News24 Sep 2008


Kiplagat and Maiyo head Kenyan strength in Frankfurt

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William Kiplagat running Boston (© www.photorun.net)

A group of strong Kenyans have entered the 27th edition of the Dresdner Kleinwort Frankfurt Marathon on 26th October. The event is an IAAF Silver Label Road Race.

William Kiplagat and Benjamin Maiyo, who feature personal bests of 2:06:50 and 2:07:09 are among the Kenyan strength. Kiplagat, 36, will be the fastest runner ever to start in Frankfurt Marathon. The Kenyan men are looking to continue their win streak. They took the oldest German city marathon race six times in a row so far. In the past then years only twice was there a non-Kenyan winner.

With a huge bonus of 95,000 Euros on offer provided the winner breaks 2:07 the course record of Wilfred Kigen (Kenya), who clocked 2:07:58 a year ago, might well be broken.

While Kiplagat’s personal best happened back in 1999, he has had more recent success taking the 2003 Rotterdam title in 2:07:42, and having only started serious running at the age of 25, Kiplagat might still be capable of producing another great race.

Ben Maiyo will be desperate for his first major marathon win. He has had a number of fine races in recent years but is yet to finish first. He clocked his best when coming third in the 2005 Chicago race and half a year later he was again second at the Boston Marathon 2006, this time clocking 2:08:21.

The 29-year-old Maiyo is coached by German Dieter Hogen, whose previous charges have included Uta Pippig, Sammy Lelei or Evans Rutto. Hogen will have a second runner competing in Frankfurt, Stephen Kiogora, who is Maiyo’s training partner. The 33-year-old has a personal best of 2:09:21. He won the Las Vegas Marathon in 2005 with 2:11:58, but his best performance came in New York in 2006. Finishing second in 2:10:06 Kiogora  left behind the likes of Paul Tergat (Kenya), who at that time still was the World record holder, Hendrick Ramaala (South Africa) or Olympic Champion Stefano Baldini (Italy).

Coming from the same tribe as Tergat, Benson Barus could be the surprise in Frankfurt. So far the 28-year-old Kenyan has run three marathons, all of which he has finished inside 2:10. His personal best came in Milan in 2006, where he finished his debut race in second place with 2:08:34. Sammy Kurgat’s personal best is just very  slightly slower (2:08:38). The 33-year-old Kenyan ran that time at the Dresdner Kleinwort Frankfurt Marathon a year ago, when he finished third. Kurgat will return to the race through Germany’s financial capital.

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