Ethiopia’s Adola shifts focus from Berlin to Frankfurt

In 2017, a certain Guye Adola threw down the gauntlet, leading Kenyan legend Eliud Kipchoge all the way until just two kilometres to the finish line of the Berlin Marathon.

As expected, Kipchoge summoned his experience and took up the challenge, outpacing the Ethiopian rookie to win the race in two hours, three minutes and 32 seconds.

Adola’s efforts were rewarded with a stunning second place 2:03:46, then the fastest ever time recorded by a marathon debutante.

With the Berlin Marathon field for this year already signed up, Adola, 32, has now shifted to the October 29 Frankfurt Marathon where he will be up against Kenya’s defending champion Brimin Misoi and his compatriot Samwel Mailu who finished second last year in the German financial capital.

The fastest woman on the current start list for Frankfurt is also a Kenyan, Visiline Jepkesho, with a personal best of 2:21:37 that goes back almost a decade to a fourth place in Paris in 2014.

One of the leading contenders for the women’s title also has a victory in Vienna to her credit: Magdalyne Masai of Kenya ran 2:24:12 to win the title in April but her personal best of 2:22:16 comes from winning in Toronto in 2019.

Both will have to keep a sharp eye on Buzunesh Gudeta.

The Ethiopian finished fourth in Barcelona in 2:22:38 in March. Another athlete to note is the European silver medallist in the marathon, Matea Parlov Kostro, whose participation has already been announced.

The runner from Croatia set a personal best with victory in Hanover in spring with 2:25:45, continuing her upward trend.

Adola is the fastest man in the field of the current entries. His personal best of 2:03:46 was all the more impressive since he ran it on his debut in Berlin in 2017.

The greatest triumph of his career – so far – has also been in Berlin when he won the event two years ago in 2:05:45, a performance of special merit in warm conditions and leaving another all-time great, Kenenisa Bekele, well behind.

A spate of injuries has prevented Adola from achieving his obvious aim of improving his personal best and adding to his success.

“I’m expecting a first-class race at our jubilee edition,” said the race director Jo Schindler.

Germany’s oldest city marathon will celebrate its 40th edition on Sunday, October 29.

The Mainova Frankfurt Marathon is on course to maintain its reputation for strong performances among the elite and high numbers for the mass field with around 25,000 runners expected to take part on the last Sunday in October.

The event holds an Elite Road Race Label, awarded by World Athletics, the sport’s governing body.

With additional reporting from Race News Service