Felix Limo (KEN) wins the 2004 Fortis Rotterdam Marathon (© Getty Images)
Felix Limo, last year’s winner of the Fortis Rotterdam Marathon in 2:06:14, the world's fastest time of the year in 2004, spoke philosophically on Thursday (7 April) at the end of the official race press conference for this Sunday's 25th edition of the event (10 April).
”Let the road decide,” said the smiling Kenyan to a full packed room. With fifteen runners who have run faster times than 2:11:00 for the distance, Rotterdam with its very fast course has assembled the strongest starting field in its history.
An historic gathering of past winners
In those 25 years the World records (bests when set) have been broken for men (twice) and women on the Rotterdam course. 1984 Olympic champion Carlos Lopes (POR) ran 2:07:12 in 1985, Belayneh Densamo (ETH) then strode in 1988 to 2:06:50 which stood as the quickest clocking in the world for ten years, and Tegla Loroupe (KEN), who ran 2:20:47 in 1998, all attended today’s press conference. Also present were other previous winners John Graham (GBR), Fabian Roncero (ESP), William Kiplagat and Limo (KEN), Rosa Mota (POR) and Carla Beurskens (NED). All these stars were each presented with a large picture of their victory.
MEN – a Kenyan fight
The expectation for the 25th edition is a struggle between the Kenyans. William Kiplagat, who won Rotterdam in 2003, said “I do not predict anything. I know I have trained well for this race. in my opinion I ran my best marathon here in Rotterdam. Of course I hope to win again this year but I have very strong opponents. Moreover a marathon is a marathon and anything can happen.”
Another Kenyan, Titus Munji with a personal best of 2.06.15, said “I’m in very good shape. My best time is only one second slower then Felix Limo’s 2.06.14. I’m looking forward to a fight with him. I hoped for a long time to be able to run in Rotterdam as I heard it is a very fast course. When the weather is good here it is possible to run around 2:05.”
Munji’s compatriot Jimmy Muindi, 31, four-times a winner of the Honolulu Marathon is also confident. “I heard a lot about the course here. I trained well and I will go for a fast time.”
Jackson Koech will run his first marathon in Rotterdam. Koech, who trains with Felix Limo, said “last year in Berlin, where Felix Limo won, I was his pacemaker till around 35km. This time I go on till the end.” Notably on 6 March Koech was only one second behind Limo in the 20 kilometres race in Alphen. Limo won in 58:34.
Felix Limo is the absolute favourite for Sunday’s race. “After my victory in the Berlin Marathon last September I have only trained for this marathon. I love Rotterdam, I have so far run only one race this year. It was the 20km in Alphen. I did beat my training partner Jackson Koech there. We have prepared for this marathon together so we both know what we have done. I can assure you we have done a lot of training. Let the road decide.’
The dark horse in the race could be Spaniard Jose Manuel ‘Chema” Martinez, who has twice finished second in Rotterdam (2002 and 2003). “I run here after a very good preparation during the winter.”
WOMEN - Lornah Kiplagat is the hot favourite despite a cold
Lornah Kiplagat the former Kenyan but now a Dutchwoman is the hot favourite for the women’s race. She did not attend the press conference as she was nursing a cold. Her husband and manager Pieter Langerhorst confirmed, “she caught a cold but will be ok for Sunday. Lornah wants to break her personal best of 2:22:22 (then she was still of Kenyan nationality) and if she does she will also break the Dutch record (2.23.43). Lornah is well prepared and she wants to run a negative split.”
Fumi Murata of Japan will be the toughest contender for Kiplagat although her personal best is nearly eight minutes slower than that of the favourite. Aside Kiplagat there are also two other sub-2:30 competitors - Ana Dias (Portugal) and Nadja Wijenberg (The Netherlands).
The race will start Sunday at 11.00 hours (GMT + 2). The weather forecast is not that good. It will be 10 to 12 degrees CT, rain possible, and a wind of 3 m/sec. The race incorporates the marathon championships of The Netherlands.
