Kenya’s Nehemiah Kipyegon and Ethiopia’s Asmare Assefa emerged victorious in their marathon debuts at the 38th Generali Munich Marathon, as rain and wind created challenging conditions for the 6,250 participants.
Kipyegon made an impressive marathon debut, winning the men’s race in 2:10:02. The 22-year-old Kenyan dominated the race from start to finish, despite the tough weather and lack of pacemakers. His time was the fourth fastest in the event’s history, and his performance stands out as remarkable given his inexperience in the marathon, a distance usually dominated by seasoned athletes.
“This is my biggest win so far, and I believe I can run 2:05 in the future,” Kipyegon said after the race, confident in his ability to achieve even faster times.
Ethiopian marathon debutant Siyum Tola took second place with a time of 2:15:29, while Kenya’s Benard Chumba came in third, crossing the line in 2:19:00.
Kipyegon, who had recently set a personal best of 60:34 in the half marathon in Copenhagen, took control of the race early on, passing the halfway point in 1:04:13 with just two other runners close behind—Siyum Tola and Kenya’s William Kibor. Kibor, however, was forced to slow down due to muscle issues, finishing further back in 2:26:13. Kipyegon then surged ahead between the 24th and 26th kilometers, dropping Tola and maintaining his lead all the way to the finish.
In the women’s race, Asmare Assefa made her European marathon debut one to remember, winning in 2:29:34, her personal best, and the second-fastest winning time in Munich Marathon history. Assefa passed Kenya’s Shamilah Kipsiror in the final kilometers to secure the victory. Kipsiror, who led much of the race, finished second in 2:34:01, while Ethiopia’s Gelane Senbete claimed third place in 2:35:44.
Assefa, who had previously only competed in Africa, stayed close behind Kipsiror for the first half of the race, crossing the midway point together in 1:13:34. The race turned after the 27-kilometer mark when heavy rain intensified, and Assefa made her move to take the lead. Kipsiror, struggling with fatigue, collapsed after crossing the finish line and required medical assistance.
“I stayed just behind Shamilah for much of the race and felt strong, but the worsening weather made it tough toward the end. I believe I could have run three minutes faster in better conditions,” Assefa reflected. “I’d love to come back next year and run this race again.”
Despite the adverse weather, Kipyegon and Assefa both delivered standout performances that signal bright futures for them in marathon running.
