Newly crowned European champion Amanal Petros says he has dreamed of the European record for years as the fastest men’s elite field in the history of the race lines up.

The Mainova Frankfurt Marathon could produce a remarkable record race on Sunday (October 25), but the weather will decide whether the fast times are on offer. The 43rd edition has the fastest men’s elite field in its history, with four runners on the start list with PBs under 2:05:00, and both course records, the German record and potentially the European record could be targeted.

If it is still wet, cold and windy on Sunday morning, it will be almost impossible to break any records. If conditions settle in time, they could be ideal for top performances.

Petros leads German trio

The spotlight is on the three fastest German marathon runners of all time. Amanal Petros, who won his first major international title at the European Championships in Birmingham in August, holds the German record of 2:04:03. He has a bigger target in mind, however, with the European record of 2:03:36 set by Bashir Abdi in 2021 and the Frankfurt course record of 2:03:42, set by Kenya’s Wilson Kipsang in 2011, both within range.

“My training in Kenya went very well,” said Petros when asked about the European record. “If the weather is on my side, it could happen. I have been dreaming of breaking the European record for several years now.”

Petros will face domestic opposition from Samuel Fitwi, who was second in Hamburg in April with a PB of 2:04:45, the German lead for this year. “If the weather is good, the German record is within reach on the flat course in Frankfurt,” said Fitwi. “I am well prepared and definitely want to beat my personal best.”

Richard Ringer, the 2022 European champion, has an official PB of 2:05:46 but ran 2:04:47 in Boston this spring on a course that is not record-eligible. He is not expecting to run quite so fast. “I had a muscle problem after the European Marathon Championships,” said Ringer. “I then took quite a risk preparing for Frankfurt, but thankfully it worked very well. I do not expect to be running right at the front on Sunday and will probably go with a second group.”

Challenge from Ethiopia and Kenya

The German challengers could be spoiled by Ethiopia’s Andualem Belay, who has a PB of 2:04:44, and Kenya’s Benard Biwott. Biwott won on his Frankfurt debut two years ago in 2:05:54 and improved to 2:05:25 when winning the 2025 Paris Marathon. “My aim is to win on Sunday,” he said. “I think I can achieve a time of around 2:04:00.”

There is another potential highlight in the men’s race with the Kenyan Mark Kiptoo, 50, who won in Frankfurt in 2014 and set a masters world record of 2:07:50 here four years later. He is now aiming for the M50 world best, which stands at 2:19:29 by South Africa’s Titus Mamabolo, set in Durban in 1991.

Women’s race

Two women have PBs under 2:20:00 on the start list: Ethiopia’s Zeineba Yimer (2:18:47) and the USA’s Betsy Saina (2:19:17). Kenya’s Marion Kibor, who improved to 2:21:12 in Hamburg this spring, is a strong contender, and Ethiopia’s Meskerem Assefa, a former Frankfurt winner, has returned. She set her PB of 2:20:36 when winning here in 2018.

Yimer, 28, was third in Barcelona in 2:18:47 this spring but had to drop out of the Berlin Marathon four weeks ago with stomach problems. “Now I want to make the most of the flat course in Frankfurt and set a personal best,” she said. “I have also got my sights set on the course record and want to break that mark as well.” The course record is 2:17:25, set by her compatriot Hawi Feysa two years ago.

Saina is looking for a strong comeback after a maternity break and is aiming for a half marathon split of 70:00, while Kibor also intends to run under 2:20:00.

One to watch is Germany’s Blanka Dörfel, 24, who makes her marathon debut. She plans to run without a watch and “trust my instincts”. Her half marathon PB of 68:08, set in nearby Mainz this spring, suggests she is capable of a strong first run over 26.2 miles. The fastest debut by a German woman is the 2:23:57 by Melat Kejeta in Berlin in 2019.

Record numbers have entered the event, with 19,720 runners from 128 nations. Race director Jo Schindler will step down after this race. “We are absolutely delighted with this record number of entries,” said Schindler. “Over the past 25 years, we have taken the Mainova Frankfurt Marathon to a whole new level in every aspect.”

Elite fields

Men
Amanal Petros (GER) 2:04:03
Andualem Belay (ETH) 2:04:44
Samuel Fitwi (GER) 2:04:45
Richard Ringer (GER) 2:04:47
Benard Biwott (KEN) 2:05:25
Haimro Alame (ISR) 2:06:04
Antenayehu Dagnachew (ETH) 2:06:55
Jiregna Geleta (ETH) 2:06:57

Women
Zeineba Yimer (ETH) 2:18:47
Betsy Saina (USA) 2:19:17
Meskerem Assefa (ETH) 2:20:36
Siranesh Yirga (ETH) 2:21:08
Marion Kibor (KEN) 2:21:12
Janet Ruguru (KEN) 2:23:00
Mehret Gemeda (ETH) 2:23:29
Blanka Dörfel (GER) debut

Start time and how to watch

The marathon starts at 10:00am local time, which is 9:00am UK time as the clocks go back in both countries that morning. The men’s winner is expected at about 12:05pm local (11:05am UK) and the women’s winner at about 12:22pm local (11:22am UK).

The race will be streamed live on the Mainova Frankfurt Marathon website, frankfurt-marathon.com. Last year it was also streamed free worldwide on YouTube.