Press Release - Munich Marathon - 10/9/22

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

                        GENERALI MUNICH MARATHON:    

  Kenyans Philimon Kipchumba and Agnes Keino smash course records in Munich

Both course records were smashed during the comeback of international elite 
runners at the GENERALI MUNICH MARATHON. Kenyan debutant Philimon Kipchumba 
crossed the finish line in Munich's Olympic Stadium in 2:07:28. Behind the 
23 year-old Mengistu Zelalem of Ethiopia and Eritrea's Berhane Tesfaye 
followed in 2:07:56 and 2:08:10 respectively - times that were well faster 
than the previous course record of 2:09:46. Fourth placed German Sebastian 
Hendel ran a fine debut with 2:10:37. 

There was a triumph for Kenya in the women's race as well: Agnes Keino 
clocked a personal best of 2:23:26, improving the course record by almost 
nine minutes. The 34 year-old was ahead of the 2015 marathon World Champion 
Mare Dibaba. The Ethiopian ran 2:24:12 while Souad Kambouchia of Morocco 
finished third with 2:27:35. Seven women were inside the former course 
record of 2:32:11. 

A total of 18,322 athletes entered the 36th edition of the GENERALI MUNICH 
MARATHON, which is a World Athletics Elite Label Road Race. 4,334 of them 
were marathon runners. The marathon was started by Frank Shorter, who won 
the Olympic marathon in Munich in 1972. The American had been invited as a 
guest of honor by the organisers.

"This was a very special day for the GENERALI MUNICH MARATHON. We are 
extremely happy with the great course records. We have reached new 
dimensions today and we intend to build on this success," said Race 
Director Gernot Weigl. It was the first time in over 20 years that 
organisers brought back a proper elite field. That was the reason why the 
long standing course records were smashed by several minutes on Sunday: 
Kenya's Michael Kite was the former record holder with a time of 2:09:46 
from 2000. Germany's Susanne Hahn held the women's mark with 2:32:11 from 
2012 when she won the German Championships' race. 

In ideal weather conditions with temperatures of 9 Celsius at the start, 
hardly any wind and a cloudy sky a leading group of ten runners reached the 
half marathon mark in 63:41. However Tsegaye Mekonnen was no longer among 
them. The Ethiopian, who still holds the unofficial world junior record of 
2:04:32 and was the fastest runner on the start list, had lost contact 
shortly before and later dropped out. But a compact group remained together 
in the lead until the late stages of the race. Five of them passed the 35k 
mark in 1:45:33. Once pacemaker Bonface Kiplimo of Kenya dropped out 
shortly afterwards a duel between Philimon Kipchumba and Mengistu Zelalem 
developed. The Kenyan was then able to put in a surge just before the 41st 
kilometer and dropped Zelalem. "I did not quite expect to run such a fast 
debut. But my training went very well and I just tried my best," said 
Philimon Kipchumba, who hopes to achieve times of 2:04 in the future.

In the women's race Agnes Keino and Mare Dibaba were together in the lead, 
passing the half marathon point in 71:46 and then 30k in 1:42:01. With 
around eight kilometers to go Keino, who entered the race with a PB of 
2:25:08, went ahead. Former world champion Dibaba, who was the fastest on 
the start list with her PB of 2:19:52, suffered of muscle problems and was 
not able to respond to the surge of her Kenyan rival. However Mare Dibaba 
finished second with 2:24:12, running her fastest time since 2019. "It was 
my big goal to run a personal best and I am really happy that I achieved 
it. Even more so since I also won the race," said Agnes Keino, who improved 
to 2:23:26.

Results, Men:

1. Philimon Kipchumba KEN 2:07:28
2. Mengistu Zelalem   ETH 2:07:56
3. Berhane Tesfaye    ERI 2:08:10
4. Sebastian Hendel   GER 2:10:37
5. Edwin Kimaiyo      KEN 2:11:02
6. Rodgers Keror      KEN 2:12:34
7. Meshack Koech      KEN 2:14:53
8. Ngonidzashe Ncube  ZIM 2:15:39

Women:

1. Agnes Keino       KEN 2:23:26
2. Mare Dibaba       ETH 2:24:12
3. Souad Kambouchia  MAR 2:27:35
4. Viola Yator       KEN 2:28:11
5. Aberu Zennebe     ETH 2:28:33
6. Cavaline Nahimana BUR 2:31:21
7. Helen Jepkurgat   KEN 2:32:07
8. Lisa Fuchs        GER 2:37:19


More information about the GENERALI MUNICH MARATHON is available at: 
www.generalimuenchenmarathon.de

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