Kenya’s Samwel Mailu smashed the nine-year-old course record of the Vienna City Marathon, running 2:05:08 at the World Athletics Elite Label road race on Sunday, April 23.
Despite warm conditions during the second half of the race, the 30-year-old was 33 seconds quicker than the former course record-holder Getu Feleke of Ethiopia, who clocked 2:05:41 in 2014.
Mailu’s compatriots Bethwel Yegon and Titus Kimutai followed with 2:06:57 and 2:07:46 in second and third respectively.
There was a Kenyan double as Magdalyne Masai won the women’s race in 2:24:12. Agnes Keino ran 2:24:25 to claim second position. Ethiopia’s Gadise Mulu was third with 2:24:50.
“The race in Frankfurt gave me a lot of motivation. For me, it was kind of another marathon debut. This was my biggest career win,” Mailu, who debuted in the Frankfurt marathon last year, said.
Masai on her part said: “It was a perfect race for me. I ran well and had some energy left for the last couple of kilometers. I started preparations for this race in January. I am very happy to have won, but I would have liked to run a bit faster than 2:24.”
Masai is the younger sister of 2009 world 10,000m champion Linet Masai and 2009 world 10,000m bronze medallist Moses Masai.
