Philip Manyim with 2:07:41 wins the 2005 Berlin Marathon (© Getty Images / Bongarts)
Rotterdam, The NetherlandsIn its 26th year the organisers of this Sunday’s Fortis Rotterdam Marathon (9 April) are hoping that Felix Limo's race record of 2:06:14 set two years ago will be threatened.
Their optimism derives from two factors, firstly the men’s field is particularly strong and competitive, and secondly, there has been a slight alteration to the course which should make it faster.
The course has now changed direction in the last part of the race. As the most eastern part of the city of Rotterdam is over six metres below sea level the runners used to have to climb up over six metres through the Kralingse Bos (Kralingen Wood) towards the last part of the race. But this year the runners are taking this road downwards on their way to the finish in the centre of the city.
The Rotterdam field is led by Kenyan Sammy Korir whose personal best (PB) of 2:04:56 was set in Berlin 2003 on the heels of Paul Tergat’s - one second quicker - World record, which not surprisingly still leaves Korir as the second fastest man ever over the marathon distance. Korir backed up that runner-up spot with another second place showing the following year in London (2:06:49) but last year he could not break 2:10.
Now 34 years of age, Korir took third place in Tokyo (12 Feb) in 2:10:07, and while he might be the ‘on paper’ favourite, it is more likely that faster times will be achieved by some of his fellow countrymen.
Philip Manyim, 28, last year won the Berlin Marathon in a huge new personal best of 2:07:41. Earlier in the year he had reduced his PB from 2:18:17 (2004) to 2:08:07 when finishing as runner-up in the Rome Marathon (13 March), and so his Berlin effort on 25 September was a firm indication of his newly require elite credentials. Most recently he ran 61:32 when winning the Turin Half Marathon, a time which is just 17 seconds off his PB for the distance.
The other main players in Rotterdam are likely to be Salim Kipsang who was the winner of the 2005 Paris Marathon 2005 (2:08:04), and Jackson Koech who clocked 2:08:02 when finishing second in Rotterdam last year.
Kipsang in particular made a very strong impression in The Netherlands winning the 20 kilometres in Alphen aan den Rijn (12 March) in 58:17.
The other sub 2:09:00 runners in the field are: Christopher Cheboiboch (2:08:17), Dutch recordholder Kamiel Maase (2:08:31), Charles Kibiwott (2:08:36), and the young Luke Kibet (2:08:52). A lot of the invited runners are running the Rotterdam marathon for the first time.
WOMEN
In 1998, Tegla Loroupe ran the then women’s World best in Rotterdam, recording a time of 2:20:47. Now 32, the Kenyan star who ran four second quicker the following year in Berlin, a time which remains her PB is back in town running the Rotterdam Marathon for the fourth time.
Five women in Sunday’s field have run the marathon in under 2:30:00. As well as Loroupe, they are Grazyna Syrek (Poland), Maria Abel (Spain), Helena Javornik (Slovenia), Viktoria Klimina (Russia), and Abebe Tola (Ethiopia).
The race also counts as the Dutch championships. The weather forecast is for calm conditions with spells of sunshine and light rain and a temperature of around 10 degrees C.
A total of 10,000 runners will start the marathon, with another 10,000 competing in 5km and 10kms runs.
Wim van Hemert for the IAAF
Invited runners -
MEN
Sammy Korir (Kenya)
D.o.B: 12-12-1971
P.B:: 2.04.56 Berlin (2) 28-09-2003
Philip Manyim (Kenya)
D.o.B: 24-03-1978
P.B:: 2.07.41 Berlin (1) 25-09-2005
Jackson Koech (Kenya)
