Moses Mosop, 2:05:37 course record in Chicago (© Getty Images)
Rotterdam, The Netherlands - Moses Cheruiyot Mosop, the second fastest marathoner in the world, will head a very strong field in the 32nd ABN-AMRO Rotterdam Marathon, an IAAF Silver Label Road Race, on Sunday 15 April.
Mosop clocked 2:03:06 during last year's windy race in Boston, the second fastest performance ever under any conditions. The Kenyan secretly visited Rotterdam with his coach Renato Canova to inspect the fast Rotterdam course the day after his Half Marathon in Paris earlier this month. With a notebook on his knee he drew the course and noted important information.
"This is the fastest course I have ever seen. If a world record is possible than it is t here,'' he said after his visit. Canova was also very enthusiastic.
Rotterdam organisers announced more of their men's starting field today. Ethiopian Getu Feleke is the second fastest in the field with a personal best of 2:05:16. He clocked that time winning the Amsterdam marathon in 2010.
Yemane Adhane (ETH), Peter Kirui (KEN) and Rashid Kisri (MAR) have all run the marathons in under 2:07: Ahane clocked a personal best of 2:06:29 this year in Dubai; Kirui has a personal best of 2:06:31 from Frankfurt 2011; and Kisri clocked 2:06:48 in Paris in 2009.
Dark horses in the field are Stephen Kibet and Sammy Kitwara. Kibet has a personal best of 2:09:27 from Dubai last year. The Kenyan impressed in the City-Pier-City Half Marathon in The Hague a week ago. With 58:54 he clocked the fastest performance of this year. Kitwara meanwhile will run his first marathon. The Kenyan has a personal best over the Half Marathon distance of 58:48 run in Philadelphia last September.
"A lot of athletes starting In Rotterdam we will see during the Olympic Games in London," said Mari Kadiks, the director of the Rotterdam Marathon. "In the coming weeks we will announce more international top class runners.''
Wim van Hemert for the IAAF
