Chasing record times

17,000 participants take part in the Linz Marathon

17,000 participants are expected in Linz.(Bild: GEPA pictures)

Around 17,000 runners will take part in the Linz Marathon this weekend - at a forecast 27 degrees. Both the men's and women's course records are expected to be broken, says organizer Günther Weidlinger. 

Seven athletes with personal bests under 2:08:00 will be taking part, he announced at a press conference on Wednesday.

Goitom Kifle Andebrhan favorite
In the men's race, the hopes for the course record rest on Goitom Kifle Andebrhan from Eritrea with a personal best of 2:05:28. His strongest opponent will be Dejene Debela Gonfa from Ethiopia - personal best: 2:05:46 - expects Weidlinger. Ibrahim Hassan Bouh from Djibouti and Samuel Tsegay Tesfamariam from Sweden could also be among the front runners. The course record set by Ethiopian Fikre Bekele in 2022 is 2:06:13.

In the women's race, a duel between the Kenyans Rebecah Jeruto Cherop and Sharon Kemboi is to be expected, both with the exact same personal best of 2:29:13. "Both have announced that they want to run a course record," says Weidlinger. In the women's race, Teclah Chebet's time of 2:27:18 from last year will have to be beaten.

Rebecah Jeruto Cherop(Bild: GEPA pictures)

This year's Linz Marathon is also about Austrian national championship titles. Andreas Vojta, who wants to qualify for the Olympic Games in Paris, is the favorite here. Three participants - Heinz Jagemann, Ewald Eder and Wolfgang Tronegger - can use the title "Super Gold Runner", as they have finished all 21 Linz Marathons so far. The Red Cross recommends that all runners drink enough in view of the forecast summer weather.

1,244 runners over the full distance
16,777 entries have been received so far, and Wolfgang Scheibner, marathon coordinator of the Linz event company LIVA, is convinced that the 17,000 mark will be broken with the late entries. 1,244 of the athletes are registered for the full distance, 3,912 for the half marathon and 1,732 for the new "Generali 5K" over 5,000 meters. In addition to the marathon, half marathon and "5K", there will also be a children's run, a Special Olympics Run, a handbike and inline skating half marathon as well as quarter and relay marathons. The children's races will be held on Saturday, the adult races on Sunday. The starts will be staggered from 8.00 am, with the main competition beginning at 9.30 am. The organizers are proud to have been certified as a Green Event.