Ethiopians Dinki, Yimer win Frankfurt Marathon; Germany’s Dörfel runs 2:20:46 in debut

Ethiopians Jirata Dinki and Zeineba Yimer won the 43rd Mainova Frankfurt Marathon on Sunday in 2:05:26 and 2:19:45, respectively.

But the performance of the day belonged to Germany’s Blanka Dörfel. The 24-year-old finished second in her marathon debut in 2:20:46, the second-fastest time ever run by a German woman and the eighth-fastest by a European, despite wet and windy conditions for much of the race. Ethiopia’s Beriha Gebreslasie was third in 2:22:46.

In the men’s race, German Amanal Petros, the reigning European champion, was second in 2:05:46, becoming the first German man to reach the podium in Frankfurt in more than 25 years. Kenya’s Benard Biwott, the 2024 winner, was third in 2:06:23. Germans Richard Ringer and Samuel Fitwi placed fifth and seventh in 2:07:07 and 2:08:57.

A record 19,720 runners from 128 countries entered the event. It was the last race for longtime race director Jo Schindler, who is stepping down after 25 years. Holger Kranz succeeds him, and the event has a new strategic partner in London Marathon Events.

Women’s race

Yimer, the 28-year-old favourite, led from the start, initially alongside countrywoman Siranesh Yirga, who fell back after the 30-kilometre mark. Yimer struggled over the final kilometres but held on for the win, the sixth-fastest women’s time in race history.

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

Dörfel broke from a lead group of 10 and passed the half-marathon mark in 70:29, dropping contenders including American Betsy Saina and Kenya’s Marion Kibor. She moved into second at 33 kilometres and held the position to the finish, at one point appearing to have a shot at breaking 2:20.

“It is brilliant to have achieved a time of 2:20,” Dörfel said. “The wet course was a challenge — I ended up with my feet in water plenty of times.” She ran without a watch, she said, and didn’t see her time until she entered the Festhalle. “So many people were shouting ‘Blanka, run!’”

Men’s race

The lead pack went out at a pace that suggested a run at Petros’s German record of 2:04:03, with Petros and Fitwi both targeting the mark. But the weather quickly made that unrealistic. The 10-kilometre split was 29:55, and the group reached the half-marathon mark in 1:03:01.

Petros and Biwott surged with about 10 kilometres to go and opened a small gap. Fitwi, hampered by muscle problems, fell back, and Ringer, the 2022 European champion, was unable to close the gap. Dinki, 24, who came in with a personal best of 2:08:18, bridged to the leaders around the 37-kilometre mark.

Petros made another move that dropped Biwott, but Dinki responded and took control, pulling away with about two kilometres left.

“I had not reckoned with him,” Petros said. He said he may have attacked too early, adding: “I will learn from that.” The race came just 2 1/2 months after the European Championships.

Petros’s time is by far the fastest ever by a German in Frankfurt.

“This is a huge victory for me,” said Dinki, who was running only his third marathon.