Kimaiyo faces tough competition at Munich marathon

Berlin marathon 2011 bronze medalist Edwin Kimaiyo, a 2:09:12 runner in the classic distance, on Sunday 9 October, lines up against the strongest field in the history of the Generali Munich marathon. 

The Kenyan is one of the favourites in a star-studded men's field headlined by Ethiopia’s Tsegaye Mekonnen and Mengistu Zelalem.

Unofficial world junior record holder Mekonnen and fellow Ethiopian Mare Dibaba, who was the marathon world champion in 2015, head the start lists. 

The duo's personal bests of 2:04:32 and 2:19:52 respectively make them the fastest runners ever entered in the traditional Bavarian race. 

For the first time in over 20 years, an international elite field was assembled for the 36th edition of the event as organizers hope that both course records will fall on Sunday. 

 “We are looking forward to the strongest elite line-up in our history. With Dibaba and Mekonnen, we managed to get two big names to Munich for the return of the elite fields. Since weather predictions are favourable we hope that both course records will be broken on Sunday," said Race Director Gernot Weigl. 

 Mekonnen caused a major upset when he took the Dubai Marathon in 2014 aged just 19 years old. His time of 2:04:32 still stands as the unofficial world junior record (World Athletics does not ratify junior records in the marathon).

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In 2017 Mekonnen also won the Hamburg Marathon. Now 27 years old the Ethiopian has not competed over the classic distance since 2018 and now intends to come back with a strong performance in Munich. 

“I had injury problems and then the pandemic played its part as well, so I did not run a marathon for three years. Now my training has gone well and I intend to run a 2:06 on Sunday," said Mekonnen.

Organisers are encouraged that the course record is on the line by the fact that there are three athletes who have dipped under the 2:09:46 course record. 

Zelalem has a PB of 2:08:48 while Kimaiyo is in a similar range with 2:09:12. Current a half marathon split time of around 64:00 is targeted for the first group.

 A big improvement of the course record seems possible for the women in Munich. Germany’s Susanne Hahn established the current mark of 2:32:11 ten years ago. 

All nine elite runners have PB better than the record. Dibaba heads the women’s field with a world-class personal best of 2:19:52. 

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Besides the World Champion of 2015 and Olympic bronze medalist from 2016, there are two fellow Ethiopians who have run under 2:25: Atsede Bayisa has a fine personal best of 2:22:03 and Aberu Zennebe has a PB of 2:24:30.

“I have prepared for three months and my goal is to run a personal best," said Zennebe. A winning time of sub 2:25 might well be within reach on Sunday since it is planned that the first group reaches the halfway mark at around 71:30. There are eight athletes on the start list who have run under 2:30. 

 Elite runners with personal bests:

 Men:

Tsegaye Mekonnen ETH 2:04:32

Mengistu Zelalem ETH 2:08:48

Edwin Kimaiyo KEN 2:09:12

Meshack Koech KEN 2:10:17

Emmanuel Sikuku KEN 2:11:05

Ngonidzashe Ncube ZIM 2:11:46

Justus Kangogo KEN 2:13:34

Berhane Tesfay ERI 2:14:42

Vincent Kiprotich KEN Debüt

Philimon Kipchumba KEN Debüt

Rodgers Keror KEN Debüt

Sebastian Hendel GER Debüt

Women:

Mare Dibaba ETH 2:19:52

Atsede Bayisa ETH 2:22:03

Aberu Zennebe ETH 2:24:30

Agnes Keino KEN 2:25:08

Viola Yator KEN 2:26:51

Mercy Kwambai KEN 2:27:32

Souad Kambouchia MAR 2:27:49

Helen Jepkurgat KEN 2:29:10

Caroline Nahimana BUR 2:30:09