The three fastest German marathon runners of all time, Amanal Petros, Samuel Fitwi and Richard Ringe,r will face strong challengers at the Mainova Frankfurt Marathon on October 25. They will compete together in a marathon for the first time and will be in a field featuring the winner of the 2024 race, Benard Biwott, who returns. A number of international elite runners for the women’s field were also announced. Ethiopia’s Zeineba Yimer heads the start list and is one of three runners who have personal bests under 2:20:00. Germany’s Blanka Dörfel will make her marathon debut.
“Obviously, there will be much focus on our three German top runners in Frankfurt. However, we are not presenting them with a victory on a plate. They will be challenged by a strong field,” said Race Director Jo Schindler.
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Benard Biwott can still be considered a newcomer to the marathon. The 24-year-old Kenyan has only run three races over the classic distance. Two years ago, he made his debut in Frankfurt and caused an upset when he won the race in 2:05:54. Biwott then won his second marathon in the spring of 2025; he triumphed in Paris with his current PB of 2:05:25. This year, the Kenyan was ninth in Cape Town.
Andualem Belay and Haimro Alame are two other runners who could do very well in Frankfurt. With a personal best of 2:04:44, Ethiopia’s Belay is the second-fastest runner in the field behind German record-holder Amanal Petros (PB: 2:04:03) and ahead of Samuel Fitwi (2:04:45) as well as Richard Ringer (2:04:47). Alame, who is originally from Ethiopia but competes for Israel, has a personal best of 2:06:04 and was fourth at the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo.
The fastest woman on the start list is Zeineba Yimer. The Ethiopian improved to 2:18:47 this spring, finishing third at the Barcelona Marathon. Three years ago, the 28-year-old won the race in Spain and then finished fourth in Berlin.
Betsy Saina (USA/2:19:17) and Buzunesh Getachew (Ethiopia/2:19:27) are the other two athletes on the start list with personal bests under 2:20:00. Both are already familiar with the Mainova Frankfurt Marathon. While Saina finished eighth here in 2018, Getachew is the winner from 2023. She also clocked her current PB in Frankfurt three years ago. A runner to watch on 25 October is Marion Kibor of Kenya, who improved to 2:21:12 in Hamburg this spring.
