Defending champions Getu Feleke and Anna Hahner return to Vienna

 The two defending champions have opted to return to the Vienna City Marathon, which will be staged on 12th April. Ethiopia’s Getu Feleke and Germany’s Anna Hahner produced two of the most spectacular performances in the history of Austria’s biggest sporting event in 2014. While Feleke stormed to a brilliant course record of 2:05:41 Anna Hahner came from well behind in the final few kilometres to snatch victory. “After these memorable performances by Getu and Anna we are more than happy to welcome these two athletes back to the Vienna City Marathon. We are looking forward to another great race,” said Race Director Wolfgang Konrad. Adding other running events staged parallel to the marathon on 12th April organisers expect more than 40,000 entries once again. The Vienna City Marathon is an IAAF Gold Label Road Race. 

 It will be already the third time that Getu Feleke competes in the Vienna City Marathon. It was here, where his marathon career began back in 2009. In a unique debutants’ only elite race the Ethiopian took seventh place with 2:11:42. With the exception of a ,did not finish’ in the London Olympics 2012 Feleke then always clocked sub 2:10 times. While he features a PB of 2:04:50 from Rotterdam 2012 the Ethiopian clocked his second fastest time in Vienna last year. Feleke, who had come back from an illness in 2014, was then unfortunate a couple of months later. Preparing for the Frankfurt Marathon in October an injury forced him to withdraw. However he showed that he has regained fine form when he was second in the Barcelona half marathon last Sunday. Clocking 60:45 he missed victory by just three seconds.