The 24-year-old ran without a watch to finish second in the second-fastest time by a German woman, while Amanal Petros was beaten by 20 seconds in the men’s race.

Ethiopia’s Jirata Dinki and Zeineba Yimer won the 43rd Mainova Frankfurt Marathon on Sunday (October 25) in 2:05:26 and 2:19:45, but it was Germany’s Blanka Dörfel who produced the performance of the day.

Dörfel, 24, ran 2:20:46 on her marathon debut to finish second, the second-fastest time ever by a German woman and the eighth-fastest by a European. She did it in wet and windy conditions that made records impossible. Ethiopia’s Beriha Gebreslasie was third in 2:22:46.

Women’s race

Yimer, 28, the favourite, led from the start, initially accompanied by her compatriot Siranesh Yirga. Yirga could not hold the pace beyond 30km and Yimer had to fight hard in the final kilometres to win in 2:19:45, the sixth-fastest time by a woman in the history of the race.

“I was hoping I would win,” said Yimer. “The weather was not on our side. The rain slowed me down, but I am very happy with my performance.”

Dörfel ran with ease and a smooth stride, breaking away from a group of ten. After passing halfway in 70:29 she dropped strong contenders including Betsy Saina of the USA and Kenya’s Marion Kibor, and steadily closed the gap on the two leaders. She moved into second place at 33km and held on to the finish, at times looking as though she might even break 2:20:00.

“I am really happy. It is brilliant to have achieved a time of 2:20,” said Dörfel. “The wet course was a challenge – I ended up with my feet in water plenty of times. I felt great right up to the half marathon mark, after that it got a little bit tougher. The last five kilometres were really hard for me.

“I ran without a watch as I do in training, going purely by how I feel, not by the time. It was always a bit of a mystery to me what time I could achieve. It wasn’t until I was in the Festhalle that I saw the 2:20 and realised just how fast I was. I thought the crowd was brilliant. So many people were shouting ‘Blanka, run!’ It was a brilliant day.”

Men’s race

The leading men’s group set off at a pace that looked fine for the German record of 2:04:03, held by the European champion and world championships silver medallist Amanal Petros, who was aiming to beat it alongside Samuel Fitwi. Richard Ringer was also in the big leading group. The weather soon made it clear that records were out of the question, however. They reached 10km in 29:55 and halfway in 1:03:01.

Petros and Kenya’s Benard Biwott, the 2024 winner, increased the pace about 10km from the finish and built a small lead. Fitwi, suffering with muscle problems, fell back and Ringer, the 2022 European champion, failed to catch the leading pair. Dinki, 24, who started with a PB of 2:08:18, closed the gap and joined them at about 37km.

Petros launched another attack and it looked as though he might win. Biwott was beaten, but Dinki came back and took the initiative, and Petros was forced to concede defeat with about two kilometres to go. Only two and a half months after a gruelling European Championships race, the German lacked the strength to match Dinki’s speed.

“I had not reckoned with him,” said Petros, who finished second in 2:05:46, by far the fastest time by a German in the history of the race. “I gave it a go, but in that weather it was clear that a record was not going to happen. Then I suppose I attacked a bit too early – I will learn from that. Of course I would have liked to win, but that is how it goes in the marathon.”

Petros is the first German to make the podium in the men’s race for more than 25 years. Biwott was third in 2:06:23, with Ringer and Fitwi fifth and seventh in 2:07:07 and 2:08:57.

“The weather was not ideal, so I started off more cautiously,” said Dinki. “But I was sure I would run a good race. This is a huge victory for me.” It was by far the biggest success of his career, in what was only his third marathon.

Schindler bows out

A record 19,720 runners from 128 nations entered the race, which was Jo Schindler’s last as race director after 25 years. “I will continue to be available as an adviser,” he said. “We have found a fantastic strategic partner in London Marathon Events, and in Holger Kranz we have a successor who is ideally placed to take the event to further heights.”

Results

Men
1 Jirata Dinki (ETH) 2:05:26
2 Amanal Petros (GER) 2:05:46
3 Benard Biwott (KEN) 2:06:23

Women
1 Zeineba Yimer (ETH) 2:19:45
2 Blanka Dörfel (GER) 2:20:46
3 Beriha Gebreslasie (ETH) 2:22:46