Top international runners and the local elite promise great excitement at the major running event in Linz in 2024.
After last year's triple course record for the women, the elite race at the Oberbank Linz Donau Marathon once again has a lot to offer in 2024. In both the men's and women's races, the signs are once again pointing to national and international course records.
With a personal best of 2:05:28, the 1.78 m tall star runner from East Africa is the fastest athlete registered in Linz in 2024. In addition to his top time, Goitom Kifle also already has top placings at the World Championships and Olympic Games on his business card. At the 2020 Olympic Games (which did not take place until 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic), he finished in an outstanding 14th place, followed by an excellent 22nd place at the World Championships a year later in Eugene/Oregon. His training partner and manager Tadesse Abraham (himself the current Swiss record holder with 2:05:01, set last weekend as the winner of the Barcelona Marathon) believes the Linz course record is definitely possible. The time of 2:06:13 set by Fikre Bekele from Ethiopia in 2022 has to be beaten: "Goitom Kifle is in very good shape and will definitely and gladly accept the challenge of the course record in Linz." Incidentally, manager Abraham will also be traveling to Linz to get his athlete in the perfect mood for the race.
Goitom Kifle will be challenged by another very fast athlete from the East African region. Ibrahim Hassan Bouh already has a best performance of 2:06:43, the result of last year's victory at the Beppu Marathon in Japan. With a half marathon best of 59:41, Bouh currently holds two national records and is keen to improve on his marathon best. Just a few days ago, he proved his top form by finishing third at the Belgian International Half Marathon Championships in 60:42.
In the women's race, Rebecah Jeruto Cherop wants to finally secure victory in Linz this year. The 1.60 m tall exceptional athlete has set herself the goal of improving her top time of 2:29:13. She finished third in Linz in 2023 with a time of 2:30:04, but this year she clearly wants more. "I now know the course and know how I have to approach it to secure the fantastic winner's trophy. The course is fast and I hope to improve my best performance significantly," Rebecah says via her management.
Photos: Klaus Mitterhauser, Alamy Stock Photo, Alfred Nevsimal
