That is the story of the 2025 Gutenburg Mainz Half Marathon in Mainz, Germany. The story is from Race Information Companies and pictures by Norbert Wilhelmi.
GUTENBERG MAINZ HALF MARATHON
Robust course data by James Kipkurui and Esther Chemtai in Mainz
Robust course data had been established on the Gutenberg Mainz Half Marathon: Debutant James Kipkurui was the shock winner with 60:50 and fellow-Kenyan Esther Chemtai took the ladies’s race with 68:52. With these outcomes the race confirmed its place because the at present second quickest half marathon in Germany behind Berlin. Organisers registered 8,500 entries for the half marathon. Including occasions at shorter distances the overall was 13,700 athletes.
After some very quick preliminary kilometers, when the main group was on track for a sub one hour ending time, the tempo calmed down. A gaggle of six males then reached the 10k level in 28:35, which pointed in the direction of a 60:20 time. Surprisingly it was the 23-year-old debutant James Kipkurui, who broke away from the group earlier than the 15k mark. In good climate situations the Kenyan prolonged his lead. The newcomer, who was unknown internationally, improved the course document by eleven seconds to 60:50 and achieved the primary end result beneath 61:00 in Mainz. “This victory comes as a shock to me. My subsequent purpose now’s to enhance my time to round 59 minutes,“ stated James Kipkurui, who comes from the broader Eldoret space (Eldama Ravine). The 1992 Olympic 3,000 m steeplechase champion Matthew Birir is a part of his teaching group in Kenya.
Germany’s marathon document holder Samuel Fitwi (2:04:56) moved up from third to second in the course of the ultimate two kilometers and crossed the road as runner-up with 61:22, lacking his private finest by simply 5 seconds. “I’m proud of second place, though I used to be unable to run sub 61 as we speak. The course is actually good and the ambiance was implausible,“ stated Samuel Fitwi. Kenya’s Joshua Kithuku was third with 61:24.
Within the ladies’s race three athletes reached the 10k mark in 32:36, which was 68:45 tempo. Esther Chemtai, fellow-Kenyan Rency Kogo, who ran her half marathon debut, and Belgium’s Hanne Verbruggen fashioned the main trio whereas Domenika Mayer of Germany started to free contact on this part of the race. Quickly afterwards the 2 Kenyans dropped Hanne Verbruggen as nicely. Working behind Rency Kogo for the a while Esther Chemtai then moved forward with two kilometers to go. Successful in 68:52 she was nearly a minute sooner than the earlier course document of 69:46. Behind the 31 year-old Rency Kogo took second with 69:04 and Hanne Verbruggen adopted in third in 69:43. This was a giant private finest for the Belgian who broke 70 minutes for the primary time.
“It was solely my second half marathon and my first time beneath 70 minutes. Now I wish to enhance to round 67:00. I’ll run a marathon sooner or later, however first I wish to get sooner within the half marathon,“ stated Esther Chemtai, who trains within the Ngong Hills close to Nairobi. Again in 2010 she was the bronze medallist on the World Junior Cross Nation Championships.
Fourth positioned Domenika Mayer was the fourth girl to clock a sub 70:00 time in Mainz on Sunday. With 69:56 the German ran her second quickest time ever and missed her PB by simply ten seconds. “However this was not my day. Proper from the start I used to be by no means capable of finding any rhythm. At some stage I didn’t even count on to complete,“ stated Domenika Mayer.
Outcomes, Males:
1. James Kipkurui KEN 60:50
2. Samuel Fitwi GER 61:22
3. Joshua Kithuku KEN 61:24
4. Nickson Kogei KEN 62:15
5. Calistus Kitoo KEN 62:19
Girls:
1. Esther Chemtai KEN 68:52
2. Rency Kogo KEN 69:04
3. Hanne Verbruggen BEL 69:43
4. Domenika Mayer GER 69:56
5. Rita Jelagat KEN 71:44
Extra info is obtainable on-line at: www.halbmarathon-mainz.de
Please word: The hooked up pictures, displaying the winners, can be utilized solely along side this press launch and with the next credit score: Norbert Wilhelmi
