The strongest field in the history of the event will line up for the 12th edition of the Metro Group Marathon Duesseldorf on 27 April. Ethiopians Endeshaw Negesse and Selomie Getnet head the current start lists with personal bests of 2:04:52 and 2:25:15 respectively. Adding other running events staged parallel to the marathon a field of more than 16,000 athletes is expected to take part in the event. Online entry is still possible at: www.metrogroup-marathon.de
“By inviting a number of world-class runners we continue to strive forward. It is our aim to establish the Metro Group Marathon Duesseldorf as a high-class international spring race,” said Race Director Jan Winschermann. In the past two years the men’s course record was broken twice. Last year’s winner Dereje Debele (Ethiopia) clocked 2:07:48. Organisers hope that this time will be significantly improved on 27th April.
26 year-old Endeshaw Negesse ran his world-class PB of 2:04:52 when he finished fourth in the Dubai Marathon 2013. He still belongs to the 20 fastest marathon runners ever. One of Negesse’s strongest rivals also ran his PB with a fourth place Dubai finish: Tamirat Tola clocked 2:06:17 earlier this year in the Emirates.
Two prominent Kenyan long distance runners have chosen Duesseldorf for their next marathon race: Gilbert Yegon and Moses Masai. Running his debut at the distance Yegon took the Amsterdam Marathon in 2009 with 2:06:18, breaking Haile Gebrselassie’s course record. He did not manage to improve since, but he had good races. Among them was a second place in the Vienna City Marathon in 2012. Duesseldorf will be the third marathon for Moses Masai. An outstanding track runner, the Kenyan won a 10,000 m bronze medal in the 2009 World Championships. However he could not yet transform his full potential to the marathon. When Masai ran his debut in Dubai in 2013 he finished with 2:11:00. In a very windy Frankfurt Marathon the Kenyan then dropped out in October. Masai will be eager to show that he can compete with the best at the classic distance as well.
There is a clear favourite in the women’s race. Selomie Getnet is by far the fastest runner in the field. However there will be further additions in the coming weeks. The Ethiopian ran 2:25:15 for a second place in the Rome Marathon in 2013. With this PB it should be possible for her to attack Duesseldorf’s course record. Kenya’s Agnes Jeruto clocked 2:25:49 two years ago. Annie Bersagel (USA) will also compete on 27 April. Last year she won the St. Paul Twin Cities Marathon with 2:30:53.