Press Release - Vienna City Marathon - 4/9/15

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

            Anna Hahner prepared in Bekele's training camp 
           for another duel with Caroline Chepkwony in Vienna

With a different tactical approach Caroline Chepkwony hopes to succeed at 
her second attempt in Sunday's Vienna City Marathon. The Kenyan had a big 
lead a year ago, but then faltered in the final stages and was overtaken by 
Anna Hahner. The German winner from 2014 is back in Vienna as well to 
defend her title. "It has always been my priority to return to the Vienna 
City Marathon as a defending champion. You never know how ofter you get the 
opportunity to start a race wearing bib number 1. This is a great 
motivation for me," said Anna Hahner. With seven runners featuring personal 
bests between 2:25 and 2:30 a thrilling women's contest is on the cards. 
The Vienna City Marathon is an IAAF Gold Label Road Race. 

"I have of course superb memories of last year's race. So it feels really 
great to be back in Vienna," said Anna Hahner during today's press 
conference. The 25 year-old, who ran 2:28:59 a year ago and then improved 
her personal best to 2:26:44 in last year's Berlin Marathon, caused a major 
upset when she won the Vienna City Marathon. This year the set-up is 
different. "I am the defending champion, so yes, I belong to the 
favourites. I look forward to the race and I am ready," said Anna Hahner, 
who is coached by Renato Canova. Since the Italian became the coach of 
Kenenisa Bekele last autumn the training base was switched from Kenya to 
Ethiopia. Anna Hahner went there this winter for almost six weeks together 
with her twin sister Lisa. 

"It was an inspiring experience to train together with the Ethiopian 
world-class runners," said Anna Hahner. However it was a bit adventurous as 
well. "We stayed at Kenenisa's new training camp in Sululta. Sometimes the 
electricity or the water would go off. Once we had no water for one and a 
half days. But we still enjoyed it and had great conditions for training," 
said Anna Hahner, whose twin sister was very unlucky when they ran a 10 k 
test race after returning from Ethiopia. Lisa's spring season is all over 
after she suffered a stress fracture in her left leg. "It was really bad 
luck for Lisa and I feel very sorry for her. We are together a lot and we 
always stay positive."

A podium finish is the aim for Anna Hahner on Sunday. The fastest third 
placer in the history of the Vienna City Marathon was Kenya's Peninah 
Arusei who ran 2:27:17. From the statistics' point of view Anna Hahner 
should have a good chance of reaching that goal. "I can not really compare 
my form to last year since the training was different. But we have done 
more sessions running more than 40 k than before." A time in the range of 
around 2:28 is a goal since the German national qualifying standard for the 
Olympics is expected to be between 2:28:30 and 2:29:00. "I want to show 
early that I am ready for Rio," said Anna Hahner.

During her final preparations for the Vienna City Marathon she watched the 
video of last year's race. "I like films with a happy end – and this was 
one for me of course," she joked. Caroline Chepkwony will be less keen to 
see last year's film again. "I had stomach cramps in the final part of the 
race and I nearly collapsed", recalled the 30 year-old Kenyan, who just 
managed to finish second in 2:29:18 and needed medical treatment 
afterwards.

While she broke away relatively early during last year's race Caroline 
Chepkwony intends to go for a different approach this time. "I expect a 
good competition. I can not say that I will win, but I hope to do well and 
to break my personal best." Back in 2013 she won the Ljubljana Marathon 
with 2:27:27.

There are a couple of other women who have the potential to do well on 
Sunday. Fate Tola of Ethiopia is the fastest in the field with a personal 
best of 2:25:14. However the Vienna City Marathon Champion from 2011 and 
2012 will run her first marathon after maternity leave and might not be in 
top shape yet. Switzerland's Maja Neuenschwander hopes to improve her 
personal best of 2:29:49 while Esther Chemtai is one of the favourites. The 
Kenyan has a PB of 2:28:41.

Women's main contenders with personal bests 

Fate Tola ETH 2:25:14
Anna Hahner GER 2:26:44
Caroline Chepkwony KEN 2:27:27
Esther Chemtai KEN 2:28:41
Noriko Higuchi JPN 2:28:49
Rene Kalmer RSA 2:29:27
Maja Neuenschwander SUI 2:29:42
Agnes Mutune KEN 2:33:34

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