FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
HASPA MARATHON HAMBURG ON 28th APRIL 2024:
Defending champion Bernard Koech returns to Hamburg
Defending champion and course record holder Bernard Koech will return for
the 38th edition of the Haspa Marathon Hamburg on 28th April. The 36
year-old Kenyan, who improved the course best to 2:04:09 last year, will
face very strong opponents in Germany's major spring marathon. Samwel Mailu
of Kenya and Ethiopia's Abdisa Tola, who both produced breakthrough
performances in 2023, will challenge the defending champion. In Martin
Musau there will be another former winner of the Haspa Marathon Hamburg
returning to the race: The Ugandan was the winner in 2021.
"After two course records in a row we can look forward to another high
quality men's race. Bernard Koech, Samwel Mailu and Abdisa Tola are all
capable of running world-class times on the fast course. We are happy that
these three have chosen Hamburg for their spring marathon," said chief
organiser Frank Thaleiser, who expects a total of around 12,000 marathon
runners on 28th April. Online registration for the race is still possible
at: www.haspa-marathon-hamburg.de
"I am looking forward to returning to Hamburg. Last year's victory was a
perfect comeback performance for me, because I had problems for some time
and there were the Corona lockdowns as well," said Bernard Koech, who tied
his two year-old personal best of 2:04:09 last year in Hamburg. However,
after achieving his biggest career victory in that race the Kenyan was
unlucky when he ran the Amsterdam Marathon in autumn. An injury forced him
to drop out of the race. Looking ahead to his Hamburg return Bernard Koech
said: "Although I broke the course record last year I believe that I can
still run faster in Hamburg."
A fast pace should suit Samwel Mailu, who wants to improve his personal
best. The Kenyan newcomer, who is already 31 years old, stormed to a
sensational course record of 2:05:08 despite warm weather conditions at the
Vienna Marathon last spring. Later that year he produced another
exceptional performance. Added to the Kenyan team at very short notice
Samwel Mailu took the bronze medal at the World Half Marathon Championships
in Riga, Latvia. "I chose Hamburg for my spring marathon because of the
fast course. Hopefully I can improve my current 2:05 personal best to
2:04," said Samwel Mailu.
23 year-old Ethiopian Abdisa Tola will be another top contender on 28th
April. The younger brother of Tamirat Tola, the World Marathon Champion
from 2021 and current New York Marathon winner, ran a stunning marathon
debut a year ago: Abdisa Tola won the competitive Dubai Marathon in
2:05:42.
Besides Bernard Koech there will be another runner in the elite field who
has already won the Haspa Marathon Hamburg: Martin Musau of Uganda took the
race with 2:10:15 in 2021, when the fields were much reduced due to the
pandemic. It was last year in Hamburg, when Musau improved to a fine
2:08:45 and finished in seventh position.
More information about the Haspa Marathon Hamburg and online entry is
available at: www.haspa-marathon-hamburg.de
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