FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Ethiopians plan fast Hamburg race in contest for Olympic places
A quintet from the impressive stable of Ethiopia's world class runners will
be aiming for top times with Olympic selection in mind at the Haspa
Marathon Hamburg on Sunday. Among those striving for the trip to Rio will
be the fastest man in the world at the distance this year, Tesfaye Abera.
The 24 year old triumphed in Dubai in January with his lifetime best of
2:04:24. His key rivals should include compatriots Feyisa Bekele and
Abayneh Ayele, the latter having finished fourth in the Word Half Marathon
Championships in March. In the women's field, Meseret Hailu returns to
defend her title and this looks a tough task with her fellow Ethiopian
Meseret Melkamu in the field, whose best of 2:21:01 is eight seconds faster
than Hamburg's 2015 champion. This contest looks capable of putting the
women's course record of 2:24:12 under severe pressure while the quality of
the men's field also suggests their course record could be threatened. The
current holder is Kenya's Eliud Kipchoge who ran 2:05:30 three years ago.
Taking into account various events held in conjunction with the main race,
approx. 23,000 runners have entered the 31st edition of the Haspa Marathon
Hamburg.
"We are proud to welcome the athlete with the fastest time in the world
this year. It is the first time in the history of our event that the world
leader will run the Haspa Marathon Hamburg. However the women's field is
also strong. If weather conditions will be good then we expect some fast
times on Sunday," said Event Director Frank Thaleiser during the press
conference with the international elite runners.
Last November a referendum held in Hamburg caused a surprise when the
outcome led the city to withdraw its candidacy as host for the Olympic
Games 2024 but barely five months after this decision, the Olympics are
again a conversation piece in Hamburg. A number of athletes from various
nations intend to break their federation's qualifying time for Rio on
Sunday.
"I have trained well and hope to win on Sunday", said Tesfaye Abera, who is
in pole position for Ethiopia's Olympic selecton after he emerged
victorious from the traditionally speedy Dubai Marathon in January. The
Ethiopian federation's philosophy usually is to nominate their three
fastest runners at the end of the spring marathon season, an approach which
excludes performances prior to the current year. Achievements which fall
outside this time span do not count, regardless of super star status, which
is how Haile Gebrselassie failed to make the grade four years ago.
However Dutch manager Jos Hermens feels that this time the approach might
be a bit different so that spring marathons might be quite important.
"Because of the very flat course with just a few corners in Dubai there are
always very fast times. I think a very good result from Dubai alone might
not be enough for a ticket to Rio. The federation will also look to the
European spring marathons. If Tesfaye runs 2:05 or 2:06 in Hamburg on
Sunday he will surely have a very good chance to be selected for the
Olympics," said Hermens, who is the manager of Abera.
Tesfaye Abera was a late addition to the elite field of the Haspa Marathon
Hamburg after injury forced his compatriot Shumi Dechasa to withdraw. The
2014 winner has been suffering with knee problems. But Abera's plans always
included running a spring marathon following his race in Dubai.
While Feyisa Bekele will be looking to recover his best form on Sunday – he
ran his fastest time of 2:06:26 in Amsterdam in 2012 – his fellow Ethiopian
Abayneh Ayele has already delivered proof of his qualities this year,
finishing fourth and just outside the medals at the World Half Marathon
Championships in Cardiff. His time of 59:59 in the Welsh capital in March
was his fastest ever for the distance. "I know that Hamburg has a fast
course. So I am optimistic that I can run sub 2:06 here," said 28 year old
Ayele.
The plan is for the leading group on Sunday to go through the halfway point
in just outside 63 minutes which would leave them with some room for an
attack on a world class winning time. If the Ethiopians misjudge the pace,
the Kenyan Philemon Rono might be one of those to take advantage. He will
be running for the third time in the Haspa Marathon Hamburg, having made
his debut in 2014 and set what remains his best time of 2:07:07.
Meseret Hailu's plan to retain the title in Hamburg has taken on a more
demanding aspect with the addition of her compatriot Meselech Melkamu to
the start list. Melkamu is the African record holder for 10,000m with
29:53.80 and her impressive marathon best of 2:21:01 was achieved on her
debut at the distance in Frankfurt in 2012. The 30 year old has already
showed excellent form this year with third place in Dubai in late January
in 2:22:29. Such is the strength of competition for Ethiopia's Olympic
Marathon team, Melkamu is likely to have to improve on that level of
performance in Hamburg to remain in Olympic contention.
"I have big motivation to run in Hamburg because of my hopes for Olympic
selection. My goal is to go to Rio,” said Meselech Melkamu while Meseret
Hailu explained that the prospect of possible Olympic selection drives her
on as well: "If I run well then I can go to Rio!"
For that reason the Ethiopian women can be expected to set a fast pace from
the start with a half marathon split of 71 minutes as the target. They may
well have company in the form of the Kenyan Sarah Chepchirchir who will run
after dropping out of her marathon debut in Nagoya last month. After
disappointment in Japan, she's making a renewed effort in Hamburg.
Favourites and personal bests:
Men:
Tesfaye Abera ETH 2:04:24
Feyisa Bekele ETH 2:06:26
Abayneh Ayele ETH 2:06:45
Hendrick Ramaala RSA 2:06:55
Philemon Rono KEN 2:07:07
Ezekiel Chebii KEN 2:07:18
Josphat Kiprono KEN 2:09:34
Yekeber Bayabel ETH 2:09:39
Benedict Moeng RSA 2:10:21
Jeff Hunt AUS 2:11:00
Moses Kipsiro UGA Debut
Nicholas Bor KEN Debut
Merhawi Kesete ERI Debut
Women:
Meselech Melkamu ETH 2:21:01
Meseret Hailu ETH 2:21:09
Madai Perez MEX 2:22:59
Beata Naigambo NAM 2:26:57
Adriana da Silva BRA 2:29:17
Monika Stefanowicz POL 2:29:28
Megertu Ifa ETH 2:32:31
Kellys Arias COL 2:32:32
Sarah Chepchirchir KEN DNF Nagoya
More information about the Haspa Marathon Hamburg and online entry is
available at: www.haspa-marathon-hamburg.de
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