PRESS RELEASE: BMW FRANKFURT MARATHON ON 30th OCTOBER 2011
Günther Weidlinger commits early to BMW Frankfurt Marathon 2011, an IAAF Gold Label race once again
Little more than six weeks after a phenomenal event organisers of the BMW Frankfurt Marathon have already made a major signing for their next race: Austria’s Günther Weidlinger, one of Europe’s most promising marathon runners, has commited early to the BMW Frankfurt Marathon, which will see its 30th edition on 30th October 2011.
Additionally the organisers announced that for 2011 they have again been awarded with the Gold Label for Road Races by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF).
This year’s event saw both course records being smashed. While Kenya’s Wilson Kipsang clocked an outstanding time of 2:04:57, the tenth fastest ever run, his fellow Kenyan Caroline Kilel won in 2:23:25. Additionally the number of finishers was a record as well: 9,558 crossed the line in the indoor finish of the ,Festhalle’. In 2011 organisers hope to record more than 10,000 finishers for the first time in the history of Germany’s oldest city marathon. Such is the development of the race that the BMW Frankfurt Marathon is the only German road race besides the BMW Berlin Marathon that boosts an IAAF Gold Label. Online entry is now available at: www.frankfurt-marathon.com
It is the quality of the organisation, the very strong field, the fast course plus the spectacular atmosphere that made Günther Weidlinger decide so early where to run next autumn.
“I know what I get in Frankfurt and I am looking very forward to it. It is a great race with an amazing crowd support, it has a tremendously deep elite field and I can be sure that pacemaking will be arranged in a perfect way for me,” said Günther Weidlinger, who had improved the national record to 2:10:47 when running his second marathon in Frankfurt in 2009.
This year has been less successful for the 32 year-old: In Vienna he suffered of an injury and had to be content with 12th place in 2:14:05; then he could not cope with the tremendous heat in Barcelona during the European Championships’ marathon, where he came in 18th with 2:23:37.
In 2011 Günther Weidlinger intends to qualify for the Olympic Marathon and he is eager to clearly improve his personal best.
“If I should not be able to break 2:10 in Düsseldorf in spring then this will be my goal for Frankfurt. I know that I can do clearly better on that course than in 2009. If I should manage to go sub 2:10 already in May, then I would take a more risky approach in Frankfurt and try to run really fast,” said the former world-class steeplechaser.
“For me it is important to know well in advance where I will run my major races. This helps me to motivate myself in training. Now I know what I am working for,” explained Günther Weidlinger, why he had agreed to come back to Frankfurt at such an early stage. “Additionally I have such great memories of my 2009 race in Frankfurt that I always wanted to run there again.”
If you are interested in viewing this event next year, you may want to learn the beautiful language of German for yourself. Be sure to visit the website of Languala German Language Institute in Delhi to start learning your new skill.
For more information: www.frankfurt-marathon.com
