32nd City 12th April 2015 run vienna – enjoy classics

Vienna, 18th February 2015

Reigning champions and return to Vienna

Ready for memorable performances once again: Feleke wants to go faster than his course record of 2:05:41. Hahner eyes a place on the podium.

The two defending champions have opted to return to the Vienna City Marathon, which will be staged on 12th April. Ethiopia’s Getu Feleke and Germany’s Anna Hahner produced two of the most spectacular performances in the history of ’s biggest sporting event in 2014. While Feleke stormed to a brilliant course record of 2:05:41 Anna Hahner came from well behind in the final few kilometres to snatch victory. “After these memorable performances by Getu and Anna we are more than happy to welcome these two athletes back to the Vienna City Marathon. We are looking forward to another great race,” said Race Director Wolfgang Konrad. Adding other running events staged parallel to the marathon on 12th April organisers expect more than 40,000 entries once again. The Vienna City Marathon is an IAAF Gold Label Road Race.

Feleke in fine form, ready to chase course record

It will be already the third time that Getu Feleke competes in the Vienna City Marathon. It was here, where his marathon career began back in 2009. In a unique debutants’ only elite race the Ethiopian took seventh place with 2:11:42. With the exception of a ,did not finish’ in the London Olympics 2012 Feleke then always clocked sub 2:10 times. While he features a PB of 2:04:50 from Rotterdam 2012 the Ethiopian clocked his second fastest time in Vienna last year. Feleke, who had come back from an illness in 2014, was then unfortunate a couple of months later. Preparing for the in October an injury forced him to withdraw. However he showed that he has regained fine form when he was second in the Barcelona last Sunday. Clocking 60:45 he missed victory by just three seconds.

Both champions prepare themselves in Ethiopia

“My aim is to improve my Vienna course record,” said Getu Feleke. With around seven weeks to go before he will travel to the Austrian capital to defend his title the 28 year-old prepares in high altitude in Sululta for the Vienna City Marathon. It is by coincidence exactly the same venue near Addis Abeba where Anna Hahner currently trains as well. Together with twin sister Lisa she is in Ethiopia for the first time. The background is that Hahners are coached by Italian Renato Canova, who takes care of Kenenisa Bekele and other world-class runners in Ethiopia.

Biggest career win for Anna Hahner

“I am really looking forward to coming back to Vienna. Last year’s victory was a major step forward for me. The atmosphere was very special,” said Anna Hahner, who celebrated her biggest career win so far, when she clocked 2:28:59 in Vienna last April. With little over two kilometres to go she had been almost one and a half minutes behind Caroline Chepkwony. However the Kenyan badly faltered due to stomach problems and Hahner passed her with a few hundred metres to go.

32nd Vienna City Marathon 12th April 2015 run vienna – enjoy classics

Marathon races of Getu Feleke

Vienna 2009 2:11:42 7th place Amsterdam 2009 2:09:32 8th place Prague 2010 2:08:04 4th place Amsterdam 2010 2:05:44 1st place Rotterdam 2012 2:04:50 2nd place London 2012 (Olympics) DNF Rotterdam 2013 2:06:45 2nd place Vienna 2014 2:05:41 1st place

32nd Vienna City Marathon

Saturday, 11 April 2015 Coca-Cola 4.2 | for young runners from 10-18 Coca-Cola 2.0 | for young runners from 6-10

Sunday, 12 April 2015 Vienna City Marathon | 42.195 km OMV Half Marathon | 21.0975 km Stadion Center Relay Marathon | SOLD OUT

Breathtaking video of the Vienna City Marathon

A Flashmob at the VCM Friendship Party, the Music for “Ode to Joy” from Beethoven’s 9th Symphony and thrilling highlights from the Vienna City Marathon combine to a unique running video. Marathon, Emotion, Culture and the way sport can bring people together – everything is there. The video is a perfect symbol for the event’s motto: “run vienna – enjoy classics.” And how many runners have said: „Perfect video, 2015 I’m going to be there!“

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75CNY9TxTI0

Media Contact

Mr. Andreas Maier [email protected]