The Düsseldorf Marathon is an annual road marathon in Düsseldorf, Germany in early May, first held in 2003.

Düsseldorf Marathon
Marathon start on the banks of the Rhine in 2015
DateLate April or early May
LocationDüsseldorf, Germany
Event typeRoad
DistanceMarathon
Primary sponsorMetro
Established2003 (21 years ago) (2003)
Course recordsMen's: 2:07:48 (2013)
Ethiopia Dereje Debele
Women's: 2:25:25 (2018)
Belarus Volha Mazuronak
Official siteDüsseldorf Marathon
Participants2,496 (2019)
~14,000 (all races) (2011)[1]
2,987 finishers (2010)[2]

The generally flat course runs through parts of the city and alongside the banks of the Rhine.[3] The race day also includes other events, such as a marathon road relay, and over 10,000 people participate annually.[4][5]

The race is a member of the Association of International Marathons and Distance Races (AIMS) and the German Road Races [de] group.[6] It is sponsored by Metro Group, a large international retailer based in the same city.[7]

History

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Organised by Jan-Henning Winschermann (via rhein-marathon düsseldorf e.V.),[8] the race was first held in 2003.

The men's course record was set at the 2013 race, when Dereje Debele won with a time of 2:07:48 hours,[9] while the women's course record was set by Agnes Jeruto Barsosio in 2012, with a time of 2:25:49.[10]

The 2020 edition of the race was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic, with entries automatically transferred to 2021 and registrants given the option of obtaining a refund.[11] Similarly, the 2021 edition of the race was postponed to 2022 due to the pandemic.[12][13][a]

Course

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External image
  Course map of full marathon in 2019[14]
 
Düsseldorf mascot Tosi sporting athleticwear in 2017

The marathon course lies entirely within the city, and is largely flat except for four bridge crossings.[14]

Beginning in Pempelfort on the east bank of the Rhine, just north of the Oberkassel Bridge [de], the course runs north through Golzheim, Stockum, and Derendorf before returning to Pempelfort to cross the Rhine via the Oberkassel Bridge after about 13 km (8 mi).[14] Runners then spend about 10 km (6 mi) in Oberkassel, Lörick, and Niederkassel before heading back east across the bridge.[14]

The marathon then runs along the border of Altstadt and makes a small loop in Stadtmitte before heading eastward into Düsseltal.[14] The course then runs roughly southwest back through Stadtmitte and then into Friedrichstadt and Unterbilk.[14] Runners then head northeast into Carlstadt before finishing on the riverbank about 1 km (0.6 mi) south of the start.[14]

Winners

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2015 winners Annie Bersagel (left, F1) and Marius Ionescu (right, 4) during the marathon, both behind two pacers

Kenya has been the most successful nationality in the men's race. The women's race has seen mostly Germans top the podium.

Key:    Course record (in bold)

Ed. Year Men's winner Time[b] Women's winner Time[b] Rf.
1 2003   Gideon Koech [de] (KEN) 2:20:45   Joyce Kandie [de] (KEN) 2:55:44
2 2004   Carsten Eich (GER) 2:14:06   Dorota Ustianowska (POL) 2:39:41
3 2005   Alan Wendell Silva (BRA) 2:17:19   Luminita Zaituc (GER) 2:26:44
4 2006   Julius Rop (KEN) 2:15:56   Luminita Zaituc (GER) 2:34:53
5 2007   Bellor Yator [de] (KEN)[c] 2:09:47   Luminita Zaituc (GER) 2:29:37
6 2008   Yaser Mansour [de] (QAT)[c] 2:11:15   Melanie Kraus (GER) 2:33:36
7 2009   David Langat [de] (KEN) 2:10:46   Susanne Hahn (GER) 2:29:26
8 2010   Iaroslav Mușinschi (MDA) 2:08:32 NR   Natalya Volgina [de] (RUS) 2:30:47
9 2011   Nahashon Kimaiyo (KEN) 2:10:54   Merima Mohammed (ETH) 2:28:15
10 2012   Seboka Dibaba [de] (ETH) 2:08:27   Agnes Barsosio (KEN) 2:25:49
11 2013   Dereje Debele (ETH) 2:07:48   Melkam Gizaw (ETH) 2:26:24
12 2014   Gilbert Yegon (KEN) 2:08:07   Annie Bersagel (USA) 2:28:59
13 2015   Marius Ionescu (ROM) 2:13:19   Annie Bersagel (USA) 2:28:28
14 2016   Japhet Kosgei (KEN) 2:10:46   Zsófia Erdélyi (HUN) 2:35:37
15 2017   Robert Chemonges (UGA) 2:10:31   Doroteia Peixoto (POR) 2:32:00 [15]
16 2018   Gilbert Yegon (KEN) 2:13:55   Volha Mazuronak (BLR) 2:25:25
17 2019   Tom Gröschel [de] (GER) 2:13:49   Anja Scherl (GER) 2:32:56
2020 cancelled due to coronavirus pandemic [11]
2021 postponed due to coronavirus pandemic [12]

Notes

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  1. ^ It had initially been postponed to 24 October before being postponed to 2022.[12]
  2. ^ a b h:m:s
  3. ^ a b The 2007 winner, Kenyan Bellor Minigwo Yator, repeated as winner in 2008 under his adopted Qatari name "Yaser Belal Mansour".

References

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  1. ^ Wenig, Jorg (2011-05-09). Kimaiyo and Mohammed beat the heat at Dusseldorf Marathon. IAAF. Retrieved on 2011-06-11.
  2. ^ METRO Group Marathon Düsseldorf Archived 2011-08-26 at the Wayback Machine. Marathon.de. Retrieved on 2011-06-11.
  3. ^ Course Archived 2011-02-14 at the Wayback Machine. Düsseldorf Marathon. Retrieved on 2011-06-11.
  4. ^ Wenig, Jorg (2009-05-03). Langat and Hahn prevail in Dusseldorf. IAAF. Retrieved on 2011-06-11.
  5. ^ Wenig, Jorg (2010-05-02). 2:08:32 course record for Musinschi in Dusseldorf. IAAF. Retrieved on 2011-06-10.
  6. ^ Partner Archived 2011-06-09 at the Wayback Machine. Düsseldorf Marathon. Retrieved on 2011-06-11.
  7. ^ Information for all participants Archived 2011-04-16 at the Wayback Machine. Düsseldorf Marathon. Retrieved on 2011-06-11.
  8. ^ Impressum. Düsseldorf Marathon. Retrieved on 2011-06-11.
  9. ^ Race organisers (2013-04-28). Ethiopian double in Düsseldorf as Debele breaks course record. IAAF. Retrieved on 2013-04-28.
  10. ^ Wenig, Jorg (2012-04-29). Tola and debutante Jeruto break course records in Düsseldorf. IAAF. Retrieved on 2012-05-01.
  11. ^ a b "Q&A Corona - METRO Marathon Düsseldorf". www.metro-marathon.de. Archived from the original on 7 May 2020. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  12. ^ a b c "Races in Germany: Mixed messages | AIMS | Race news". aims-worldrunning.org. Archived from the original on 24 June 2021. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  13. ^ "Home - METRO Marathon Düsseldorf". www.metro-marathon.de. Archived from the original on 24 June 2021. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  14. ^ a b c d e f g "Strecke » METRO Marathon Düsseldorf". Archived from the original on 2019-04-17.
  15. ^ "Rising star Chemonges wins in Düsseldorf | AIMS | Race news". aims-worldrunning.org. Archived from the original on 26 June 2021. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
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