Elite field eyes new personal bests at Vienna Marathon
The elite field of this year's 42.195 km race as part of the Vienna City Marathon comes from Kenya. Among the men, Justus Kangogo is the fastest runner among the participants with 2:05:57 hours, and among the women, Vibian Chepkirui with her 2:20:59, the course record from 2022. The weather is likely to be too cold for new records. "It will be performance-limiting. But there will still be an aggressive race," said Johannes Langer from the race management. As predicted by Geosphere Austria, temperatures around zero degrees are expected at the start.
Best times as a goal at Vienna Marathon
The elite runners feel well-prepared and all aim for new personal best times. Chepkirui, as a two-time Vienna winner (2021, 2022), is going for her third triumph. "The preparation was good, the form is not bad," said the Kenyan, who remembers best from her previous stays the visit to the Hofburg and the reception by the Federal President.
Rebbeca Tanui (2:21:08) has also been to Vienna twice and has set a clear goal for herself. "I'm back because I want to win." Last year's runner-up Faith Chepkoech (2:26:22), who impressed as a rookie in her first international race at the time, also wants to be in the mix at the front. "I was overjoyed. The race changed my life." Langer assumes that a small group will form in the early stages, even though, unlike the men, the women will be accompanied by personal pacemakers.
VCM as a family affair?
Kangogo comes from a family of runners. The VCM could also become a family affair, as the women's top favorite Chepkirui is his sister-in-law, who was led to the Vienna record by his brother as a pacemaker. "I looked at the course on the website, I am very motivated and have received tips from my brother. If it doesn't get too cold, it can be a very good time," said Kangogo.
A tactic has been devised for the men's elite field. The first group will start the half marathon with 62:30 to 62:45 minutes, and everything else will be determined on Saturday, close to the event and according to the latest weather forecasts, explained Langer.
Rutto: "I want to run a personal best"
The first challengers of Kangogo are Asbel Rutto (2:06:24) and Stanley Kurgat (2:07:05). Kurgat was a pacemaker up to kilometer 32 in 2024, Rutto is the current Rome course record holder. "I want to run at the front, that's my culture. I want to run a personal best," he said on Thursday at the press conference in Vienna.
(APA/Red)
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