FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Makau Faces Formidable Rivals in Frankfurt:
Tsegay, Matebor, Worku and Kirwa

The BMW Frankfurt Marathon looks set to continue its rise that should
ultimately establish the event among the world's major marathons. A couple
of weeks after announcing the spectacular signing of world record holder
Patrick Makau organisers have now released four names that will form
formidable opposition for the Kenyan superstar: Yemane Tsegay, Albert
Matebor, Bazu Worku and Gilbert Kirwa will face Patrick Makau on 28th
October. The BMW Frankfurt Marathon is an IAAF Gold Label Road Race.

"I have seen the course today and it looks very good. If everything is
perfect on race day – my form, the weather and the pacemaking – then a
world record might be possible," said Patrick Makau during a press
conference in Frankfurt today. A year ago he had broken the world record
clocking 2:03:38 in Berlin. On that occasion the Kenyan also beat the
previous record holder Haile Gebrselassie (Ethiopia). After being
surprisingly omitted from Olympic selection Patrick Makau will now be eager
to prove something with a very good race. "So far my training went very
well. I had no problems or injuries and the form is similar to last year.
But of course a lot of training and especially speedwork is still to come
in the weeks ahead," said the 27 year-old who will be running against a
group of very strong athletes. Four of them have now been confirmed for
Frankfurt.

Yemane Tsegay's personal best is just 70 seconds slower than that of the
world record holder. The 27 year-old Ethiopian is likely to follow any pace
in Frankfurt. Tsegay, who had been fourth in the World Championship's
marathon in Berlin in 2009, has improved his personal best twice this year.
First he ran 2:06:29 at the Dubai Marathon in January, then he made a major
step when taking the Rotterdam Marathon in 2:04:48 in April. Tsegay crossed
the line just one second ahead of fellow-Ethiopian Getu Feleke and by
coincidence clocked exactly the same time as Patrick Makau, when he had won
the Rotterdam Marathon two years earlier.

Albert Matebor (Kenya) and Bazu Worku (Ethiopia) both feature identical
personal bests of 2:05:25. Matebor had shown a great race in Frankfurt in
2011, when he finished third with this personal best. It will be already
his third race in the German financial capital. In 2007 he had been fifth
with 2:09:33. For Bazu Worku it will be his first BMW Frankfurt Marathon.
The former marathon world junior record holder (2:06:15 in Paris in 2009)
ran his personal best in Berlin two years ago. Finishing in a strong third
place in driving rain behind Patrick Makau and fellow Kenyan Geoffrey Mutai
he clocked a great 2:05:25.

Besides Albert Matebor there is another world-class runner from Kenya
returning: Gilbert Kirwa had won the BMW Frankfurt Marathon in 2009 with
2:06:14, which at that time was a course record. This still is his personal
best. After prolonged injury problems Gilbert Kirwa this year came back
with a fourth place in the Vienna City Marathon in April (2:08:09). He will
now hope to be back at his best in Frankfurt.

Regarding the very top of the men's elite race this field will be the best
in the history of Germany's oldest city marathon, which will see its 31st
edition. "It is a very strong field. But I am generally not looking at any
particular rivals. I always respect all the other runners in a
competition," said Patrick Makau.

More information is available at: www.bmw-frankfurt-marathon.com

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