Friendly Islands Girls join Munich Marathon [1]
Monday, October 20, 2008 - 10:30. Updated on Monday, April 28, 2014 - 12:11.
Falamoe Fau'ese Weber reported that "it was a so-called golden October sunny day with 21c - too warm for the marathon runners, but excellent for visitors and fans of about 100,000."
Falamoe said that apart from runners who ran the whole 42.2 kms there was also a Relay-Marathon for five runners and they entered this category as the 'Girls from the Friendly Islands'.
The first runner was Aloha Vollmer, a young woman of Tongan-German stock, who started the first section of 5.5 kms from Munich's famous Olympia Park. The second runner was Falamoe Fau'ese Weber who ran 11 kms around Munich's notorious and beautiful English Garden. Mele Sinipata Rudert took over the third section for 10 km to Nikolai Tokelau Werr and continued for 8 km of the Central City passing its historical buildings. The last runner was Makeleta Piukala Stephan who completed the 7.6 kms all the way from Central Munich back to the stadium where the 1972 Olympic Games were held.
The Friendly Islands team complete the 42.2 kms run in a time of 4 hours and 37 minutes.
"We are determined to achieve a faster time in the very near future and to continue running in different German and European Marathons," reported Falmoe.
The Girls from the Friendly Islands would like to participate in marathons in other European countries, as a Tongan running team, and they hope to meet up with other Tongan athletes from other parts of the world.
"Through this participation, the team wishes to stay vital, healthy and happy, and to explore and experience famous places in Europe."
Munich is known world wide for its Beer Festival that goes on for nearly two weeks every year in early October. The Munich Marathon takes place annually on the weekend after the Beer Festival.