat-out and to use the event as a dress rehearsal, finished 24th in 1:02:59.

About six foreign athletes will participate in Olympic marathon test event in Sapporo

Six overseas athletes who have booked their spots in this summer’s Tokyo Olympic marathon will take part in the half-marathon race of the upcoming Sapporo Marathon Festival, the event’s organizers said Sunday.

Bart van Nunen of the Netherlands will run in the men’s race while Germany’s Katharina Steinruck will take part in the women’s event. They are among the six already in Sapporo to run in Wednesday’s Tokyo Olympic test event.

The organizers revealed the guidelines for virus countermeasures, which include daily coronavirus testing for athletes.

The event originally included races for the general public, but those have been cancelled, while the public has been asked to refrain from cheering runners from the roadside.

Honami Maeda, who will represent Japan in this summer’s Tokyo Olympic women’s marathon, will also run on Wednesday.

Kipchoge clocks world-leading 2:04:30 in Enschede

Eliud Kipchoge waited until the final 30 minutes of the NN Mission Marathon to make his winning move as the Kenyan great kicked on to win the World Athletics Label road race in 2:04:30 at Twente Airport in Enschede on Sunday (18).

The Olympic champion had little to prove; his place on Kenya’s team for Tokyo had already been confirmed, as has his status as one of the all-time greats. But following a rare defeat at the London Marathon last year, the world record-holder was keen to produce a confidence-boosting performance ahead of the Olympic Games.

He did exactly that on Sunday, despite having to contend with some late changes to the race plans as the event had originally been set for 11 April in Hamburg.

Unlike many of Kipchoge’s previous marathon races, today’s event was never intended as an opportunity to chase record times. Nevertheless, the pace was swift as a lead group of four reached 15km in 43:46, just outside 2:03 pace.

After going through half way in 1:01:43, with Kipchoge running alongside pacemakers Philemon Kacheran and Jonathan Korir, the pace settled in the second half with each five-kilometre segment being covered in just outside 14:50.

By the time Kipchoge and the pacing duo reached 30km in 1:28:10, the chase pack was more than two minutes adrift but still on course for Olympic qualifying times. Shortly after, with 1:35 on the clock, Kipchoge left his pacemakers behind.

His tempo didn’t actually increase in the closing stages, but he maintained his sub-three-minute kilometre pace, which brought him to the finish line in a world-leading 2:04:30.

Korir held on for second place in 2:06:40 with Eritrea’s Goitom Kifle coming through to take third in 2:08:07. A little further behind, Uganda’s 2012 Olympic champion Stephen Kiprotich placed fifth in 2:09:04.

“Mission accomplished,” said Kipchoge. “The conditions were really good, a bit windy, but I had no complaints. The race was perfect. This was the real test towards Tokyo. It’s good to have a marathon a few months before the Olympics to test my fitness.”

The leading contenders in the women’s race were paced by a small group of men, reaching 10km in 34:39 and half way in 1:12:58. Kenya’s Gladys Chesir, Sweden’s Hanna Lindholm and German duo Laura Hottenrott and Katharina Steinruck were all still in contention at this point, but Lindholm started to fade as they embarked on the second half.

Chesir was next to drop back, doing so after about 90 minutes of running, leaving Steinruck and Hottenrott as the lead duo. Steinruck (nee Heinig) began to edge ahead of her domestic rival in the final seven kilometres and the race was finally decided.

Steinruck reached the finish line in 2:25:59, elevating her to sixth on the German all-time list, just three places and 84 seconds adrift of her mother, Katrin Dorre-Heinig, the 1988 Olympic bronze medallist.

Portugal’s Sara Moreira finished strongly to take second place in 2:26:42 with Germany’s Rabea Schoneborn placing third in 2:27:03.

Frankfurt Half Marathon Invitational next Sunday, Only top runners living in Germany were invited

A half marathon for elite runners only will be staged in Frankfurt next Sunday: The Frankfurt Half Marathon Invitational will be organized by the Race Director of the Mainova Frankfurt Marathon Jo Schindler and his team as well as Christoph Kopp, the Berlin based elite athletes manager. Only top runners living in Germany were invited. Germany’s marathon record holder Arne Gabius as well as Melat Kejeta and Katharina Steinruck, who have both achieved the qualifying times for the Olympic marathon in Japan next year, will be among the competitors. The race is a German qualifier for the World Half Marathon Championships which are scheduled for 17 October in Gdynia, Poland.

