Langat,Hurisa set to renew rivalry in Vienna

This year's Vienna City Marathon features a strong men’s field that will see defending champion Leonard Langat looking to cut the tape first for the title on 24 April.

The Kenyan classic distance runner will face off with Ethiopian Derara Hurisa who crossed the line first in Vienna last year but was disqualified for wearing an illegal racing shoe, the win going to Langat.

The two face unprecedented depth as men’s elite field has five athletes featuring personal bests of sub 2:06 led by Ethiopia’s Mekuant Ayenew who has a PB of 2:04:46.

"Elite racing forms a thrilling part of our event. These runners bring high quality performances and often emotional stories to our race,“ said Race Director Wolfgang Konrad. "We are very happy to welcome back both winners from last year to Vienna. And we keep our fingers crossed for Derara Hurisa, who will also set to return.“

In unusually warm conditions Hurisa became the first athlete being disqualified for wearing an illegal shoe in a major city marathon last September in Vienna.

The Ethiopian, who has a personal best of 2:08:09, crossed the line first in 2:09:22. However it appeared the he wore shoes that have a sole thickness of five centimeters while a maximum of four is allowed.

Hurisa had chosen the shoes for the race because he used them in training and thought they were within the rules. The athlete looked upset and distraught when he learnt about the disqualification and will be eager to take his second chance when he returns to Vienna.

Though he was happy to become the winner it was not the ideal scenario for Langat as well. "Of course I would have preferred to have broken the tape,“ said the Kenyan, who improved his PB to 2:09:25 in Vienna last year.

 Such is the strength of the elite field this time that both runners might have to improve their personal bests quite significantly if they want to be in contention for victory.

With a personal record of 2:04:46 Ayenew is the second fastest runner ever entered into a Vienna City Marathon behind former world record holder Dennis Kimetto (2:02:57). The Kenyan did not finish the 2018 race.

Ayenew, who won the Sevilla Marathon 2020 when he clocked his PB, heads the start list. The other four athletes with personal bests of sub 2:06 are Goitom Kifle of Eritrea (2:05:28), Bahrain’s Marius Kimutai (2:05:47), Oqbe Kibrom from Eritrea (2:05:53) and Ethiopian Abdi Fufa (2:05:57).

While Kimutai was the winner of the Rotterdam Marathon in 2017 Kifle achieved a notable 14th place in the Olympic marathon in Sapporo last summer. 

The group of leading runners look to be in a perfect position to target the course record of the Vienna City Marathon. Ethiopia’s Getu Feleke established this mark when he won the race with 2:05:41 back in 2014.