Press Release - Vienna City Marathon - 2/18/25

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
 
                     VIENNA CITY MARATHON ON 6th APRIL:

      Course record holder Vibian Chepkirui chases third Vienna triumph

Vibian Chepkirui will return to the Vienna City Marathon on 6th April 
aiming to make it three victories out of three starts. The 30 year-old 
Kenyan produced two extraordinary performances in the Austrian capital in 
2021 and 2022: First she won her debut marathon, then she broke the course 
record with 2:20:59. This mark still stands and could well be attacked on 
6th April. There are three more Kenyan women on the current start list who 
might run such a pace. 

The Vienna City Marathon, which is Austria's major road running event and a 
World Athletics Elite Label Race, will significantly exceed the previous 
record of 11,000 registered marathon runners. Adding races at shorter 
distances there will be more than 40,000 athletes competing in Vienna 
during the first weekend of April. "We are witnessing a running boom in the 
whole of Europe and for us in Vienna it is great to see that many young 
people and women take up running and enter our events," said Dominik 
Konrad, who is the joint General Manager of the Vienna City Marathon 
together with Kathrin Widu. "We are really happy that we have a record 
entry in the marathon since this is of course the heartbeat of our whole 
event," said Kathrin Widu.

Running her marathon debut back in 2021 Vibian Chepkirui unexpectedly 
dominated the Vienna City Marathon. Up against a strong field with half a 
dozen runners featuring personal bests in the 2:20 to 2:26 range she ran 
away from the favourites well before the 30k mark and won in 2:24:29. In 
the following year Chepkirui smashed the course record with 2:20:59 which 
remains her personal best. She probably was in shape for an even faster 
time, but her pacemaker suffered of problems. "Next year I want to come 
back to Vienna and my goal will be to run 2:18," she boldly stated after 
her second victory in her second marathon. However it took a bit longer 
before she now finally will come back to the Vienna City Marathon to attack 
both, the course record and her personal record. 

Three fellow-Kenyans might well challenge Vibian Chepkirui on her way to a 
third Vienna victory. Rebbeca Tanui also knows the Vienna City Marathon 
very well. The Kenyan was fourth here in 2023 after winning her debut 
marathon in San Sebastián in 2022 with a fine 2:23:09. A year ago Tanui 
took third in Vienna and then won the Kosice Marathon with a fine course 
record of 2:21:08. If the 32 year-old can build similar form she could be 
able to attack the course record on 6th April. 

Catherine Cherotich had a breakthrough year in 2024. The 30 year-old Kenyan 
improved her marathon PB by almost 16 minutes when she took fourth place in 
Frankfurt with 2:22:42 in October. Another Kenyan to watch will be Faith 
Chepkoech. The 26 year-old came almost out of nowhere when she ran what was 
only her second international race and the first outside Africa at last 
year's Vienna City Marathon. Chepkoech finished in a brilliant second 
position with 2:26:22, improving by over 16 minutes. After finishing 
seventh in the Cape Town Marathon last autumn in 2:28:00 she has since 
focused on coming back to the Vienna City Marathon. 

As in the past couple of years the Vienna City Marathon will include the 
Hungarian Marathon Championships. While national record holder Nora Szabo 
will be the big favourite for the women's title she might well achieve a 
top overall position as well. The 36 year-old improved to a fine 2:25:52 at 
last year's Valencia Marathon. 

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

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