Due to the absence of African elite runners it is very unlikely that winning times of well under 2:10 will be seen on Sunday. “It is a pity, because I am convinced that our event provides everything needed for world-class times. But due to the lack of finances we simply are not able to sign Kenyan or Ethiopian stars this year,” explained Race Director Jan Winschermann, who has to accept that the fine development of the METRO Group Marathon Düsseldorf in recent years sees a set-back regarding the international significance.
Despite a weaker elite field there could still be good races on Sunday. 33 year-old Iaroslav Musinschi is the runner entered with the fastest time. The Moldavian improved to 2:10:15 when breaking the national record in Ljubljana in 2009. Three months before the European Championships in Barcelona he could confirm his position as one of the continent’s strongest marathon runners. At present the European season’s best run by Henryk Szost (Poland) in Vienna stands at 2:10:27.
Iaroslav Musinschi’s strongest opponent will probably come from Russia: 24 year-old Sergey Rybin is the reigning national champion and has a personal best of 2:11:48. Pavel Ochal (Poland/PB: 2:12:20) and Andrej Toptun (Ukraine/2:12:41) could also do well. And if Falk Cierpinski is in good form the 31 year-old son of double Olympic marathon champion Waldemar could get one of the top places. So far he has a personal record of 2:13:30.
For Melanie Kraus it will be her first marathon start in one year on Sunday. In 2009 the German had come to Düsseldorf as the defending champion. But then she suffered of a hamstring injury during the warm-up for the race and was forced to drop out after a few kilometres. The 35 year-old did not feature in a marathon since then and had to cancel her participation at the World Championships in Berlin.
“I expect that we will see a close women’s race on Sunday. Besides Melanie there are four more women able to go for victory and run sub 2:30,” said Christoph Kopp, the elite race coordinator of the METRO Group Marathon Düsseldorf. Among those are the two Russians Natalya Volgina (PB: 2:27:32) and Svetlana Semova (2:29:56). 33 year-old Volgina clocked her personal record when taking second place at the Paris Marathon in 2006. She will be the fastest woman in the field ahead of Melanie Kraus (2:27:58). Norway’s Kirsten Otterbu (2:29:12) and Turkey’s Mehtap Sizmaz (2:31:13) could be in with a chance as well.
Even though there will be no African elite marathon runners at the METRO Group Marathon Düsseldorf there will still be a group of pacemakers from Kenya. So some of Europe’s runners could benefit from their support on Sunday.
mzungo says: So they have money for Kenyan pacemakers but not for appearance fees for foreigners? No big deal but spending potential prize money entirely as appearance fee for the locals - as it seems - is just wrong. Beat the Kenyans fair and square on the street!
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