“A Wrong Turn Leads to a Record-Breaking Win: The 37th Haspa Marathon Recap”

Everything was prepared for the triumphant moment. Sponsor logos placed, the finish line for the 37th Haspa Marathon in the hands of State Councilor Christoph Holstein (60), TV cameras and photographers in the perfect position.

But then there was a rush on Karolinenstrasse…

The reason: winner Bernard Koech (35) took a wrong turn 100 meters from the finish line! In a frenzy of happiness, the Kenyan aimed for the left goal instead of the right goal goal, through which the relay participants should actually run.

No waving or shouting helped. The dignitaries and cameramen sprinted over. Only one person didn’t care at all: Koech!

In 2:04:09 hours he set a sensational course record in the asphalt – 38 seconds faster than last year’s winner Cybrian Kotut (30).

The endurance miracle managed the feat of exactly repeating its own best time from 2021 after 42.195 kilometers. Back then, Koech finished third in Amsterdam. This time he got the first win of his career!

Prize: 20,000 euros.

“The race was beautiful. The weather is perfect,” beamed the training partner of world record holder Eliud Kipchoge (38). “Today luck was on my side.”

Marathon boss Frank Thaleiser laughed about the run-in breakdown: “It was such a funny picture. Right slaptstick.” His logical explanation: “In Kenya, traffic drives on the left. It can only be that.”

On his way into the history books in City Nord, Koech had briefly tested – and blown up the leading group. The decision in a hectic race was made at the water point at 33 kilometers: Follower Joshua Belet (25) stopped briefly – a rookie mistake by the debutant. Koech sprinted away!

“I would never have thought that Bernard would do it like this, alone most of the time,” admitted Thaleiser. And brought a bottle of sparkling wine to the final press conference for the first time. “I’m absolutely happy.”

Of the 11,800 registered marathoners (+12% compared to the previous year), 8,892 picked up their bib number. 8693 finished. “The strike must have cost us 400 starters,” Thaleiser suspects. “Our goal must be to have 10,000 finishers again in the future.”

Ringer struggles to Paris, Welday learned a lot

Two runners – two philosophies. Here European champion Richard Ringer (34/Rehlingen), who plans every step. Since the fastest Hamburger Haftom Welday (33), who doesn’t give a damn and starts shooting.

In the end, control prevailed over cockiness in the German duel.

Ringer managed the second fastest German time in history and undercut the Olympic standard for Paris in 2:08:08 hours (6th place) by 2 seconds. Welday ran with the lead – and burned out at the end – 2:09:40 (8th place). At the finish he collapsed exhausted. “My body was empty. That was my toughest marathon. I’ve never been so at the limit.”

After three months of altitude training in Ethiopia, the former refugee wanted to test his body. Now he knows his limit…

Welday: “I’m not disappointed at all. I didn’t lose, I learned. I’ll be smarter next time.”

Ringer had also hoped for a better time. But in the second half he fought against the wind without a pacemaker. In the final sprint he saved the “minimum goal”: “The spectators were bombastic. That’s crazy.”