The Frankfurt Half Marathon Invitational will be run on a 3 k circuit in the Frankfurt fairground, which is closed to the public. „It is the ideal venue for us to provide secure surroundings and to fulfill all current requirements with regard to the Covid situation. Unfortunately we are not allowed to have spectators,“ said Jo Schindler, who received support from the city and the county to stage this half marathon. It was only last month when the Mainova Frankfurt Marathon, a World Athletics Gold Label Road Race, had to be cancelled due to the Corona pandemic. „Now we are very happy that we are able to organize a race in this difficult year. This is very motivating,“ said Jo Schindler.

"It is great that this race can go ahead and I am looking forward to returning to Frankfurt. I have of course excellent memories of the Mainova Frankfurt Marathon," said Arne Gabius, who clocked the German national marathon record there in 2015 with 2:08:33. His half marathon PB stands at 62:09. Since Arne Gabius will use Sunday’s race as a test for the London Marathon, where he intends to break the Olympic qualifying time of 2:11:30 on 4 October, he is not the favourite.

Amanal Petros currently holds the national lead in the half marathon with a time of 62:18. If he shows a solid performance on Sunday he would surely be selected for the World Championships. Germany’s national marathon champion from 2019 is Tom Gröschel. He ran 64:09 in the winter and needs to improve by at least nine seconds in Frankfurt to get the national qualifying time for Gdynia.

The qualifying standard of 74:00 was no issue for Melat Kejeta, when she ran a fine 68:55 in Ras Al Khaimah (UAE) in February. Normally she would be the overwhelming favourite on Sunday, however it remains to be seen in what sort of form she will come to Frankfurt.

Katharina Steinruck could not run a half marathon earlier in the year due to the Corona crisis. However she showed good form despite the restrictions, when she clocked 32:41 in a Berlin 10 k race in June. She missed her PB by just two seconds. "I am happy to be able to run a half marathon now. And to make it even better: this happens in my hometown. I have to thank the organizers for making this possible," said Katharina Steinruck, who has a half marathon PB of 72:23. To qualify for the World Championships she would need a time of 74:00.

Ethiopian Haftamnesh Tesfay leads a quartet of sub-2:22 runners at the 39th edition of the Osaka Women’s Marathon

Four runners from abroad have faster personal bests than the Japanese: Ethiopians Tesfay and Meskerem Assefa, Mimi Belete of Bahrain and Kenyan Bornes Jepkirui. Tesfay ran 2:20:13 in her debut at the 2018 Dubai Marathon, at the time the fourth fastest marathon debut in history. She followed up with a 2:20:47 run in Frankfurt later that year. Assefa won the Nagoya Women’s Marathon in 2018 and later in the year finished 11 seconds ahead of Tesfay in Frankfurt with a 2:20:36 PB. Although they did not have a good 2019 season, both have sub-2:20 potential and said they are running to win on Sunday.

With a 2:21:22 performance to her credit, Mimi Belete is the third fastest in the field; more importantly, she set that at last October’s Amsterdam Marathon, clipping more than a minute from her previous best. Belete was a solid performer on the track, with 1500m and 5000m medals Asian Games medals in her collection.

Defending champion Fatuma Sado and Jepkirui, who was third last year, are back. Jepkirui improved her personal best to 2:21:26 in the 2019 Ljubljana Marathon. The last runner to win back-to-back titles was Lidia Simon who won in 1999 and 2000. Before the Romanian, Katrin Dorre also collected back-to-back victories. The German won in Osaka a record four times. Her daughter, Katharina Steinruck, a 2:27:26 marathoner, will be running this year.

For Japanese women, it is the second to last opportunity to secure the third spot on the Olympic marathon squad. The first two finishers at September's Marathon Grand Championships (MGC) were automatically selected for the team. But third place finisher Rei Ohara, who finished four seconds behind the automatic-qualifying spot for the team, is not confirmed. Four years ago at the Nagoya Women’s Marathon, Ohara finished one second behind Tomomi Tanaka who clinched the final spot on the team bound for Rio. Thus Ohara is a sentimental favourite here, but if somebody runs faster than 2:22:22 in Osaka, or later in Nagoya, Ohara will be out.

