SECOND PRESS RELEASE (integrating the previous press note with the match report at 3.30pm)
Venice, 22 October 2023 - The 37th Wizz Air Venicemarathon, which has just concluded in Riva Sette Martiri in Venice, today witnessed a notable leap in quality from a technical point of view, with the new record of the men's race Solomon Mutai (2h07'41") lowered by 29 seconds compared to that achieved last year by the same athlete (2h08'10"). The time of second place finisher Emmanuel Naibei was also under 2h08' (2h07'41") and the time of the third, Noah Kigen, was 2h08'18": without a doubt the fastest podium ever in a notoriously tough race for its 14 bridges to tackle in the final kilometres.
Also in the women's field, the performance of the Kenyan Rebbecca Tanui (2h25'35") represents the second all-time time of the Venicemarathon and the 2h26'38" of the Ethiopian Kebene Chala, second place, is the third time ever.
Accompanying these technical results is the incredible stream of festive and colorful athletes who took part today in the three distances (42K, 21K, 10K) which passed uninterruptedly from 9 in the morning to 4 in the afternoon under a single finish line in Riva Sette Martire and transformed the entire Metropolitan City of Venice into a huge celebration of sport, solidarity and well-being.
The patron of Venicemarathon Piero Rosa Salva is happy with these results: "It was a spectacular race from every point of view. The very heated duel between the two athletes up and down the Venetian bridges, the final sprint, the excellent time of the women , the spectacular television images and finally the long procession of athletes dressed in the official pink, white and blue striped t-shirt which gave life to a river of color from Stra to Riva Sette Martiri. We experienced a truly amazing day."
CURIOSITY
Results of the more mature athletes: Paolo Barbato (1941) in 5h44'42'.
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Don Marco Carletto, the parish priest registered for Athletica Vaticana, and who celebrated the Marathon runner's Mass last night took 4h04'03", together with another flying priest, the American Don Samuel Anderson (member of Athletica Vaticana) who finished the marathon 2h58'47".
The Fedelissimi (those who ran all the editions) today at the finish line of the 37th edition were: Gianfranco Tagliapietra 4h46'03", Mauro Trevisan 4h25'37", Laudino Mason 5h18'03".
SPECIAL PRIZES
There are many special prizes this year: the Sprint Trophy was awarded by the newspaper Il Gazzettino, media partner, to Alessio Milano, the first Friulian athlete to finish the marathon; The Prosecco Doc Consortium Trophy was awarded to Abdoullah Bamoussa and Giorgia Bonci, the first two Italians in the marathon; the Honda Trophy was awarded to Valentina Carrettin, the first Venetian woman to finish the marathon; the Vega Trophy was awarded to Giacomo Esposito, the first Venetian to reach the finish line of the marathon and the Porti del Veneto Trophy awarded the fastest employees to the finish line: Victoria Bohm and Francesco De Angelis.
THE STATEMENTS
Marathon winner Solomon Mutai: "I am delighted to have lowered the event record again and achieved my personal best. I thank the organizers for inviting me again this year and I find this race truly extraordinary." Some biographical notes: Mutai, who turned 31 today, lives in Uganda where he trains with the 5,000 and 10,000 world record holder Joshua Kiprui Cheptegei. He is married and has 4 children: 1 girl and 3 boys.
The winner, Rebbeca Tanui: "It's the first time I've run in Venice and I'm very happy to have won. Around the 30th kilometer I really started to struggle, but I gritted my teeth and I'm very happy to have reached the finish line." Some biographical notes: Rebbeca lives in Iten in Kenya, she is not married and this is her third marathon in her career.
The first Italian at the finish line Abdoullah Bamoussa (2h21'00"):"I'm halfway satisfied because this was my first marathon experience and unfortunately I ran alone from the 13th kilometre, because my hare jumped due to a physical problem . I therefore found myself running without references for most of the race, but I'm satisfied that I didn't give up. Today's result makes me understand that I have ample room to improve."
The comment of the Chief Executive Officer of Wizz Air, title sponsor of the event, József Váradi: “Wizz Air is proud to inaugurate today the latest running event in addition to those we already sponsor: Venice is one of the most special running routes of our portfolio. This shows once again how low-cost travel and travel have a lot in common: being convenient and easily accessible to all, they both improve people's lives by getting them moving and creating new unforgettable experiences. Wizz Air is always is
