Press Release - Marathon Hamburg - 4/24/22

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

                          Haspa Marathon Hamburg:

   Yalemzerf Yehualaw runs sensational 2:17:23 marathon debut in Hamburg

Yalemzerf Yehualaw won the Haspa Marathon Hamburg, producing a sensational 
marathon debut. The 22 year-old Ethiopian clocked 2:17:23 which is the 
fastest time by a debutant ever. So far Paula Radcliffe's time of 2:18:56 
from London in 2002 was the fastest debut time by a woman. Yalemzerf 
Yehualaw became the sixth fastest women in the history of marathon running, 
broke the course record and set a German Allcomer record. Fikrte Wereta 
took second in 2:26:15 and Bone Cheluke made it an all-Ethiopian podium 
with 2:26:23 for third place. 

In the men's race Eliud Kipchoge's 2:05:30 course record from 2013 was 
broken by fellow-Kenyan Cybrian Kotut. He clocked 2:04:47, just edging 
Uganda's debutant Stephen Kissa who crossed the line one second behind the 
winner. Ethiopia's Workineh Tadesse followed in third place with 2:05:07. 

A total of 20,000 entries from 68 nations were registered by organisers for 
the 36th edition of the Haspa Marathon Hamburg, including shorter running 
events on Sunday. Around 10,500 of them competed in the marathon. 
Additionally 9,000 children participated in a 4.2 k run on Saturday. 

"That was a great spring comeback for us. We presented a stunning race on 
the streets of Hamburg and we are proud of the extremely strong results 
including two course records and a unique debut by Yalemzerf Yehualaw," 
said chief organiser Frank Thaleiser.

Yalemzerf Yehualaw came in late on Thursday and missed the pre-race press 
conference, but she took centre stage on Sunday when it mattered. In sunny 
but windy conditions and temperatures around 10 Celsius Ethiopia's 
Yalemzerf Yehualaw dominated the women's race from the beginning and 
constantly increased her lead. She ran past the half marathon mark in a 
super fast 68:30. At this point she was already over two and a half minutes 
ahead. At the end of the race the gap between her and the second runner was 
almost nine minutes. "The race went well for me considering this was my 
first marathon. The fast Hamburg course suited me and the spectators helped 
me a lot," said the winner. Yalemzerf Yehualaw was around four and a half 
minutes faster than former Hamburg course record holder Meselech Melkamu of 
Ethiopia (2:21:54 in 2016). Additionally she broke the German Allcomers 
record of Kenya's Gladys Cherono who ran 2:18:11 in Berlin in 2018.

In the men's race things looked a lot closer from the beginning. 17 men 
passed the 10k mark in 29:29. A major surge came late in the race with only 
four kilometres to go. Cybrian Kotut and Stephen Kissa, a debutant from 
Uganda, broke away from the leading group which included six runners at 
that point. Both delivered a stunning showdown right to the finish line. In 
the final sprint Cybrian Kotut pushed himself to a close victory in 
2:04:47, a second ahead of Stephen Kissa (2:04:48). Ethiopia's Workineh 
Tadesse took third spot in 2:05:07. All three runners were within the 
former course record of Eliud Kipchoge which stood at 2:05:30. The Kenyan 
superstar set this record back in 2013 running his marathon debut in 
Hamburg. ''I am very happy that I broke the course record. The pacemakers 
covered me well from the wind. It was not easy with the wind, but overall 
the conditions were very good," said Cybrian Kotut.

The fastest German runner was Florian Röser. He ran a solid marathon debut 
in 2:15:03. ''I'm very surprised to be the fastest German athlete. The race 
was not ideal for me but considering that this was my debut it was good," 
he said.

Kristina Hendel was the dominant German woman in the field. She finished 
the race in a strong fifth position with a  personal best of 2:27:29. "We 
had to fight against the wind from kilometer 8 till 31. On top of that I 
got cramps but they eased later in the race. I broke my personal best and I 
am very proud of that. I hope I will run in a German vest at the European 
Championships in Munich," said Christina Hendel. The former Croatian gained 
German citizenship in 2021 but is not eligible yet to compete for Germany 
internationally. Deborah Schöneborn finished the race as the second fastest 
German woman in 9th place with a time of 2:29:51.

Results, Men:
1.  Cybrian Kotut      KEN 2:04:47
2.  Stephen Kissa      UGA 2:04:48
3.  Workineh Tadesse   ETH 2:05:07
4.  Victor Kiplangat   UGA 2:05:09
5.  Abebe Negewo       ETH 2:06:05
6.  Masresha Bere      ETH 2:06:44
7.  Edwin Kiptoo       KEN 2:06:52
8.  Abraham Kiptoo     KEN 2:06:59
9.  Bazewe Asmare      ETH 2:07:13
10. Bernard Ngeno      KEN 2:07:27
 
Women:
1.  Yalemzerf Yehualaw ETH 2:17:13
2.  Fikrte Wereta      ETH 2:26:15
3.  Bone Cheluke       ETH 2:26:23
4.  Tseginesh Mekonnen ETH 2:26:29
5.  Kristina Hendel    CRO 2:27:29
6.  Priscah Jeptoo     KEN 2:28:48
7.  Rosa Chacha        ECU 2:28:52
8.  Gadise Mulu        ETH 2:28:37
9.  Deborah Schöneborn GER 2:29:51
10. Jana Soethout      GER 2:34:28

More information is available at: www.haspa-marathon-hamburg.de 
 
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