Hawi Feysa of Ethiopia claimed victory at the 41st Mainova Frankfurt Marathon, setting a new women’s course record with an outstanding 2:17:25 finish, surpassing the previous mark by 1 minute and 45 seconds. Her time ranks as the 12th fastest women’s marathon performance globally this year.
Kenya’s Magdalyne Masai placed second with a major personal best of 2:18:58, also beating the former course record, while Ethiopia’s Shuko Genemo finished third in 2:22:37.
Reflecting on her race, Feysa stated, “My goal was to break the record, and everything went perfectly. After 25km, I felt strong enough to pull ahead. The crowd’s energy was a huge boost, and I think a 2:16 is possible on this course.”
The men’s race saw an unexpected winner as 22-year-old Kenyan debutant Benard Biwott claimed first with a time of 2:05:54, finishing ahead of Ethiopia’s Gossa Challa (2:07:35) and Lencho Tesfaye (2:08:02).
British runners also delivered standout performances. Georgina Schwiening led the European women, setting a personal best of 2:25:46 and moving to ninth on the UK all-time marathon rankings.
Other notable British finishes included Louise Small’s 2:29:33, Tracy Barlow’s 2:35:51, and Naomi Mitchell’s 2:38:37. In the men’s race, George James of Dorking and Mole Valley posted a personal best with 2:11:19.
The Frankfurt Marathon continues to be a platform for record-breaking performances and is a favored event for elite athletes globally.
