Kenyans Albert Korir and Nancy Kiprop took the Vienna City Marathon after thrilling duels. Korir edged ahead in the final 150 metres, beating Ishmael Bushendich by two seconds. Korir clocked 2:08:40 in windy conditions, Bushendich followed in 2:08:42. Ezekiel Omullo completed an all Kenyan podium, taking third in 2:09:10.

As he reflected a few hours after finishing runner-up to Ethiopia’s Tsegaye Mekonnen on his debut in the Haspa Marathon Hamburg on Sunday, Stephen Kiprotich was clearly a man who has quite a few years of top flight racing ahead of him. He had run 2:07:31 in difficult conditions, hail stones and rain sweeping in from the North Sea at times, losing by only five seconds on the run-in by a resurgent Ethiopian who had regained his winning form after two years of injury.

Third marathon, third personal best and a first victory: Nancy Kiprop had every reason to celebrate at the Vienna City Marathon. The Kenyan took the 34th edition of the Vienna City Marathon on Sunday and clocked the second fastest time ever in the events’ history. Nancy Kiprop improved to 2:24:20 despite the unfavourable weather conditions with some heavy wind. She missed the course record by just 33 seconds.

London’s Olympic Marathon Champion Stephen Kiprotich is ready for a fast race at the Haspa Marathon Hamburg on Sunday. The 28 year-old from Uganda hopes for a 2:06 time in Germany’s biggest spring marathon. And he insists that his friend and training partner Eliud Kipchoge would be happy for him to break his course record. Back in 2013 Kipchoge won his debut in Hamburg, bringing the course record down to 2:05:30. While he is one of five sub 2:07 runners on the start list the favourite for the women’s race is Jessica Augusto. The Portuguese will go for Rosa Mota’s 32 year-old national record of 2:23:29 on the fast Hamburg course. Meanwhile the London Olympic Marathon Champion Tiki Gelana of Ethiopia has had to withdraw because an injury. Around 16,000 runners have entered the 32nd edition of the Haspa Marathon Hamburg. “More and more elite runners realize that we can offer them very good conditions for running a fast time. This explains why the fields are so strong,” said race organiser Frank Thaleiser.