Former world record holder Brigid Kosgei adds to strong Hamburg depth

Former world record holder Brigid Kosgei has been added to the strong elite field of the 39th Haspa Marathon Hamburg, set for Sunday, 27 April.

The Kenyan sensationally broke Paula Radcliffe’s longstanding mark with a time of 2:14:04 back in 2019 in Chicago.

Her addition means three women on the start list head to the race with personal bests (PB) of sub 2:19.

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Fellow Kenyan Amos Kipruto leads the men’s field with a PB of 2:03:13. He is one of five athletes who have already run sub 2:05.

"Concerning the fastest men and women on the start list, this is the best field ever assembled in the history of the Haspa Marathon Hamburg. We are looking forward to some thrilling and fast racing,“ said chief organiser Frank Thaleiser.

Kosgei, the Olympic silver medalist from the Tokyo Summer Games, is the fastest runner ever to enter a marathon in German-speaking territory.

With her 2:14:04 PB, she is still the fourth-fastest woman in history. While the 31-year-old did not achieve super-fast times more recently, she managed to run sub-2:20:00 in each year following her world record.

The two-time London Marathon Champion (2019 and 2020) and winner of the Tokyo Marathon (2022) will run her first race at the classic distance since taking fifth in London with 2:19:02 a year ago.

Kosgei will face a group of very strong Ethiopians in Hamburg. Roza Dereje and Workenesh Edesa are the two fastest of them, with personal records of 2:18:30 and 2:18:51, respectively.

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The men’s field features three athletes who have run under 2:04. Kipruto, a 2:03:13 runner, leads the list against Ethiopians Guye Adola and Kinde Atanaw, who have achieved times of 2:03:46 and 2:03:51, respectively.

Kenyans Bethwel Chumba (2:04:37) and Philemon Kiplimo (2:04:56) are the other two with PBs of sub 2:05.

Elite Runners with Personal Bests

MEN:

Amos Kipruto KEN 2:03:13

Guye Adola ETH 2:03:46

Kinde Atanaw ETH 2:03:51

Bethwel Chumba KEN 2:04:37

Philemon Kiplimo KEN 2:04:56

Richard Ringer GER 2:05:46

Cyrus Mutai KEN 2:06:11

Awet Habte ERI 2:06:25

Felix Kibitok KEN 2:06:28

Abay Alemu ETH 2:06:50

Samuel Tsegay SWE 2:06:53

Erick Sang KEN 2:07:50

Julien Wanders SUI 2:11:52

Millions Geoffrey Kamworor, Jackline Cherono made after dominant Rotterdam Marathon wins

WOMEN:

Brigid Kosgei KEN 2:14:04

Roza Dereje ETH 2:18:30

Workenesh Edesa ETH 2:18:51

Etagegn Woldu ETH 2:20:03

Waganesh Mekesha ETH 2:20:44

Sichala Kumeshi ETH 2:20:42

Shitaye Eshete BRN 2:21:33

Fozya Jemal ETH 2:21:53

Tsige Haileslase ETH 2:22:10

Muluhabt Tsega ETH 2:22:21

Karoline Grovdal NOR Debut