Frankfurt, Sunday
Ethiopians Jirata Dinki and Zeineba Yimer took the 43rd edition of the Mainova Frankfurt Marathon with 2:05:26 and 2:19:45 respectively. But it was Germany’s Blanka Dörfel who produced the most spectacular performance of the day.
The 24-year-old debutant was runner-up and clocked a stunning 2:20:46, the second fastest time ever run by a German. Despite wet and windy conditions for large parts of the race Blanka Dörfel became the eighth fastest European marathon runner ever. Ethiopia’s Beriha Gebreslasie took third with 2:22:46.
Germany’s European Champion Amanal Petros was second with 2:05:46. He is the first national runner who achieved a podium place in the men’s race for over 25 years. Benard Biwott of Kenya, the winner from 2024, finished third in 2:06:23.
German runners Richard Ringer and Samuel Fitwi crossed the line in 2:07:07 and 2:08:57, taking fifth and seventh positions respectively. A record number of 19,720 runners from 128 nations entered the 43rd Mainova Frankfurt Marathon. After 25 years this was Jo Schindler’s final race as Race Director.
“I will continue to be available as an adviser. We have found a fantastic strategic partner in London Marathon Events, and in Holger Kranz we have a successor who is ideally placed to take the event to further heights,” said Jo Schindler.
Ethiopia's Jiranta Dinki wins the 43rd edition of the Mainova Frankfurt Marathon with a time of 2:05:26 on Sunday. Photo - Victah Sailer
The Women’s Race
The favourite, Zeineba Yimer, and debutant Blanka Dörfel took centre stage. The 28-year-old Ethiopian was in the lead right from the start, initially accompanied by her compatriot Siranesh Yirga. From the 30k mark onwards Yirga was no longer able to keep up with the pace.
Although Yimer had to fight hard in the final kilometres she crossed the line first to claim victory in 2:19:45. Her time is the sixth-fastest of a woman in the history of the race.
“I was hoping I would win. The weather was not on our side. The rain slowed me down, but I am very happy with my performance,” she said Zeineba Yimer.
The 24-year-old German Blanka Dörfel made a sensational debut in 2:20:46. Running with ease and a smooth stride, she broke away from a group of 10.
Then from the half marathon mark onwards, which she passed in 70:29, she dropped strong contenders like Betsy Saina (USA) and Marion Kibor (Kenya) and steadily closed the gap on the two leaders.
At the 33k mark Dörfel moved into second place and held on to this position until her triumphant finish. At times it looked as though she might even break the 2:20:00 mark.
“I am really happy. It is brilliant to have achieved a time of 2:20. The wet course was a challenge – I ended up with my feet in water plenty of times. I felt great right up to the half marathon mark, after that it got a little bit tougher. The last five kilometres were really hard for me. I ran without a watch as I do in training, going purely by how I feel, not by the time. It was always a bit of a mystery to me what time I could achieve.
It wasn’t until I was in the Festhalle that I saw the 2:20 and realised just how fast I was. I thought the crowd was brilliant. So many people were shouting ‘Blanka, run!’ It was a brilliant day,” she said.
German Blanka Dörfel made a sensational debut in 2:20:46 after running with ease and a smooth stride, breaking away from a group of 10. Photo - Victah Sailer
The Men’s Race
After the start the men’s leading group ran a pace that looked fine with regard to the German record. European Champion and World Championships’ runner-up Amanal Petros, who holds the record with 2:04:03, and Samuel Fitwi were aiming to break the mark. Richard Ringer was also running in the large leading group.
However it soon became clear that the unfavourable weather conditions would not make records possible. Already at the 10 k mark the split time of 29:55 suggested a finishing time of just over 2:06. The half marathon mark was then reached after 63:01.
What followed was not a blisteringly fast race but a very exciting one. It was Amanal Petros and Benard Biwott who upped the pace around 10 kilometres from the finish and managed to build up a small lead. At this point Samuel Fitwi, suffering from muscle problems, fell behind, whilst Richard Ringer tried to catch up with the two leading runners.
However, the 2022 European Champion was unable to catch up and subsequently fell further behind.
Meanwhile 24-year-old Jirata Dinki, who had started the race with a personal best of 2:08:18, did close the gap and joined the leaders around 37k.
Amanal Petros then launched another attack and it looked as though the European champion might win the race. Benard Biwott was beaten, but Jirata Dinki came back once again and took the initiative himself.
“I had not reckoned with him,” said Amanal Petros, who was finally forced to concede defeat with around two kilometres to go. Just two and a half months after an extremely gruelling European Championships’ race, the European champion lacked the strength to match the speed of Jirata Dinki.
“I gave it a go, but in that weather it was clear that a record was not going to happen. Then I suppose I attacked a bit too early – I will learn from that. Of course I would have liked to win, but that is how it goes in the marathon,” said Amanal Petros, who nevertheless finished second in 2:05:46, achieving by far the fastest time ever recorded by a German runner in the history of the Mainova Frankfurt Marathon.
“The weather was not ideal, so I started off more cautiously. But I was sure I would run a good race. This is a huge victory for me,” said Jirata Dinki, who celebrated by far the greatest success of his career in what was his third marathon.
Leading results from Sunday's Frankfurt Marathon:
Top Men’s Finishers:
1: Jirata Lelisa Denki (Ethiopia) — 2:05:26
2: Amanal Petros (Germany) — 2:05:46
3: Benard Kipkurui Biwott (Kenya) — 2:06:23
4: Haimro Alame (Israel) — 2:06:58
5: Richard Ringer (Germany) — 2:07:07
6: Abe Gashahun (Ethiopia) — 2:07:19
7: Samuel Fitwi (Germany) — 2:08:57
8: Amaniel Soquar Habtom (Eritrea) — 2:09:08
9: Adisu Negash (Ethiopia) — 2:10:33
10: Martin Zajic (Czech Republic) — 2:13:17
Top Women’s Finishers:
1: Zeineba Yimer Worku (Ethiopia) — 2:19:45
2: Blanka Dörfel (Germany) — 2:20:46
3: Beriha Gebreyohanes Gebreslasie (Ethiopia) — 2:22:46
10: Annabel Gummow (Great Britain) — 2:31:10
