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Kotut is currently the course record holder of the Haspa Marathon.
Defending champion and course record holder CyBrian Kotut will return to the Haspa Marathon in Hamburg on Sunday, April 23.
During last year’s edition, Kotut won the title in Hamburg at a time of 2:04:47 to break the nine-year course record that had been set by fellow countryman Eliud Kipchoge during the 2013 edition of the race.
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Despite Kipkemoi falling in the initial stages of the race, he managed to break from the leading pack at the 5km mark.
Kotut had earlier withdrawn from the Tokyo Marathon due to an injury but he is now bullish ahead of his title defense in Hamburg.
However, he will face first-class opponents in what is Germany's biggest spring marathon. With a personal best of 2:03:16, Ethiopian Mule Wasihun is the fastest runner ever entered in the history of the event and he will be looking to give Kotut a run for his money.
With this time trial Wasihun, 29, is still among the 15 fastest marathon runners ever. The Ethiopian has not raced internationally recently and is hoping to come back with a strong performance in Hamburg.
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Were is also the Africa 400m Hurdles bronze medallist.
Geoffrey Kirui, the 2017 world marathon champion, is another top athlete at the start. He is also the 2017 Boston Marathon champion.
Also on the star-studded start list is Ethiopia’s Muktar Edris, who will be making his debut over the 42km distance. He is the 2015 and 2019 world 5000m champion.
Germany’s Richard Ringer, a surprise winner of the European title last year in Monaco, will also be back in the race with the hope of shining on home soil.
In the women’s category, Ethiopia’s Tiruye Mesfin leads the start list. Although Mesfin has not yet won a marathon, her personal best of 2:18:47 enabled her finish sixth in the Valencia Marathon last year.
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Mesfin’s strongest competitor is her compatriot Sintayehu Tilahun, who is ranked second on the start list. The 23-year-old athlete is also still very young and is considered a novice with a great future on the international stage. With her best time of 2:22:19 hours, she finished second at the Milan Marathon exactly one year ago.
At least among the extended group of favourites is 26-year-old Stella Chesang. The Ugandan will make her marathon debut in Hamburg and has a half marathon best of 68:11. With a podium finish in Hamburg, Stella Chesang could also set a new Ugandan marathon record, which currently stands at 2:23:13.
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