Ohara could have chosen to sit and wait, but she decided run in Osaka.

“The memory of missing the team by one second four years ago still haunts me,” Ohara said, speaking at today’s pre-race press conference. “I could have sat and waited, but I want to be a challenger. On Sunday I want to go after the team berth which eluded me at the MGC.”

That sets up the clash between Ohara, who was third in the MGC, Mizuki Matsuda, fourth in the MGC and Kayoko Fukushi, seventh in the MGC, as a potential highlight of the race. Fukushi is the fastest with a 2:22:17 personal best from the 2016 Osaka race. Matsuda is six seconds slower with 2:22:23, recorded in the 2018 Berlin Marathon.

“I have done the best training possible,” said Matsuda, who also attended today’s press conference. “I will run on Sunday as if it is the last race of my life.”

Finally, newly minted Japanese half marathon record holder Hitomi Niiya, who blitzed to a 1:06:38 victory in Houston last weekend, will run as a pacemaker. 

German Katharina Steinruck and Kenyan Mark Kiptoo will headline the elite field at Mainova Frankfurt Marathon On Sunday

Mark Kiptoo goes hunting for Masters World Record and Katharina Steinruck chases Olympic qualifying time. Mark Kiptoo and Katharina Steinruck know that the Mainova Frankfurt Marathon on Sunday is the most important race of the year in pursuit of their respective goals. The Kenyan Masters world record holder and the leading woman runner among the home contingent aim to exploit the Frankfurt course, renowned for its fast times.

Last year Kiptoo, now 43, ran 2:07:50 for a M40 world record and he says he feels capable of improving on that time. Katharina Steinruck has shown excellent form this year after heel surgery and her eyes are on the qualifying time of 2:29:30. Her personal best is currently 2:28:34, set three years ago.

Around 14,000 runners are expected on the startline for the Mainova Frankfurt Marathon which is an IAAF Gold Label race, the highest category of road race. It is still possible to enter during the Marathon Expo on Friday and Saturday. Further details can be found at: www.frankfurt-marathon.com

Mark Kiptoo credits his longevity with a disciplined attitude not only to training but also his life in general:"What we put into our body, is what will come out. So the training we have been doing means I have confidence the body is capable of going through halfway in 62:30." That level of performance would put the 43-year-old on course for a major improvement on his age group world best.

Kiptoo’s story may well give other late developers hope, though not everyone perhaps has the ability at his level:"I am sure that the reason why I can run so fast these days is because I began late as a runner. It wasn’t until I was 28 that I realised I had talent." He made his marathon debut at 37 after a solid career on the track and cross-country." His preparation has gone flawlessly:"The key is that I don’t have any physical problems and have also been able to do good speedwork sessions. Age is only a number." His personal best of 2:06:00 goes back to his pre-Masters days.

Frankfurt has been a happy hunting ground for the runner from Eldoret. He made his marathon debut here in 2013 with second place in 2:06:16, just one second behind the winner. A year later he won, aged 38, in 2:06:49, then came last year’s age group world best.

Everything points to Katharina Steinruck being in excellent form before she attempts to run the Olympic qualifying time of 2:29:30. After heel surgery in November 2018 she has set a clutch of personal bests recently which have put her on the right course:"I wouldn’t say I am in the form of my life but there has been a clear step forward." In preparation for the marathon Steinruck has run personal bests of 32:39 for 10km and 1:12:23 for the half marathon. „The Olympic qualifying time is of course my number one goal. However I am also looking for a personal best. To run sub 2:28 would be a dream come true.“

Israeli Lonah Salpeter is the latest addition to the elite field at the Mainova Frankfurt Marathon

The addition of Lonah Salpeter completes the elite field for the Mainova Frankfurt Marathon which takes place next Sunday. The Kenyan-born runner who competes for Israel has a personal best of 2:19:46 which makes her the fastest woman ever to be on the start list of the Mainova Frankfurt Marathon.

