Mailu to headline 40th Frankfurt Marathon field

Vienna Marathon champion Samwel Mailu has been enlisted for the 40th edition of the Mainova Frankfurt Marathon set for 29 October.

The 30-year-old alongside European silver medalist Matea Parlov Kostro have been announced as the two highly promising internationals entered for this year’s race.

A year ago, Mailu, finished second in Frankfurt and impressed in winning the Vienna title in April.

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“In Kostro and Mailu we have succeeded in recruiting two rising stars of the international marathon scene. I am delighted that we are going to have two popular figures in running on the start line in Frankfurt,” said the race director Jo Schindler. “After our successful comeback from the Covid-19 lockdown a year ago we want to stage an exciting show of running in celebrating the anniversary of the oldest German city race in Frankfurt.”

Mailu made his event debut in Frankfurt last year. He was originally entered as a pacemaker but the Kenyan showed top form, did not drop out of the race and, despite the role of pacemaker, finished second in 2:07:19.

After this strong debut he won a marathon classic in April for his next step up the ladder. Despite high temperatures Mailu triumphed in Vienna with 2:05:08, breaking the men’s course record which had stood for nine years.

“I have a good feeling in returning to Frankfurt. After all, I made my marathon debut there and the organization is very good. My aim is to improve my personal best and to run under 2:05 in Frankfurt,” said Mailu.

Kostro will be racing in Frankfurt for the first time. The 31-year-old has made great inroads among the European marathon elite in recent years and became a sporting star at home in Croatia after the European Championships in 2022.

Her silver medal was the first of any kind won by a Croatian woman in a running event since the European Championships were first staged almost a century ago. She achieved the biggest win of her career so far in winning the Hanover title in April, running 2:25:45 for a course record and personal best.

“I decided to run the Mainova Frankfurt Marathon because I knew that it offers a high-quality field and fast course. I always have a good feeling when I race in Germany and that’s another reason for deciding on Frankfurt,” Kostro, who is almost certain of an Olympic marathon place for Croatia in Paris next year. “I hope that I further improve my personal best in Frankfurt and am looking forward very much to the race, especially the fantastic finish in the Festhalle.”