News08 Sep 2008


Strongest ever field for Rotterdam

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Patrick Makau Musyoki winning in The Hague (© organisers)

The fifth Fortis Half Marathon Rotterdam, an IAAF Silver Label Road Race, has probably put together its strongest ever starting field for Sunday 14 September.

The organisers have today announced the complete field. The men’s event counts seven athletes with personal bests inside the hour, as was announced last week, and another seven have run faster than 61 minutes and four have PBs under 62 minutes.

The Kenyans Patrick Makau Musyoki (58:56), Evans Kiprop Cheruiyot (59:05), Paul Kosgei (59:07), Francis Kibiwott (59:26), Joseph Maregu (59:45). Dieudonné Disi (Rwd, 59:32) and Tanzanian Dickson Marwa (59:52) form the seven that have run the half marathon inside the hour.

The seven athletes with a personal best faster than 61 minutes are: Eshetu Wondimu (Eth, 60:01), Jonathan Maiyo (60:10), James Mwangi (60:42), John Kipruto Korir (60:47), Isaac Macharia (60:48), all Kenya,  Marco Joseph (Tan, 60:21) and Raji Assefa (Eth, 60:31).

Four other athletes who are under 62mins are the Kenyans Charles Munyoki (61:04), Daniel Rono (61:26) and Samuel Karanja (61:52), and the Ethiopian Abebe Dinkesa (61:53).

Dutch honours are defended by Koen Raymaekers (62:30), Sander Schutgens (62:31) and Martin Lauret (64:32).

In the women’s field two fast runners from Kenya will start. They are Lydia Cheromei, who ran a still standing course record of 69:12 on 12 September 2004. She has a personal best of 69:00 from when taking the silver medal at the 2004 World Half Marathon Championships. She will meet compatriot Everline Kimwei, who was sixth in last year’s World Road Running Champs in Udine, Italy in a PB of 68:39.

Nadja Wijenberg, the five times Dutch champion half marathon, is the strongest opponent from the home country.

Wim van Hemert for the IAAF

Others on the start list:

Men
James Rotich (Ken, pb. 62.23)
Julius Muriuki (Ken, 63:37)
Richard Limo (Ken, 65:03) in 2008 fourth in the Fortis Marathon Rotterdam in 2:08:43.
Moses Arusei (Ken) debut half marathon and this year a 2:06:50  marathon.

Women
Wilma van Onna (Ned, 1:10:59)
Barbara Zutt (Ned, 1:16:51)
Ilse Pol (Ned, 1:17:42)
Miranda Boonstra (Ned, debut)

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