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Ambassador Valerie Rugene, Deputy Head of Kenya’s Mission in Vienna, Austria, leads in song and dance to celebrate the Kenyan podium finishes in Austrian capital

Vienna, Austria:

Haftamu Abadi and Betty Chepkemoi were the surprise winners of the 42nd Vienna City Marathon on Sunday, both having achieved huge personal bests in almost freezing conditions, running only their second race at the classic distance.

Ethiopia’s Abadi clocked two hours, eight minutes and 28 seconds and improved bis PB by over two minutes with Kenya’s Mica Cheserek second in 2:10:23 and Ethiopia’s debutant Mogos Tuemay third with 2:10:33. 

Betty Chepkemoi smashed her PB by over 10 minutes when she won Austria’s major road running event in 2:24:14. 

Fellow-Kenyans Rebecca Tanui and Catherine Cherotich took second and third with 2:25:18 and 2:25:45 respectively, throwing the streets of Vienna into one huge Kenyan party led by Ambassador Valerie Rugene, the Deputy Head of Kenya’s Mission in Vienna, Austria, who led in song and dance to celebrate the Kenyan podium finishes.

In the men’s race, six of the top 10 finishers were Kenyan, with four of the top six women finishers also Kenyan with Faith Chepkoech (2:30:00) winding up fifth as Germany’s Fabienne Königstein in fourth (2:28:49) broke what would have been a Kenyan 1-2-3-4 triumph.

Organisers of the Vienna City Marathon, which is an World Athletics Elite Label Road Race, registered a record total of 46,083 athletes from 146 nations. Among them were 12,968 marathon runners which is the highest number in the history of the race as well. 

With a temperature of two degrees Celsius at the start it was the coldest Vienna City Marathon for decades. Only once in the long history of the race has an even lower temperature been recorded: Back in 1986 it was just below zero. In 1996 there was snow, but it was still warmer than today.

Any hopes for records and fast times were ruined before the start. That showed early in the race when the men reached the 5k mark. 

Their 15:06 split time pointed towards a 2:07:20 finishing time. The pace stayed in the 2:07 to 2:08 region for large parts of the race. 

When the leading group came through the half marathon in 63:32 there were four runners still behind pacemaker Laban Chepkorom: Haftamu Abadi and fellow-Ethiopian Mogos Tuemay as well as the Kenyans Edward Koonyo and Asbel Rutto. 

Before the 25k mark Koonyo lost contact and around 28k the Ethiopian dropped Rutto as well. Abadi, who was the only one in the group to run with gloves, ear protection and a shirt with long sleeves, then moved ahead at 29k and quickly build a commanding lead. 

“I had prepared well for this race and when I came here I hoped to be able to run a time in the region of 2:05 to 2:06. However it was not possible in this weather,“ said 21-year-old Haftamu Abadi, who was the youngest runner in the elite field. 

The Ethiopian, who ran a 2:10:33 debut in Berlin last year, celebrated his biggest career win so far in Vienna. “I hope there will be no wind in my next marathon, then I can further improve my PB.“

Women much slower

The women were running much slower than originally planned as well. In the ice cold conditions – the temperature at the start felt like minus 5 Celsius – they passed 5k in 17:24, indicating a 2:27 finishing time. 

They did pick up the pace a bit from then on, but there was no chance to get anywhere near split times in the region of a sub 2:23 pace or even the 2:20:59 course record. 

Shortly before the half marathon point the Kenyan trio of Betty Chepkemoi, Rebecca Tanui and Catherine Cherotich had build a lead which they then increased. 

They stayed together until six kilometers from the finish, when Chepkemoi broke away and went on to win the race. 

“I am of course very happy to have won and it is an impressive personal best for me,“ said Betty Chepkemoi, who ran her 2:34:52 marathon debut in Istanbul last year. 

“It was not easy in these cold conditions and without pacemakers during the second half. I think I will be able to run faster in the future.“

Fabienne Königstein produced a solid performance: Just four weeks after running 2:28:20 in Nagoya she clocked 2:28:49 for fourth place. 

“I have given everything, it was really tough. But I am happy and looking forward to an autumn marathon,“ said the German.

Five-kilometre race

Timo Hinterndorfer breaks course record in Vienna’s upcoming 5k race

Vienna’s 5k race on the eve of the Vienna City Marathon continuous to flourish. 

A record number of over 4,000 runners were registered for the third edition of the race which is staged on the Ringstraße in the heart of the Austrian capital and has the same finish as the Vienna City Marathon. 

Despite strong winds Timo Hinterndorfer broke the course record with a winning time of 14:17. 

Fellow-Austrian Markus Reißelhuber took second with 14:51 and Thys Moreau of Belgium was third in 15:00. 

In the women’s race New Zealand’s Sophie Hicks beat a group of strong Austrian youngsters. Hicks crossed the line in 16:20, followed by Cordula Lassacher. The 21 year-old Austrian, who holds multiple records in the under 23 age group, clocked 16:27. 

Fellow-Austrian Lena Millonig, who was the defending champion, took third in 16:35. (VCM)

Leading results from Sunday’s Vienna City Marathon:

Men:

1. Haftamu Abadi ETH 2:08:28

2. Mica Cheserek KEN 2:10:23

3. Mogos Tuemay ETH 2:10:33

4. Asbel Rutto KEN 2:11:37

5. Edward Koonyo KEN 2:12:29

6. Geoffrey Koech KEN 2:12:31

7. Justus Kangogo KEN 2:13:25

8. Felix Kurui KEN 2:14:36

Women:

1. Betty Chepkemoi KEN 2:24:14

2. Rebecca Tanui KEN 2:25:18

3. Catherine Cherotich KEN 2:25:45

4. Fabienne Königstein GER 2:28:49

5. Faith Chepkoech KEN 2:30:00

6. Nora Szabo HUN 2:30:31

7. Risper Chebet KEN 2:32:39

8. Eva Wutti AUT 2:37:43