The International Association of Athletics Federations has said the Commerzbank Frankfurt Marathon will keep its IAAF Gold Label status in 2010.

Along with the Berlin Marathon, it is the only German road race that holds the prestigious rating of the world athletics governing body.

Now organisers intend to further develop Germany's oldest city marathon.

Kenyan Gilbert Kirwa won this year's men's race in a course record time of two hours six minutes 14 seconds.

Kirwa posted the eighth fastest mark in the world for 2009 and, with his countrymen Robert Kiprono Cheruiyot (2:06:23) and William Kiplagat (2:07:05) also producing outstanding performances, the event has established itself among the group of the world's leading marathons.

"I am happy that we have again fulfilled the criteria for the IAAF Gold Label, which shows that we belong to the best marathons worldwide," said race director Jo Schindler.

"We have already started working on next year's edition and I can promise that we will see another high-class event. We want to develop our race further."

The 2010 meeting on October 31 will concentrate in particular on improving the women's course record of 2:25:12, which was set in 2005 by Russia's Alevtina Biktimirova.

This year's winner Agnes Kiprop from Kenya clocked 2:26:57.