Amanal Petros finishes second in Frankfurt behind Jirata Dinki

German marathon record holder Amanal Petros encountered an unexpected obstacle on the course during the Frankfurt Marathon when a food delivery courier on a bicycle stood on the active racing line in a sharp turn at the 1:55-hour mark. Despite the bizarre disruption and persistent heavy rain, Petros finished second overall in 2:05:46 hours, while 24-year-old Blanka Dörfel recorded the second-fastest time of a German female marathoner in history with a time of 2:20:46 hours in her marathon debut.

A Delivery Rider Blocks the Elite Race

Petros had launched a fresh surge out of the damp conditions, carving out a narrow gap over his closest challengers as he approached a left-hand bend. Stationed directly on the inner edge of the course stood a food delivery cyclist. Petros shouted an angry reprimand and waved his arm in frustration before accelerating past the obstruction. Race reports noted that while the incident did not directly affect Petros’s inability to match a subsequent surge from eventual winner Jirata Dinki, it created a chaotic moment on the course.

Rain and Tactics Shape the Frankfurt Podium

Jirata Dinki of Ethiopia ultimately secured victory in a personal best time of 2:05:26 hours, outdueling the field in temperatures hovering just above 10 degrees Celsius alongside relentless precipitation. Kenya’s Benard Biwott claimed third place, while former European champion Richard Ringer finished fifth and Samuel Fitwi took seventh. Petros abandoned his pre-race ambition of breaking his own national record of 2:04:03 early on due to the standing water and heavy downpours. I gave everything until the end, I ran out of a bit of strength, Petros told regional broadcaster hr-Fernsehen. Even though it rained so much, the people stood on the street and supported us. That was incredible, motivated me and pushed me forward.

Blanka Dörfel Makes History in Her Debut

While the men’s race battled traffic and elements, 24-year-old Berlin native Blanka Dörfel delivered a historic performance in her debut over the 42.195-kilometer distance. Running behind race favorite Zeineba Yimer of Ethiopia, Dörfel crossed the finish line in 2:20:46 hours to post the second-fastest time ever recorded by a German female marathoner. The national all-time mark remains with Irina Mikitenko at 2:19:19, set in Berlin in 2008. Dörfel completed the entire race without a sports watch or pacing device, relying entirely on internal feel. Frankly, the last five kilometers were very hard and I had to fight a lot, but it was also a cool feeling to know that you’re about to make it anyway, Dörfel said. Her preparation was guided by coach Dieter Hogen, who developed German marathon legend Uta Pippig during the 1990s.

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