Michael Rotich (right) runs to the side of eventual World champion Jaouad Gharib in Paris 2003 - Rey (ESP) is on the left (© Getty Images)
With thirteen runners, who have run the marathon under 2:10:00, this Sunday’s Fortis Rotterdam Marathon will have the strongest field ever in its 24th edition (4 April).
Never in the history of the marathon in this city which houses the world's biggest port has the race been scheduled so early in April. The date 04-04-04 seems to have had a strong attraction for the entrants. In all other 23 marathons in Rotterdam the maximum of 10,000 runners was never reached as soon as has happended this year. Moreover the early date and the fast flat course has attracted a lot of international athletes with a view of qualifying for the Athens Olympic Games.
Men’s race – 2:06 men, Rotich and Limo are favourites
The fastest men in the field are the Kenyans Michael Rotich and Felix Limo, who have personal bests of 2:06:33 and 2:06:42, both quicker than the Rotterdam course record of 2:06:50 held by two men, Belayneh Densamo (Eth, 1988, then a world best which stood for over 10 years) and Josephat Kiprono (Ken, 2001).
The 25 year old Rotich won the 2003 Paris Marathon in his personal best of 2:06:33, and then finished eighth in the World Championships Marathon in Paris (2:10:35).
The two years younger Limo made his debut last October in the Amsterdam Marathon in an impressive debut of 2:06:42, finishing only three seconds behind his winning compatriot William Kipsang.
Limo is well known in The Netherlands not only for his current World 15km record of 41.30 that he ran at the Nijmegen Zevenheuvelenloop (Seven Hills run) in November 2001 (where he outsprinted Haile Gebrselassie) but also for the numerous times he has appeared on a Dutch television broadcast promoting charity for Africa.
Some famous athletes to debut
Much race interest is also being directed at two former track World record holders running their first 42,195 kilometres events. Salah Hissou of Morocco, and Bernard Barmasai will debut in Rotterdam. Hissou was once the fastest man at 10,000 metres, and Barmasai is the former record holder for the 3000m Steeplechase.
Hissou was in early March (7th) competing in The Netherlands. He won the 20 kilometres of Alphen aan de Rijn in 57:54, where in a direct confrontation he beat Felix Limo and Salim Kipsang, who will also make his marathon debut at Rotterdam this weekend.
A strange thing happened in this race. After about twelve kilometres as Hissou and Limo were leading, the latter had to stop to fasten a lace of his shoe, and Hissou reacted immediately to his opportunity and before he knew it the gap was too wide for Limo to close.
Hissou said afterwards:”I’m feeling fine. It was a good test for Rotterdam. Now I gonna train again in Ifran in my country. And I will be well prepared for Rotterdam. I hope there to follow the same scenario as my countryman Jaoud Gharib did last year. He ran Rotterdam and became later the World champion in Paris. What Paris was for him, I hope Athens will be for me.”
Bernard Barmasai (29) hopes to start a new athletics life in Rotterdam. Barmasai will never run a steeplechase again. The East-African had an operation on his left knee last year and will now concentrate on the road.
“From my countrymen I have heard that Rotterdam is fast and flat, the opposition strong and the race very well organised. Still I have no idea what I can expect. The longest distance I ran was a half marathon.” Barmasai will not talk about a time but it is clear that he will not be satisfied with a time over 2:10:00.
The Rotterdam organizers expect a fast race and hope that the course record will be broken.
Women’s race - Spanish victory?
The women’s field is not as strong as the men’s line-up. Maria Abel of Spain is the fastest with 2:26:58, and she hopes to qualify for her second Olympic Games. It is the second time she starts in Rotterdam. In 2001 she finished third in 2:29:46.
Other sub 2:30 runners are Jelena Burykina (Russia, 2:28:09), and the former Russian but now a Dutchwomen Nadja Wijenberg (2:28:45), who last year on November 2nd jogged over the Athens Olympic marathon course and won in 2:43:18. Finally of this elite group there is Zahia Dahmani of France (2:29:58).
There are also outside chances in the experienced Turkish record holder Serep Aktas, and Zhor el Kamch of Morocco, who will run her first marathon.
Forecast
The weather forecast for the marathon which will start at 11:00 hrs, one hour earlier than normal, looks good with a temperature around 12-15 degrees, no rain and a light southerly wind.
The Rotterdam Marathon will also count as the Dutch national championships.
Wim Van Hemert for the IAAF
The top of the men’s field with personal bests:
Michael Rotich (Ken, 2:06:33)
Felix Limo (Ken, 2:06:42)
Francisco Javier Cortes (Esp, 2:07:48)
Boniface Usisivu (Ken, 2:07:50)
Alejandro Gomez (Esp, 2 :07:54)
Stephen Cheptot ((Ken, 2:07:59)
Philip Tarus (Ken, 2:08:33)
Noah Bor (Ken, 2:08:48)
Willy Cheruiyot (Ken, 2:08:48)
Zebedayo Bayo (Tan, 2:08:51)
Wilson Chelal (Ken, 2:09:06)
John Birgen (Ken, 2:09:08)
Tadesse Hailemariam (Eth, 2:09:34)
Greg van Hest (Ned, 2:10:05)
Luc Krotwaar (Ned, 2:10:13)
Debuts
Salah Hissou (Mor)
Bernard Barmasai (Ken)
Salim Kipsang (Ken)
Philip Singoei (Ken)
Geoffrey Terer (Ken)
Tom van Hooste (Bel)