Given the extraordinary strength in depth of the women’s race, the course record could well fall after just one year in existence – and the Mainova Frankfurt Marathon might record the first sub-2:20 women’s time in its history.

Four women who have run under 2:22 will be on the start line: alongside Salpeter (2:19:46) will be the title holder Meskerem Assefa of Ethiopia, who set the course record of 2:20:36 last year, the Kenyan Valary Aiyabei with a best of 2:20:53 and the Ethiopian Bedatu Hirpa (2:21:32).

The latter finished third in Frankfurt last year. Another expected to produce a strong performance is the Ethiopian Megertu Kebede whose best is 2:22:52.

The men’s race on Sunday features a rare, perhaps unique contest over the marathon distance: junior against veteran or masters world record holder – Tsegaye Mekonnen against Mark Kiptoo.

Mekonnen of Ethiopia has a best of 2:04:32 which means he is the fastest man in the field, while the Kenyan Kiptoo’s personal best is 2:06:00.

Many athletes competing in Frankfurt will have their eyes on the qualifying times for the Olympic Games in Tokyo next year. The target for the men is 2:11:30 and 2:29:30 for the women.

Eight men with best times under 2:08 will be on the start line which suggests yet another high quality and exciting race for top honors in Frankfurt with finishing times to match. Tsegaye Mekonnen is looking to re-establish himself with a fast time after injury problems on a Mainova Frankfurt Marathon course renowned for speedy performances.

The world masters record holder Mark Kiptoo, who set an age group record here last year, should also have a say in the outcome this time. If he can match his younger rivals, his own masters world record will be under pressure.

Two Europeans seeking both big improvements on their personal bests and the Olympic qualifying times will be Britain’s Stephanie Twell (2:30:14) and the local runner Katharina Steinruck (2:28:34).

Alemu Kebede of Ethiopia will aim for 2:20 course record at the Mainova Frankfurt Marathon

Could spectators witness a new women’s course record at the Mainova Frankfurt Marathon on 27 October? Two women who could be about to produce a world class time of around 2:20 are among the favorites.

Valary Jemeli of Kenya has a best of 2:20:53 while her Ethiopian rival Alemu Kebede has achieved 2:22:52. Alemu also showed last weekend that she is in formidable form in preparation for the Mainova Frankfurt Marathon, running her fastest ever half marathon in Copenhagen.

Two European runners who could also feature are Ana Dulce Felix of Portugal and Britain’s Stephanie Twell as well as the home contender Katharina Steinruck.

“We have put together a strong women’s elite field once again and expect a high-class and possibly thrilling race. Our goal is to one day have a sub 2:20 course record. It would of course be great if we could achieve it this year,” said race director Jo Schindler. With 14,000 runners expected to take part, the organizers say places remain available for this IAAF Gold Label race, the top category awarded for road races worldwide.

Last year the Ethiopian Meskerem Assefa improved Frankfurt’s course record to an impressive 2:20:36. It is highly possible that with good weather conditions this time could be under threat on October 27 and the city beside the River Main will stage its first ever sub-2:20 time by a woman.

Valary Jemeli has certainly gone close to that barrier on several occasions. The Kenyan has broken 2:22 three times with her best achieved in Berlin two years ago when she finished third in 2:20:53. A strong sign of her potential for sub-2:20 is a personal best of 66:14 for the half marathon, set this year.

A strong performance at half marathon is also a reason for making Alemu Kebede one of the favorites. The Ethiopian finished fourth in a highly competitive women’s field for the half marathon in Copenhagen last Sunday, improving her personal best to 66:43. In spring this year she set another personal best to win the Rome Marathon in 2:22:52.

Ana Dulce Felix has been one of the best European marathon runners for some time now. The 36-year-old Portuguese will be making her debut at the Mainova Frankfurt Marathon. She has a personal best of 2:25:15 and took 16th place in the 2016 Olympic Games marathon in Rio.

A runner who might well use Frankfurt as a springboard to establishing herself among the European Marathon elite is Stephanie Twell. The 30-year-old Briton was once regarded as a potential successor to Paula Radcliffe after some outstanding performances at junior level but subsequently suffered injuries which hindered her development. She made her marathon debut in Valencia last December, finishing seventh in 2:30:14. This could be a good omen for a marathon breakthrough.