Wim van Hemert for the IAAF
The field is:
MEN
Felix Limo (Kenya)
D.o.B: 22-08-1980
PB: 2:06:14 Rotterdam 04-04-2004 (course record)
The split times of his personal best:
15.16-29.56-44.52-59.49-1.03.12 (half)-1.15.13-1.29.59-1.44.21-1.59.47-2.06.14
Titus Munji (Kenya)
D.o.B: 1980
PB: 2:06:15 Berlin 28-09-2003
The splittimes of his personal best:
14.59-29.56-44.44-59.43-1.03.01(half)-1.14.41-1.29.23-1.43.58-1.59.13-2.06.15
William Kiplagat (Kenya)
D.o.B: 21-06-1974
PB: 2:06:50 Amsterdam 17-10-1999
José Manuel -Chema- Martinez (Spain)
D.o.B: 22-10-1971
PR : 2:08:09 Rotterdam 13-04-2003
Christopher Cheboiboch (Kenya)
D.o.B: 03-03-1977
PB: 2:08:17 New York 03-11-2002
Tadeyuki Ojima (Japan)
D.o.B: 22-11-1976
PB: 2:08:18 Otsu 07-03-2004
Jimmy Muindi (Kenya)
D.o.B: 14-08-1973
PB: 2:08:25 Berlin 29-09-2002
Kamiel Maase (The Netherlands)
D.o.B: 21-10-1971
PB: 2:08:31 (NR) Amsterdam 19-10-2003
Splittimes of his Dutch record:
15.05-30.30-45-22-1.00.35-1.03.57(half)-1.15.43-1.30.30-1.46.07-2.01.53-2.08.31
Marilson dos Santos (Brazil)
D.o.B 06-08-1977
PB : 2:08:48 Chicago 10-10-2004
Luis Novo (Portugal)
D.o.B : 29-05-1970
PB : 2:09:41 Berlin 26-09-2004
Greg van Hest (The Netherlands)
D.o.B: 04-06-1973
PB: 2:10:05 Rotterdam 18-04-1999
Luc Krotwaar (The Netherlands)
D.o.B: 25-01-1968
PB: 2:10:13 Fukuoka 07-12-2003
Kamel Ziani (Spain)
D.o.B: 20-02-1972
PB: 2:10:18 Amsterdam 02-11-1997
James Rotich (Kenya)
D.o.B: 1980
PB: 2:10:22 Cologne 12-09-2004
Elijah Chemwolo Mutai (Kenya)
D.o.B: 01-04-1978
PB: 2:10:41 Berlin 29-09-2002
Degene Guta (Ethiopia)
D.o.B: n.a
PB: 2:10:49 Dubai 07-01-2005
Godwin Jomo Kororia (Kenya)
D.o.B : 1981
PB: 2:11:07 Tempe 11-04-2004
Ismaïl Sghyr (France)
D.o.B: 16-03-1972
PB: 2:11:27 Amsterdam 19-10-2003
Guy Fays (Belgium)
D.o.B: 15-09-1969
PB: 2:13:47 Eindhoven 08-10-2000
Wilson Kigen (Kenya)
D.o.B: 15-09-1975
PB: 2:13:49 Eindhoven 13-10-2002
Scott Larson (United States)
D.o.B: 24-12-1969
PB: 2:14:11 St. Paul 03-10-2004
Shane Nankervis (Australia)
D.o.B: 06-05-1974
PB: 2:14:39 Otsu 02-03-2003
Gudisa Shentema (Ethiopia)
D.o.B: 19-06-1980
PB: 2:15:16 Tempe 11-01-2004
Asier Cuevas (Spain)
Geb : 16-01-1973
PB: 2:15:41 Berlin 26-09-2004
Jeroen van Damme (The Netherlands)
D.o.B: 29-09-1972
PB: 2:17:20 Rotterdam 18-04-1999
Lambros Zaragos (Greece)
D.o.B: n.a
PB: 2:19:21
Dick van de Broek (The Netherlands)
D.o.B: 25-03-1971
PB: 2:19:38 Berlin 28-09-1997
WOMEN
Lornah Kiplagat (The Netherlands)
D.o.B: 01-05-1974
PB: 2:22:22 Osaka 26-01-2003
Lornah Kiplagat has a national record marathon with 2:23:43(Nov 2nd 2003, New York.) At that moment she did not have Dutch citizenship.
Splittimes of her Dutch record:
17.54-34.10-51.15-1.08.18-1.12.04(half)-1.26.07-1.42.20-1.58.46-2.15.53-2.23.43
Ana Dias (Portugal)
D.o.B: 15-01-1974
PB: 2:28:49 Berlin 28-09-2003
Nadja Wijenberg (The Netherlands)
D.o.B: 02-04-1964
PB: 2:28:45 Eindhoven 10-10-1999
Fumi Murata (Japan)
D.o.B : 13-03-1975
PB: 2:30:11 Nagoya 14-03-2004
Marta Fernandez de Castro (Spain)
D.o.B : 19-08-1971
PB: 2:32:53 Rotterdam 22-04-2001
Tina Maria Ramos (Spain)
D.o.B 28-04-1971
PB: 2:34:05 Rotterdam 21-04-2002
Catherine Lallemand (Belgium)
D.o.B: 16-08-1979
PB:2:36:06 Reims 26-10-2003
Anne van Schuppen (The Netherlands)
D.o.B: 11-10-1960
PB: 2:31:26 Rotterdam 28-04-1996
Kristyna Loonen (The Netherlands)
D.o.B: 26-07-1970
PB: 2:36:14 Rotterdam 20-04-1997
Annelieke van der Sluijs (The Netherlands)
D.o.B: 10-02-1966
PB: 2:36:24 Almere 04-05-2003
Yeoryia Abatzidou (Greece)
D.o.B: 19-04-1969
PB: 2:36:57 Berlin 28-09-2003
Fatiha Baouf (Belgium)
D.o.B :15-07-1970
PB : 2:39:41 Eindhoven 10-10-04
