They were the main actors in the 41st Vienna Marathon

With better outdoor conditions than feared, the 41st Vienna City Marathon Once again to the running festival. With temperatures in the low single digits and sunshine, 35,000 runners started the marathon and its side events. The history of racing is primarily written by these six great athletes:

Sala Rekasa

The Ethiopian pulled away from the competition at 30km and appeared to be running smoothly siege. In 2:06:35 He missed Kenya's course record Samuel Mailu Clearly, who ran 2:05:08 the year before. Rekaza ran his first marathon WeenBut he knew the city: in 2019 he was one of Kenya's heartthrobs Eliot Kipchoge He stayed under 2 hours in the unofficial marathon.

Mario Bauernfeind and Peter Herzog

The two battled each other for the top Austrian title. On the main avenue, ÖLV record holder (2:10:06) Herzog let go of his opponent, Bauernfeind (“Everything was perfect!”) crossing the finish line in 2:14:19 as 15th and third best European. Herzog finished 19th in 2:15:29 and, after not having the best preparation, said of himself with satisfaction: “Today I can call myself a marathon runner again.”

Nazareth Weld

At the end, the 34-year-old sank to his knees to pray and then burst into tears. Nasred Weld won the women's event in 2:24:08, the first VCM victory for a woman from Eritrea. Like Regasa, Weld won with a large lead, with second-placed Kenyan Beit Sepkoch 2:14 minutes behind.

Julia Mayer

The 31-year-old sent hearts racing to the spectators and crossed the finish line with screams of joy, although his 2:31:25 clocked almost five minutes off the record he had set in Valencia. “I'm very happy and incredibly proud of my body and especially my head,” she said. The aim was to keep up with the European leaders in the field where he achieved second best European. “I got my period again through hormones. I knew then that it would be a tough game. However, on the positive side, “in August, when it counts 100 percent, it will be exactly hormones.” Then we will start the Olympic marathon in Paris.

Timo Hinderdorfer

The only 19-year-old Viennese (above in the larger picture) braved the best runners, then turned around at the half-marathon finish to win the race in a personal best time of 1:03:05. Notable: Two weeks ago (!) Hinterdorfer won the Linz Half Marathon in 1:03:25. The appearance promises better things for the young runner's life.