By Bob Ramsak
Kenyans William Kiplagat and Vincent Kipsos, both sub-2:07 marathoners, are among several key protagonists at Sunday’s 27th Dresdner Kleinwort Frankurt Marathon on Sunday.
But despite their solid credentials the field on the men’s side promises a wide open race over the relatively flat course through Germany’s financial center and fifth largest city. Among the key challengers is another Kenyan, Benson Barus, whose 2:08:34 career best from two years ago could be under threat.
“The field is very strong so I can’t say if I am going to win, but I will give my best,” said Barus, a former world junior 10,000m champion. Four weeks ago the 28-year-old lowered his personal best over the half marathon to 59:41 with his victory over a notoriously flat and fast course in Udine, Italy. Despite that solid performance, Barus said his play book calls for a conservative first half. “I am running my own race. I’ll try to run around 64 minutes for the first half.”
Kenyan Ben Maiyo, whose best of 2:07:09 was set in Chicago in 2005, is also among the challengers. A hamstring injury slowed him in the spring, when he ran 2:10:44 to finish a distant eighth in Rotterdam.
“I had treatment, and I have trained very well and am in good shape,” said Maiyo, who trained at high altitude in both Kenya and Denver this year.
The race also features two former 3000m steeplechase world record holders, Bernard Barmasai and Wilson Boit Kipketer. The pair have displayed mixed results over the longer distance with Barmasai bringing a 2:08:52 best to Frankfurt and Boit Kipketer a 2:13:08 performance.
There’s a strong incentive for a fast run. A 95,000 Euro (US$ 120,000) bonus is on offer for a new course record. The target is 2:07:58, held by three-time Wilfrid Kigen, who has opted for New York this year.
The women’s race will attract considerable interest at Germany’s oldest city marathon, with the return of defending champion Melanie Kraus and Sabrina Mockenhaupt’s second try at the distance.
Kraus won last year in 2:28:56, about a minute shy of her career best set in Berlin in 2000. Mockenhaupt will be looking to improve upon her 2:27:58 debut at Cologne last fall.
“I am super excited,” said Mockenhaupt, who tuned-up with a 68:51 PB at the Cologne Half Marathon three weeks ago. “The half marathon in Cologne as well as the diagnostic tests I had afterwards point to everything being on course.” Besides a PB, she’s also aiming for the family record, 2:24:59, set by her father Alfred nearly 20 years ago.
Kraus said she’s not too overwhelmed by the expectations that come with her defending champion moniker. “On one hand it is a burden as the expectations are high. On the other hand, I am happy when I look at the bib number as last year’s race was very good and nice.” Krauss said she took a couple weeks to recover from the Olympic marathon in Beijing, where she clocked 2:35:17.
The field also includes twin sisters Olesya (2:29:35) and Yelena Nurgalyeva (2:29:49) who finished first and second in Frankfurt in 2004. Since they’ve exchanged victories in South Africa’s ultra races, the Comrades Marathon and Two Oceans event.
The race is expected to draw over 12,500 runners, with over 20,000 in all events, for the first time.
[Photo of Benson Barus by Victah Sailer courtesy of race organizers]
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