AFRICAN SPORTS MONTHLY
'Sports is our Business'
  • Home
  • NEWS
  • Radio
  • TV

VIENNA CITY MARATHON ON SUNDAY 12th April: Anna Hahner prepared in Bekele’s training camp for another duel with Caroline Chepkwony in Vienna

4/9/2015

0 Comments

 
Picture
Photo Credit: www.photorun.net

With a different tactical approach Caroline Chepkwony hopes to succeed at her second attempt in Sunday’s Vienna City Marathon. The Kenyan had a big lead a year ago, but then faltered in the final stages and was overtaken by Anna Hahner. The German winner from 2014 is back in Vienna as well to defend her title. “It has always been my priority to return to the Vienna City Marathon as a defending champion. You never know how ofter you get the opportunity to start a race wearing bib number 1. This is a great motivation for me,” said Anna Hahner. With seven runners featuring personal bests between 2:25 and 2:30 a thrilling women’s contest is on the cards. The Vienna City Marathon is an IAAF Gold Label Road Race.


“I have of course superb memories of last year’s race. So it feels really great to be back in Vienna,” said Anna Hahner during today’s press conference. The 25 year-old, who ran 2:28:59 a year ago and then improved her personal best to 2:26:44 in last year’s Berlin Marathon, caused a major upset when she won the Vienna City Marathon. This year the set-up is different. “I am the defending champion, so yes, I belong to the favourites. I look forward to the race and I am ready,” said Anna Hahner, who is coached by Renato Canova. Since the Italian became the coach of Kenenisa Bekele last autumn the training base was switched from Kenya to Ethiopia. Anna Hahner went there this winter for almost six weeks together with her twin sister Lisa.

“It was an inspiring experience to train together with the Ethiopian world-class runners,” said Anna Hahner. However it was a bit adventurous as well. “We stayed at Kenenisa’s new training camp in Sululta. Sometimes the electricity or the water would go off. Once we had no water for one and a half days. But we still enjoyed it and had great conditions for training,” said Anna Hahner, whose twin sister was very unlucky when they ran a 10 k test race after returning from Ethiopia. Lisa’s spring season is all over after she suffered a stress fracture in her left leg. “It was really bad luck for Lisa and I feel very sorry for her. We are together a lot and we always stay positive.”

A podium finish is the aim for Anna Hahner on Sunday. The fastest third placer in the history of the Vienna City Marathon was Kenya’s Peninah Arusei who ran 2:27:17. From the statistics’ point of view Anna Hahner should have a good chance of reaching that goal. “I can not really compare my form to last year since the training was different. But we have done more sessions running more than 40 k than before.” A time in the range of around 2:28 is a goal since the German national qualifying standard for the Olympics is expected to be between 2:28:30 and 2:29:00. “I want to show early that I am ready for Rio,” said Anna Hahner.

During her final preparations for the Vienna City Marathon she watched the video of last year’s race. “I like films with a happy end – and this was one for me of course,” she joked. Caroline Chepkwony will be less keen to see last year’s film again. “I had stomach cramps in the final part of the race and I nearly collapsed”, recalled the 30 year-old Kenyan, who just managed to finish second in 2:29:18 and needed medical treatment afterwards.

While she broke away relatively early during last year’s race Caroline Chepkwony intends to go for a different approach this time. “I expect a good competition. I can not say that I will win, but I hope to do well and to break my personal best.” Back in 2013 she won the Ljubljana Marathon with 2:27:27.

There are a couple of other women who have the potential to do well on Sunday. Fate Tola of Ethiopia is the fastest in the field with a personal best of 2:25:14. However the Vienna City Marathon Champion from 2011 and 2012 will run her first marathon after maternity leave and might not be in top shape yet. Switzerland’s Maja Neuenschwander hopes to improve her personal best of 2:29:49 while Esther Chemtai is one of the favourites. The Kenyan has a PB of 2:28:41.

Women’s main contenders with personal bests

Fate Tola ETH 2:25:14
Anna Hahner GER 2:26:44
Caroline Chepkwony KEN 2:27:27
Esther Chemtai KEN 2:28:41
Noriko Higuchi JPN 2:28:49
Rene Kalmer RSA 2:29:27
Maja Neuenschwander SUI 2:29:42
Agnes Mutune KEN 2:33:34


By: Editor
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    January 2023
    December 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    September 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    June 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    December 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013

    Menu

    All
    2014 FIFA World Cup
    Athletics
    Basketball
    Boxing
    Commonwealth Games
    Cricket
    Golf
    Hockey
    Marathons
    News
    Olympics
    Rugby
    Soccer
    Spotlight
    Tennis
    Track And Field
    Volleyball
    Women Soccer
    Wrestling


    Picture

    RSS Feed


    Tweets by ASMONTHLY

Tweet to @ASMONTHLY

Contact Us

    Contact Us

Submit

Donate & Support Our Efforts at African Sports Media Network