News24 Jul 2013


Kirwa, Kipruto and Kilel to be on the start line of the 2013 BMW Frankfurt Marathon

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Caroline Kilel wins the 2010 Frankfurt Marathon in a 2:23:25 course record (© Victah Sailer)

Two former BMW Frankfurt Marathon champions will return to the IAAF Gold Label Road Race on 27 October while the silver medallist of the2011 World Championships has also been confirmed, organisers announced on Wednesday (24).

Gilbert Kirwa won Germany’s oldest city marathon in 2009 and he established a course record of 2:06:14, which remains his personal best today although his Frankfurt course mark has since been lowered to 2:03:42.

A series of injuries hampered Kirwa’s progress but in 2012 the Kenyan, who hopes to reach a time under 2:05 in his career, came back promisingly.

Kirwa finished fourth in Vienna with 2:08:09 and then took third in last year’s BMW Frankfurt Marathon with 2:07:35. The only two in front of him were Kenya’s World record holder Patrick Makau and Ethiopia’s Deressa Chimsa.

One of his toughest rivals is anticipated to be fellow Kenyan Vincent Kipruto, who won the silver medal on global stage in Daegu two years ago and has a superb personal best of 2:05:13.

This year Kirwa had a fine performance in the Tokyo Marathon. The 27 year-old ran 2:08:17 for sixth place in a very competitive field and when he now returns to the venue of his biggest big city success, he will be eager to run much faster. Vincent Kipruto has been among Kenya’s strongest marathon runners for some years.

From 2009 to 2011 he clocked sub 2:06 times on three occasions. Firstly, he won the Paris Marathon in 2009 with 2:05:47; then he improved to 2:05:13 for a third place in Rotterdam in 2010 and when returning to the Dutch race he was second with 2:05:33 in 2011.

Two years ago he also represented Kenya for the first and only time so far, bringing home a Marathon silver medal from the World Championships.

The BMW Frankfurt Marathon will be Kipruto’s first race in Germany’s financial capital. With the course record of 2:03:42 just four seconds away from the world record, Kipruto knows that this could be a great opportunity for another very fast time. He has also done well already this spring, winning the Otsu Marathon in Japan with 2:08:34. The women’s race will feature a former winner and course record holder as well: Kenya’s Caroline Kilel took the race in 2010 with 2:23:25 and then went on to win the Boston Marathon in 2011.

After a period of ups and downs in the past 18 months, Kilel intends to be in top shape when she returns to Frankfurt.

This is, after all, the place where she won with a course record of 2:23:25 three years ago. Her performance was a stepping stone towards her Boston victory, where she triumphed half a year later with 2:22:36, which is still her personal best.

Returning to Frankfurt,  Kilel will be among the favourites to take a second title, but competition at Germany’s number two marathon behind Berlin is expected to be tough and more elite runners will be announced at a later date.

Organisers expect around 15,000 runners to take part in the 32nd edition of the BMW Frankfurt Marathon this coming October.

Organisers for the IAAF