Sharon Cherop not yet done

Former Boston Marathon winner Sharon Cherop hopes to continue elite running for some more time following her second-place finish at the ADAC Marathon Hannover.

The 40-year-old finished behind home runner Domenika Mayer who clocked 2:23:50 for the win as the Kenyan finished second in 2:24:41. Compatriot Lilian Jebitok was third in 2:27:13.

Domenika Mayer was almost two minutes faster than the previous course record of Croatia’s Matea Parlov Kostro, who ran 2:25:45 last year.

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“I am happy with my race and I think I will be able to run 2:22 again,” Cherop, whose PB from 2013 stands at 2:22:28 said. “I think I can run for a couple of more years and will now target an autumn marathon.”

Cherop won a bronze medal at the age of sixteen in the 5000 m at the World Junior Championships. She was the bronze medal winner in the marathon at the 2011 World Championships in Athletics and won the Boston Marathon in 2012.

After her junior medals, it was not until 2010 that she enjoyed senior-level success. She made her marathon debut at the Twin Cities Marathon (coming third) and won her first marathon in 2010, first at the Hamburg Marathon and then at the Toronto Waterfront Marathon, which she won in 2:22:42 for the fastest marathon time on Canadian soil. Her personal best of 2:22:39 was set at the 2012 Dubai Marathon.

“I am really happy with my race. I was surprised that Sharon held on for so long, but I just concentrated on myself and ran my own race,” said Mayer. “I am now looking forward to the Olympic Marathon. It will of course be a very different race on a hilly course and without pacers.”

In the men’s race, home runner Amanal Petros also smashed the course record, improving his course best of 2:07:02 from last year by almost one minute, winning in 2:06:05 despite windy conditions and warm sunshine during the final part of the race.

Petros, who is the national record holder with 2:04:58, ran the second fastest time ever achieved by a German marathon runner. Kenyans Boaz Kipkemei and Victor Kiplimo took second and third with 2:07:06 and 2:09:58 respectively.

Men:

1. Amanal Petros GER 2:06:05

2. Boaz Kipkemei KEN 2:07:06

3. Victor Kiplimo KEN 2:09:58

4. Hammington Cherop KEN 2:12:01

5. Jackson Rutto KEN 2:12:12

6. Amos Mitei KEN 2:14:49

7. Tom Thurley GER 2:14:52

8. Polat Arikan TUR 2:16:38

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Women:

1. Domenika Mayer GER 2:23:50

2. Sharon Cherop KEN 2:24:41

3. Lilian Jebitok KEN 2:27:13

4. Sardana Trofimova KGZ 2:27:32

5. Failuna Matanga TAN 2:27:33

6. Nora Szabo HUN 2:30:04

7. Juliette Thomas BEL 2:31:40

8. Vanessa Wilson AUS 2:31:45