Posted: October 28, 2007

Athletics: Quotes from the top finishers of the Dresdner Kleinwort Frankfurt Marathon

Wilfried Kigen (KEN), winner of the Dresdner Kleinwort Frankfurt Marathon with a new course record of 2:07:58 "I'm very happy, this was the hardest of the three (Frankfurt victories). I didn't know the guy, I was not sure who he was, I've never run with Rotich. But I knew he was running too fast (when he went away), and I knew if I ran steadily, I would catch him". Asked when his wife’s fifth baby was due, he said: "Maybe today, after she (his wife, Hilda) hears what I did here". Hosea Rotich (KEN), 2nd place in 2:08:11 “Maybe I went a little too fast (at 30 k), but I tried to win. I was feeling very good behind the pacemakers, I knew I could go faster after 30 k”. Sammy Kurgat (KEN), 3rd place in 2:08:38 "I caught Kiprotich at 38k, that's why I was pushing at the end". Melanie Kraus (GER), winner of the Dresdner Kleinwort Frankfurt Marathon in 2:28:56 hours "I am so happy about this. It was a good choice to run this race even with having run in Osaka. My coach told me that I could get the women up front as they didn’t look too good. Once I saw Svetlana, I was eager to beat her. I am just so happy and I really can say, even it is not true concerning my personal best, that this was my best race ever. Next year I want to run in Beijing and then I want to come back here to defend my title.” Svetlana Zakharova (RUS), 2nd place in 2:29:12 “Actually I am happy about my second place. I didn’t expect too much from the race. I started to have problems in the second half and especially after 30 kilometres I got knee problems. Then I tried to run conservatively and to take no risk. All in all I am very happy with my race.” Kirsten Melkevik Otterbu (NOR), 3rd place in 2:29:12 “I am very happy. It was a surprise for me. I just ran and didn’t think about a certain place – my focus was the time. I wanted to run sub 2:30 hours and it worked. Now I am qualified for the Olympic Games. When I saw Svetlana I tried to overtake her – it didn’t quite work out, but I am still very happy that everything worked out so well.” Subscribe to the Runner's Web Weekly Digest