D.o.B: 26-12-1978
P.B:: 2.08.02 Rotterdam (2) 10-04-2005
Salim Kipsang (Kenya)
D.o.B : 22-12-1979
PB : 2.08.04 Paris (1) 10-04-2005
Christopher Cheboiboch (Kenya)
D.o.B: 03-03-1977
P.B:: 2.08.17 New York (2) 03-11-2002
Kamiel Maase (The Netherlands)
D.o.B: 21-10-1971
P.B:: 2.08.31 (NR) Amsterdam (6) 19-10-2003
Charles Kibiwott (Kenya)
D.o.B: 1974
P.B:: 2.08.36 Frankfurt (4) 30-10-2005
Luke Kibet (Kenya)
D.o.B: 12-04-1983
P.B:: 2.08.52 Eindhoven (3) 09-10-2005
Gudisa Shentema (Ethiopia)
D.o.B: 1980
P.B:: 2.09.46 Rotterdam (4) 10-04-2005
Kurao Umeki (Japan)
Geb : 30-09-1975
PR : 2.09.52 Berlin (7) 28-09-2003
Sergej Fedotov (Rusland)
D.o.B: 14-02-1972
P.B:: 2.11.16 Rotterdam (9) 16-04-2000
Paul Kiprop Kirui (Kenya)
D.o.B: 05-02-1980
P.B:: 2.11.28 Milan (2) 04-12-2005
Romulo Wagner da Silva (Brazil)
D.o.B: 26-05-1977
P.B:: 2.11.28 Rotterdam (3) 04-04-2004
Augustine Kavutu Mbusya (Kenya)
D.o.B: 1977
P.B:: 2.11.39 Dubai (5) 07-01-2005
Dejene Birhanu (Ethiopia)
D.o.B: 12-11-1980
P.B:: 2.11.48 Fukuoka (4) 04-12-2005
Tom van Hooste (Belgium)
D.o.B: 23-09-1972
P.B:: 2.11.55 Rotterdam |(6) 04-04-2004
Hugo van den Broek (The Netherlands)
D.o.B: 18-09-1976
P.B:: 2.12.08 Amsterdam (5) 17-10-2004
Janne Holmen (Finland)
D.o.B : 26-09-1977
PR : 2.12.10 Berlin (13) 28-09-2003
Samson Barmao (Kenya)
D.o.B: 17-04-1982
P.B:: 2.12.14 Nairobi (1) 23-10-2005
Jeroen van Damme (The Netherlands)
D.o.B: 29-09-1972
P.B:: 2.13.48 Rotterdam (14) 10-04-2005
Alfred Shemweta (Sweden)
D.o.B: 19-12-1970
P.B:: 2.14.52 Stockholm (1) 12-06-1999
Jamal Baligha (Morocco)
D.o.B: 11-12-1973
P.B:: 2.15.22 Amsterdam (7) 16-10-2005
Paulo Gomes (Portugal)
D.o.B: 15-05-1973
P.B:: 2.16.03 Milan (6) 04-12-2005
Francis Kirwa (Finland)
D.o.B: 28-11-1974
P.B:: 2.16.08 Hamburg (9) 24-04-2005
Sander Schutgens (The Netherlands)
D.o.B: 31-12-1975
P.B:: 2.17.53 Amsterdam (8) 16-10-2005
Jason Mayerhoff (United States)
D.o.B:30-10-1968
PB: 2.18.27 Berlin (33) 29-09-2002
Said Kanfaoui (Morocco)
D.o.B: 15-12-1973
P.B: 2.21.53 Almere 05-05-2002
Stefan van den Broek (Belgium)
D.o.B: 16-09-1972
P.B:2.22.59 Rotterdam (26) 10-04-2005
Jan-Willem Schaar (The Netherlands)
D.o.B: 24-08-1975
P.B: 2.23.56 Rotterdam 04-04-2004
Luis Feiteira (Portugal)
D.o.B : 21-04-1973
Debut
Luke Kipkosgei (Kenya)
D.o.B: 27-11-1975
Debut
Thomas Kiplitan (Kenya)
D.o.B: 15-06-1983
Debut
Simion Kiprop (Kenya)
D.o.B: 05-11-1978
Debut
Wilson Kiprotich (Kenya)
D.o.B: 20-07-1980
Debut
Gena Getebo (Ethiopia)
D.o.B: unknown
P.B:: Debut
WOMEN
Tegla Loroupe (Kenya)
D.o.B: 09-05-1973
PB : 2.20.43 Berlin (1) 26-09-1999
Grazyna Syrek (Poland)
D.o.B: 09-01-1972
P.B:: 2.26.22 Chicago (5) 12-10-2003
Maria Abel (Spain)
D.o.B: 23-10-1974
P.B:: 2.26.58 Frankfurt (1) 27-10-2002
Helena Javornik (Slovenia)
D.o.B: 26-03-1966
P.B:: 2.27.33 Amsterdam (1) 17-10-2004
Viktoria Klimina (Rusland)
D.o.B : 01-03-1976
PB : 2.28.30 Providence (1) 13-10-2002
Abebe Tola (Ethiopia)
D.o.B: 03-06-1977
P.B: 2.29.54 Amsterdam (1) 15-10-2000
Mindaye Gishu (Ethiopia)
D.o.B: unknown
P.B: 2.33.05 Frankfurt (6) 30-10-2005
Isabel Eizmendi (Spain)
D.o.B: 15-06-1970
P.B:: 2.33.14 Rotterdam (3) 10-04-2005
Kristyna Loonen (The Netherlands)
D.o.B: 26-07-1970
P.B:: 2.33.28 Rotterdam (5) 10-04-2005
Eva-Maria Gradwohl (Austria)
D.o.B: 29-03-1973
P.B:: 2.38.04 Vienna (4) 16-05-2004
Anne-Mette Aagaard (Danmark)
D.o.B: 11-04-1972
P.B: 2.38.44 Berlin (7) 25-09-2005
Restituta Joseph (Tanzania)
D.o.B: 30-07-1971
PB :2.43.52 London (24) 22-04-2001
Agnes Hijman (The Netherlands)
D.o.B: 17-01-1966
P.B:: 2.45.00 Rotterdam (14) 18-04-1999
Susanne Ritter (Germany)
D.o.B: 23-04-1978
P.B:: Debute
