Press Release - Marathon Hamburg - 3/15/16

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

         Shumi Dechasa sets sights on second Hamburg victory

Tadesse Tola and Shumi Dechasa are top of the charts among the elite 
athletes for the Haspa Marathon Hamburg which takes place on April 17. 
While the Ethiopian Tola is the fastest man in the field with his time of 
2:04:49, his former compatriot Dechasa is the 2014 race winner. Since 2013 
Dechasa has been running for Bahrain and in Hamburg two years ago ran what 
remains his personal best of 2:06:43. He is one of six runners whose 
lifetime best is under 2:07:30 in the elite men's field announced by the 
organisers of the Haspa Marathon Hamburg today. Including a relay event 
around 23,000 runners are expected to participate in Germany's biggest 
spring marathon on Sunday, April 17. Online entries are still available at 
www.haspa-hamburg-marthon.de

"We are excited at prospects for the race. If conditions are good, we can 
expect to see very good times on April 17," said the race director Frank 
Thaleiser.

While for many leading runners the pursuit of Olympic qualification for 
their respective national teams will be their priority in the 31st edition 
of the Haspa Marathon Hamburg, Shumi Dechasa doesn't have to worry on that 
score. His place in Rio is already booked. The Bahrain record holder in the 
marathon earned selection with fifth place in the World Championships in 
Beijing last year. The 26-year-old's objective instead will be to achieve 
his second win in three starts at the Haspa Marathon Hamburg as well as the 
challenge of improving his personal best. He made his marathon debut in 
Germany's biggest spring marathon in impressive style, running 2:07:56 for 
fourth place in 2012. He went over a minute faster in achieving his 
personal best of 2:06:43 for victory in Hamburg in 2014.

Shumi Dechasa is likely to pay special attention on race day to two former 
compatriots and a Kenyan duo among his rivals: Tadesse Tola is the fastest 
contender with a personal best of 2:04:49 set three years ago in Dubai and 
that time also makes the Ethiopian the fastest man ever to be entered for 
the Haspa Marathon Hamburg. The 28-year-old won a bronze medal at the 2013 
World Championship marathon and delivered further proof of his quality when 
he finished second in the Tokyo Marathon in 2014, running 2:05:57. Such is 
the high standard of Ethiopian distance running, Tola is likely to have to 
run faster than ever to qualify for Rio. Although Feyisa Bekele has a 
strong personal best, the Ethiopian's performances in recent years have 
fallen short of the standard shown by his 2:06:26 in Amsterdam in 2012.

In contrast, Philemon Rono of Kenya has shown consistently good form. Two 
years ago he made an excellent marathon debut in Hamburg, finishing third 
in 2:07:07. He added a fourth place in 2:08:18 last year so will be making 
his third consecutive appearance in Hamburg. The 25-year-old's recent form 
bodes well, running 60:42 at high altitude in the Nairobi Half Marathon, 
only three seconds outside his personal best. Another Kenyan whom Shumi 
Dechasa will have to take into account is Ezekiel Chebii after his 
improvement to 2:07:18 in Amsterdam last autumn.

Another runner who has long enjoyed a high international profile is 
Hendrick Ramaala of South Africa. At the age of 44 it is probably too much 
to expect him to be in contention for victory, but the 44-year-old could 
still achieve something out of the ordinary: Hamburg represents his attempt 
to qualify for a fourth Olympics. Ramaala has proven pedigree, having won 
the New York City Marathon in 2004 and run 2:06:55 for third place in 
London in 2006. Challenging for a fourth Olympic Games will still be a tall 
order, given that Ramaala has not broken 2:12 since 2009.

Two marathon debutants will be worth watching on April 17: Moses Kipsiro of 
Uganda, the 2009 World Cross Country silver medallist and with a successful 
track career behind him, moved closer to realising his marathon potential 
with a half marathon debut of 60:41 for eighth place in New Delhi last 
autumn. Nicholas Bor of Kenya should also be capable of a strong debut, 
having run 27:38 for 10km on the road and 60:09 at half marathon.

More information about the Haspa Marathon Hamburg and online entry is 
available at: www.haspa-marathon-hamburg.de 


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