Ethiopian Wunderkind Abadi wins the Vienna City Marathon in the cold!

Ethiopian Wunderkind Abadi wins the Vienna City Marathon in the cold!

The Vienna City Marathon 2025, which was already taking place in its 42nd edition, brought exciting competitions despite adverse weather conditions. HAFTAMU ABADI, a 21-year-old athlete from Ethiopia, crowned himself with an impressive time of 2:08:28 hours to the winner of the men's race, which at the same time is considered the latest winner in the history of this prestigious marathon. [Kosmo] reports that the temperatures were around 2 degrees Celsius at the beginning of the marathon, but felt significantly colder due to an icy wind.

The difficult weather conditions demanded a lot from the runners. While many male participants compete in short pants, the women wore forehead straps and arms to protect themselves from the cold. A group of favorite athletes from Kenya and Ethiopia, which had formed at the beginning of the race, fell out after about ten kilometers. However, Abadi soon dropped away from his compatriot Mogos Tuemay and was able to significantly improve his personal best time of 2:10:33 to said 2:08:28 hours. Mica Cheserek from Kenya followed him in second place, while Tuemay took third place. [Exxpress]

women's race with surprises

The surprise in the women's race was perfect when Betty Chepkemoi from Kenya was victorious with a time of 2:24:14 hours. There were also unexpected turns here: Vibian Chepkirui, who won twice in Vienna, fell back after she had missed her drinking bottle and had to run back for it. These events finally led to the top group dissolved at kilometers 36, which enabled Chepkemoi the solo victory. Her country women Rebbeca Tanui and Catherine Cherotich followed in places second and three. [Kosmo]

marathon in the historical context

The marathon run, one of the oldest and most demanding disciplines in athletics, includes a defined route of 42.195 km and has a long history that goes back to the Olympic Games of ancient Greece. Men have also been running in Olympic competitions since 1896, while women have only been allowed to participate since 1984. [Wikipedia]

The Vienna City Marathon is not only a sporting event, but also attracts numerous spectators and participants from all over the world who face the challenges of the run - whether professional or hobby runner. Despite the challenges and different weather conditions, the marathon has been popular as mass sports since the 1970s and is now being held in many cities worldwide.

Overall, the Vienna City Marathon 2025 shows how sports and determination can produce the best performance even under adverse circumstances. Abadi and Chepkemoi will surely be remembered for a long time while they have won the hearts of runners and spectators.

Kosmo
Exxpress
wikipedia