Katharina Steinruck will be running the Mainova Frankfurt Marathon for the third year in succession. The 29-year-old competes for the home club Eintracht Frankfurt and is making her first appearance at the distance since heel surgery.

Her target will be the qualifying time for the Tokyo Olympics next year which is 2:29:30. Steinruck, better known under her maiden name of Katharina Heinig, has a personal best of 2:28:34.

Nagoya marathon bronze medalist Valary Jemeli will be the athlete to beat at the Frankfurt marathon

Jemeli will face Ethiopia's Alemu Kebede in the German city as they seek to push for a better ranking ahead of the Tokyo Olympic Games in 2020.

"I hope to run a good race and boost my ranking among Kenyan runners. It is hard to get selected as a marathoner to represent Kenya, but with a win in Frankfurt, I will be a step closer to Tokyo Olympic Games team," said Jemeli on Friday.

Jemeli has the best time of 2:20:53, while Kebede's fastest time is 2:22:52.

"We have put together a strong women's elite field once again and expect a high-class and possibly thrilling race. Our goal is to one day have a sub 2:20 course record. It would, of course, be great if we could achieve it this year," said race director Jo Schindler in a statement.

The line-up also features Portugal's Ana Dulce Felix (2:25:15), Britain's Steph Twell (2:30:14) while the home contingent is led by Katharina Steinruck (formerly Heinig) who has a 2:28:34 PB.

Last year the Ethiopian Meskerem Assefa improved Frankfurt's course record to an impressive 2:20:36. It is highly possible that with good weather conditions this time could be under threat on October 27 and the city beside the River Main will stage its first-ever sub-2:20 time by a woman.

Jemeli has gone close to that barrier on several occasions. The Kenyan has broken 2:22 three times with her best achieved in Berlin two years ago when she finished third in 2:20:53. A strong sign of her potential for sub-2:20 is a personal best of 66:14 for the half marathon, set this year.

A strong performance at the half marathon is also a reason for making Alemu Kebede one of the favorites. The Ethiopian finished fourth in a highly competitive women's field for the half marathon in Copenhagen last Sunday, improving her personal best to 66:43. In spring this year she set another personal best to win the Rome Marathon in 2:22:52.

Ana Dulce Felix has been one of the best European marathon runners for some time now. The 36-year-old Portuguese will be making her debut at the Frankfurt marathon. She has a personal best of 2:25:15 and took 16th place in the 2016 Olympic Games marathon in Rio.

German Katharina Steinruck will return to run the Mainova Frankfurt Marathon on October

For the 29-year-old her marathon comeback after an operation on her heel is the chance to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics in 2020. The qualifying time is 2:29:30.

The organisers of the Frankfurt Marathon expect up to 14,000 runners to take part in the race, and places are still available.

Katharina Steinruck – still better known to many under her maiden name Katharina Heinig – is the first prominent female runner to be signed up for this year’s Mainova Frankfurt Marathon.

“We are very pleased that Katharina has decided to run in the Mainova Frankfurt Marathon again and we will offer her the best possible conditions to run an Olympic qualifying time,” says race director Jo Schindler.

“I am happy that we can present a top German runner who is also a local champion. Many Frankfurt citizens will identify with her, as she lives and works here in the city,” he adds.

“It is always something special to be able to run the marathon in your home town,” says Katharina Steinruck, who belongs to the police sports team of the state of Hessen. “I have lived in Frankfurt for 15 years and of course I have many friends and colleagues here who will come to cheer me on. I am already looking forward to the awesome atmosphere.”

In the previous two years Katharina Steinruck made a strong showing and achieved time of slightly under 2:30. In 2017 she unexpectedly became German women’s champion in 2:29:29 and came eighth. Despite a short training time after starting the Euro championship in August, in 2018 she reached the finish line in the Frankfurt Festhalle in 2:29:55.

After an operation on her heel last November Steinruck returned to running to win the 7.9km city run in Aschaffenburg in May. Looking forward she is now preparing for the race in her home town on 27 October. Currently she is training in the pre-Alpine Allgäu region of Bavaria.