NN Mission Marathon
The NN Mission Marathon race in Hamburg will be postponed until April, 18. Due to the current local COVID-19 situation, the organisation is also forced to find an alternative location for the race. In Hamburg, more than 70 athletes will be trying to qualify for the Tokyo Olympic Games.
Frank Thaleiser, managing director of MHV, explains, “Of course we were quite disappointed at first, but we can understand the decision given the current situation. We are now putting all our efforts into the realization of the event at a different location and are optimistic that we will find a solution. We owe this not least to the more than 70 athletes who have trained to the point in recent weeks and want to keep their hopes alive for an Olympic ticket.”
NN Mission Marathon participant and world record holder Eliud Kipchoge stays optimistic: “Over the past months we have learned that we need to be flexible and stay positive. With this in mind, I thank everybody involved from the organisation, to sponsors, to my fellow runners, to keep working hard with positive minds to find a good alternative for us as athletes. This race is really important, it is a hugely positive thing for the fans to see that life continues during of this pandemic.”
In these challenging times and with the road race calendar for the first half of 2021 decimated by the pandemic, the involved parties are keen to arrange the race to provide a much-needed competitive opportunity for the athletes.
SHOESTRINGS: Scheduled for the same day, the Eldoret City Marathon was also postponed. No new date has been set. Both marathons provided the opportunity for elite athletes to try to qualify for the Tokyo Olympic Games.
