Former London marathon champion Priscah Jeptoo will be taking on compatriot Alice Cherono at the Haspa Marathon set for Sunday 24th in Germany.
The former Olympic Games marathon silver medalist is slowly returning into action after a long spell of injuries who has the fastest time on the course at 2:20.14 after winning the 2012 London Marathon.
The 37 year old will be taking on Meselech Melkamu who enjoys the course record of 2:21.54.
Others Dibabe Kuma is also another title contender who also won this race in 2019, but she also comes with the second fastest on paper of 2:23.24 which is also her lifetime best, that she got at the 2018 Ljubljana Marathon, where she took the bronze medal.
While the elite women often have their individual pacemakers Jurrie van der Velden hopes that a group of athletes will run together for at least the first half of the race. “The pace for this group will likely be between 70:30 and 71:00, “he said.
Germany will be represented by their top athletes, Deborah Schöneborn and Kristina Hendel. Schöneborn, who achieved a strong 18th place in the Olympic marathon, last year, comes to this race with a personal best of 2:26.55. Hendel the Croatian born athlete who has received her German citizenship and hopes to be eligible to compete for Germany at the European Championships. She holds a personal best of 2:27.31
Another title contender is Alice Cherono from Kenya who comes with a personal best of 2:26.51 that she got at the 2019 Barcelona Marathon where she won the bronze medal.
The race surprise inclusion is the World 10k record holder, Yalemzerf Yehualaw who will be making her marathon debut and she is expected to run good time.
“We are happy to be back in the spring with a large race and with a very strong elite field. I am really looking forward to some very good performances. We hope to see a women’s course record on Sunday, “said chief organiser Frank Thaleiser.
LEADING RESULTS
42KM WOMEN
- Priscah Jeptoo (KEN) 2:20.14
- Dibabe Kuma (ETH) 2:23.24
- Carla Rocha (POR) 2:24.47
- Tseginesh Mekonnen (ETH) 2:24.50
- Gadise Mulu (ETH) 2:26.20
- Alice Cherono (KEN) 2:26.51
- Deborah Schöneborn (GER) 2:26.55
- Kristina Hendel (CRO) 2:27.31
- Rosa Chacha (ECU) 2:28.17
- Andreia Hessel (BRA) 2:34.55
- Maria Sagnes Wagan (NOR) 2:35.34
- Camilla Elofsson (SWE) 2:35.37
- Yalemzerf Yehualaw (ETH) Debut
- Alia Mohamed (UAE) Debut