Press Release - Vienna City Marathon - 4/14/22

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
 
                    Vienna City Marathon on 24th April:

         Strong Vienna elite fields could attack course records

Both course records could become a target at the Vienna City Marathon, 
which features strong elite races on 24th April. Kenyans Leonard Langat and 
Vibian Chepkirui will return to defend their Vienna titles while there are 
three men on the start list who have broken 2:06 and five women featuring 
personal bests of sub 2:25. With regard to these personal records it 
will be strongest line-up in the history of the Vienna City Marathon which 
will see its 39th edition next week. Including races at shorter distances 
more than 31,000 runners have registered for Austria's biggest running 
event, a World Athletics Marathon Label Road Race.

"We are very happy that we were able to surpass the mark of 30,000 entries. 
Compared to our comeback race in September 2021 this is a nice step 
forward. We feel the enthusiasm of the runners,"  said Kathrin Widu, the 
General Manager of the Vienna City Marathon.

There has never been an Eritrean winner in the history of the Vienna City 
Marathon which had its first edition back in 1984. This may change next 
week though since the two fastest entrants are from this country: Goitom 
Kifle and Oqbe Kibrom feature personal bests of 2:05:28 and 2:05:53 
respectively. Kifle had a fine year in 2021: He was third in Enschede, 14th 
in the Olympic marathon in Sapporo and then 6th in Valencia, where he ran 
his PB. With his personal record the Eritrean is a little faster than 
Vienna's course record of 2:05:41 by Ethiopia's Getu Feluke in 2014. 

Abdi Fufa of Ethiopia is the third athlete in Vienna's line-up who has run 
sub 2:06. A year ago he was second in Siena's elite only race with 2:05:57. 
It looks a tough task for Leonard Langat to defend his title in the 
Austrian capital. The Kenyan improved to 2:09:25 in Vienna last September. 
But with this PB he is only the eighth fastest athlete on the start list.  

Unfortunately there were a number of cancellations from elite runners 
recently. Among them are Mekuant Ayenew and fellow-Ethiopian Derara Hurisa, 
who had originally crossed the line first in last year's Vienna City 
Marathon. However he then had to be disqualified for wearing illegal racing 
shoes and Leonard Langat became the winner. 

The fastest runner on the women's start list is Caroline Kilel, who ran 
2:22:34 when she took the Frankfurt Marathon back in 2013. While the Kenyan 
did not reach these sort of times recently there are other athletes who 
showed promising last year. Defending champion Vibian Chepkirui may only be 
number five on the list with her PB of 2:24:29. However she did run this 
time last September in Vienna in very warm conditions. Afterwards the 
Kenyan said that she could have been at least two minutes faster in more 
suitable conditions. Vibian Chepkirui could be capable of attacking the 
course record of fellow-Kenyan Nancy Kiprop who was the winner in 2019 with 
2:22:12. 

Kenya's Ruth Chebitok and Ethiopia's Sifan Melaku are number two and three 
on Vienna's start list with PBs of 2:23:29 and 2:23:49 respectively. Sheila 
Jerotich of Kenya is a contender for victory as well. She took the Istanbul 
Marathon in November, improving to 2:24:15.


Elite fields with personal bests

Men:

Goitom Kifle      ERI 2:05:28
Oqbe Kibrom       ERI 2:05:53
Abdi Fufa         ETH 2:05:57
Raymond Choge     KEN 2:08:11
Cosmas Muteti     KEN 2:08:45
Weldu Gebretsadik NOR 2:09:14
Edwin Soi         KEN 2:09:16
Leonard Langat    KEN 2:09:25
Charles Ndiema    KEN 2:10:43
Lemawork Ketema   AUT 2:10:44
Jeison Suarez     COL 2:10:51
Iraitz Arrospide  ESP 2:10.59
Noah Kipkemboi    KEN 2:11:09
Ebba Chala        ETH 2:11:27
Abraham Kipyatich KEN Debüt
Timon Theuer      AUT Debüt

Women:

Caroline Kilel     KEN 2:22:34
Ruth Chebitok      KEN 2:23:29
Sifan Melaku       ETH 2:23:49
Sheila Jerotich    KEN 2:24:15
Vibian Chepkirui   KEN 2:24:29
Esther Kakuri      KEN 2:26:11
Urge Soboka        ETH 2:28:10
Marcela Joglova    CZE 2:28:16
Nataliya Lehonkova UKR 2:28:58
Kellys Arias       COL 2:29:36
Viola Yator        KEN 2:30:03
Teresiah Omosa     KEN 2:30:12
Nataliya Lehonkova UKR 2:30:28

For more information please visit www.vienna-marathon.com
 
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