
Yegon, Mailu chasing men's title in Vienna City Marathon
Reading Time: 2min | Sat. 22.04.23. | 16:12
Ethiopia’s Getu Feleke established the current course record of 2:05:41 which at the time was a world-class result in 2014.
This year's Vienna City Marathon, set for Sunday 23 April, is likely to see an attack on the course record in the men’s race.
Kenyan favorites, 2021 Berlin marathon silver medalist Bethwell Yegon and last year's Frankfurt marathon silver medalist Samwel Mailu are expected to run a pace that will be in the region of the 2:05:41 mark.
Behind them a group of European runners led by Norway’s Sondre Moen target a sub 2:10 time inside the qualifying mark for the World Championships in Budapest later this year.
In 2014, Ethiopia’s Getu Feleke established the current record of 2:05:41 which, at the time was a world-class result.
"My aim is to run a personal best (PB) on Sunday," said Yegon, who has a PB of 2:06:14 which makes him the third fastest on Vienna’s start list said.
The 30 year-old ran his PB when he took second place in the Berlin Marathon two years ago, where he overtook Ethiopia’s superstar Kenenisa Bekele and finished ahead of him.
“This race changed my life and showed me that I am on the right track,“ said Yegon, who trains in Iten.
Originally he was supposed to run a marathon later in spring. “I trained in Iten and reached very good form. So I decided to look for an earlier race than planned and now I will run here in Vienna.“
In contrast Mailu has focussed on the Vienna race for months. The Kenyan ran his personal best of 2:07:19 in an unexpected marathon debut in Frankfurt last year.
"I was a pacemaker in Frankfurt, but I then felt very good and continued. My form is at least as good as before Frankfurt," Mailu said.
Meanwhile, Moen who has a personal best of 2:05:48 is the fastest athlete. However, he has hinted at choosing a more conservative approach on Sunday.
"My aim is to run in the 2:09 group on Sunday", said Sondre Moen, who struggled last year. "First I suffered with Corona in February and then I needed surgery on my heel in July. But all is well now."
Elite list
Sondre Moen NOR 2:05:48
Abdi Fufa ETH 2:05:57
Bethwell Yegon KEN 2:06:14
Samwel Mailu KEN 2:07:19
Titus Kimutai KEN 2:08:31
Joshua Kogo KEN 2:09:09
Weldu Negash ERI 2:09:14
Felicien Muhitira RWA 2:09:18
Abe Gashahun ETH 2:09:25
Joel Melly KEN 2:09:45
Sebastian Hendel GER 2:10:37
Kamil Jastrzębski POL 2:11:08
Sibusiso Nzima RSA 2:11:43
Dominic Letting KEN 2:12:03
Josphat Bett KEN 2:13:59
Marcus Schöfisch GER 2:15:05
Levente Szemerei HUN 2:17:16
Peter Jenkei HUN 2:17:42
Andreas Vojta AUT 2:23:21
Elvis Cheboi KEN Debut
Yakoub Labquira MAR Debut












