FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Caroline Chepkwony Chases a Personal Best
in Vienna While Mai Ito Wants Victory
In times where runners from Kenya and Ethiopia tend to dominate the major
marathons it rarely happens that the podium of these races features
athletes from three different continents. The women's race of the Vienna
City Marathon could produce such a result on Sunday. While Kenya's Caroline
Chepkwony and Japan's Mai Ito are regarded favourites Germany's Anna Hahner
and Russia's Olga Glok are potential candidates for a top three finish.
Adding shorter running event, which will be staged parallel to the marathon
on Sunday, organisers registered a record total of around 42,000 athletes
for the 31st edition of the Vienna City Marathon. Austria's biggest
sporting event is an IAAF Gold Label Road Race.
It was no other than last year's women's winner Flomena Cheyech who
recommended to Caroline Chepkwony to run the Vienna City Marathon. "We are
training partners in Iten," said the 28 year-old Kenyan, who established
her personal best of 2:27:27 when she won the Ljubljana Marathon in October
2013. "Apart from Flomena I am for example training together with Mary
Keitany and Agnes Kiprop," said Chepkwony, who hopes to improve her
personal best in Vienna. "I have won the Rome Ostia Half Marathon in March
with 68:48, so I am here with a good feeling. I hope to run another
personal best, may be around 2:25."
Mai Ito also consulted a former winner of the Vienna City Marathon before
she decided that this would be the race to go to. The Japanese, who holds
the fastest personal record on the start list with 2:25:26, spoke to Tomo
Morimoto. She won the Vienna City Marathon in 2006 and so far remains the
only Japanese winner of the traditional event. "She recommended to me to
run here," said Ito. The 29 year-old makes it clear what her goal will be
on Sunday: "I want to win the race. I will not care about any records, I
will only go for victory."
Ito has already run a marathon this year. Less than two months ago she
finished seventh in Tokyo with 2:28:36. "But for me Tokyo was only a
training race during my preparations for Vienna," Ito explains. "I want to
compete more internationally, so I chose to come to Vienna."
It is the first visit to Vienna for Anna Hahner as well. The 24 year-old
German improved to 2:27:55 in last year's Frankfurt Marathon. "I am in very
good shape and want to run well under 2:30 again. It would be great if I
could get another personal best," said Hahner, whose twin sister Lisa is
with her in Vienna to support her. Lisa currently prepares for the Hannover
Marathon on 27th April.
"I have competed in Austria twice before. I ran the Wörthersee Half
Marathon and the Peuerbach New Year's Eve race. The atmosphere at both
races was great and I really enjoyed it. For me Vienna is a very attractive
city, so the Vienna City Marathon was my first choice for this spring,"
said Anna Hahner, who is coached by Italian Renato Canova for almost a year
now.
Three other runners with personal bests of sub 2:30 will also be in
contention for a podium place. After a break from competition for personal
reasons in 2013 Olga Glok returns to Vienna. The 31 year-old Russian ran
her last marathon here two years ago, clocking a personal best of 2:27:18
for second place. Kenya's Alice Chelangat, who has a personal best of
2:26:36, and Marta Lema are the other two. The Ethiopian was second in
Kosice last year with 2:28:02.
For more information please visit: www.vienna-marathon.com
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