Volkswagen Prague Marathon Preview

by Brett Larner

Japan's Yuki Kawauchi (Saitama Pref. Gov't) will run Sunday's Volkswagen Prague Marathon with support from JRN in preparation for August's London World Championships marathon. At the pre-race press conference organizers expressed their hopes of seeing a 2:06 men's race, led by past 2:06 men Lani Kiplagat Ruto and Frankline Chepkwony of Kenya. For his part Kawauchi said that his goal is to break his 2:08:14 PB dating back to 2013. "I haven't broken my PB for four years, so I'm here to run 2:07," he said.

Organizers were even more optimistic about the potential outcome of the women's race, which features 2:20 women Feyse Tadese and Amane Beriso, two other Ethiopians with bests under 2:23, and 1:07:50 half marathoner Valary Jemeli Aiyabei. With the quality of field assemble, favorable weather conditions and the split timing and finish time projection system devised by Dr. Helmut Winter and used at the London, Berlin, Chicago and Dubai Marathons in place for the women, the hope is that Prague will see its first-ever women's 2:19 clocking. At the very least an update to the 2:22:34 course record looks to be in the works.

Volkswagen Prague Marathon Elite Field Highlights
Prague, Czech Republic, 5/7/17
times listed are athlete's best within last three years except where noted

Men
Lani Kiplagat Rutto (Kenya) - 2:06:34
Frankline Chepkwony (Kenya) - 2:06:51
Bazu Worku (Ethiopia) - 2:07:09
Stephen Kwelio Chemlany (Kenya) - 2:07:37
Gebrstsadik Abraha (Ethiopia) - 2:08:17
Raymont Choge (Kenya) - 2:08:39
Evans Kipkosgei Ruto (Kenya) - 2:08:55
Yuki Kawauchi (Japan) - 2:09:01
Oleksandr Sitkovskyy (Ukraine) - 2:09:11
Laban Kipkemboi Mutai (Kenya) - 2:09:16
Mekuant Ayenew (Ethiopia) - 2:09:23
Salah Eddine Bounasr (Morocco) - 2:10:25
Benson Kipruto (Kenya) - 2:13:24
Moses Mengich (Kenya) - 2:14:04
Edwin Kemboi (Austria) - 2:14:05
Nicolas Cuestas (Uruguay) - 2:15:31

Debut
Geoffrey Kipyego (Kenya) - 1:02:39
Said ait Addi (Morocco) - 1:03:25
Fred Musobo (Uganda) - 1:03:31
Blair Morgan (Canada) - 1:05:55

Women
Feyse Tadese (Ethiopia) - 2:20:27
Amane Beriso (Ethiopia) - 2:20:48
Mulu Seboka (Ethiopia) - 2:21:56
Tadelech Bekele (Ethiopia) - 2:22:51
Valary Jemeli Aiyabei (Kenya) - 2:24:48
Hirut Tibebu (Ethiopia) - 2:25:12
Sarah Jebet (Kenya) - 2:27:07
Beatrice Toroitich (Kenya) - 2:30:35
Rosa Chacha (Ecuador) - 2:35:39

Debut
Carlo Salome Rocha (Portugal) - 1:13:01
Sonia Cekini (Greece) - 1:16:08

text and photo © 2017 Brett Larner
all rights reserved

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