Comeback at Haspa Marathon Hamburg, Haile Gebrselassie will start the 4th May in Hamburg
Hamburg, 4 February 2014. In the first moment there was silence in the press room of the new event-sponsor Hanseatic health insurance (HEK), as athletes Manager Jurrie van der Velden presented a life-size image of the running legend from Ethiopia, drawn on soft foam board, at a press conference a.
“Yes, Haile will start in Hamburg!”, then assured Haspa Marathon boss Frank Thaleiser and continued: “And he wants to crack the Masters World Record.”
Four-time world champion and two-time Olympic champion Haile Gebrselassie plans his marathon debut at the Hanseatic City to undercut the age group world record of 2:08:46 of in 2003.
In addition to the soon 41 years old exceptional runner who successfully battled a marathon latest in 2012, the Kenyan Martin Lel Kiptoo whose marathon participation also dates back two years, will start in Hamburg.
Also Germany’s best long distance runner Sören Kah will give a comeback on 4th May. A knee problem and surgeries negatively influenced his career in 2013 “… but now it´s fine that I’m able to train again and concentrate fully on Hamburg. My ultimate goal is to succeed the standard of 2:12:30 to provide for the European Championships in Zurich. Hamburg with its fast track and the great atmosphere provides ideal conditions for this . ”
While the Organiser will profile the 2014 Edition to the elite as a “comeback” platform, the process of subscribers´ growth, launched two years ago, continues to bear fruit.
“Three months before the event we have over 15 percent more than at the same date last year, with nearly 14,400 reported marathoners. Noteworthy is also the increase of foreign participants – currently well over 3,000 – that can be traced back to the increased international reputation of the event, ” said chief organizer Frank Thaleiser.
