Hilda Kibet (NED) wins the 2008 European XC women's race (© Mark Shearman)
Despite losing its title sponsor the Amsterdam Marathon has still managed to line-up a very strong field for its 34th edition which takes place on Sunday (18).
The Amsterdam Marathon is an IAAF Silver Label Road Race.
A near record of 9000 athletes from 67 countries will take part in the marathon along with 17,000 participants at other distances on Sunday in what is forecast to be ideal weather on with dry conditions, sunshine, nearly no wind and temperatures around 13 degrees C.
With Charles Kibiwott (Ken), Julio Rey (Esp) and Tesfaye Tola (Eth) the marathon in Amsterdam lists three runners with personal bests under 2:07:00. Kibiwott, 35, and Rey, 37, have identical bests of 2:06:52 (also both set in 2006) while Tola, 34, clocked 2:06:57 in this race back in 1999! The next fastest in the field are the Kenyans Daniel Yego (2:08:16), Paul Biwott (2:08:17) and Nicholas Chelimo (2:08:50).
Most courses over Dutch roads are very fast and the course in Amsterdam, which follows part of the 1928 Olympic Games route, is no exception. The 1928 Olympic Stadium also provides the start and finish line for the event.
Amsterdam has attracted a lot of athletes who will run the marathon distance for the first time. Most notably among them is Kenyan Jonathan Maiyo, who was second over the half marathon in Rotterdam on 13 September with a 59:08 personal best, the fourth fastest time in the world this year.
The 21-year-old, who trains with Abel Kirui (2:05:04 in April in Rotterdam), said at the official press conference today: “I am feeling well and my shape is o.k. I am well prepared. I do not predict my finish time but I am sure it will be a good one.''
Maiyo’s compatriot Robert Kipchumba, who scored a personal best of 2:09:56 when finishing eighth in the Rotterdam Marathon on 5 April, and is in good form having finished near to his personal best for half the distance in that same city on 13 September, hopes to improve.
“I am well prepared. Dutch races have always good to me. Last month I clocked 59:32 for the half marathon in Rotterdam just four seconds off my personal best on the distance. I am full of self confidence,” said the 25-year-old.
The Amsterdam marathon is also the venue of the Dutch national championships this year. Hilda Kibet, the partner of Dutchman Hugo van den Broek, is the favourite for the women’s national title. It could be a family double in their home town on Sunday as Van den Broek is one of the serious contenders in the Dutch men's field.
Hilda Kibet, 28, fifth at this year’s World XC champs, is a world class runner who has a personal marathon best of 2:32:10 which is ready for an improvement on the back of personal bests this year at 10,000m on the track (30:51.92; 14 Jun) and more recently at 10 Miles (51:21; 20 Sep) on the roads. If all goes well she should be the overall women's race winner as well as the nationla champion.
Kibet will face strong opposition from four Ethiopian runners, Eyarusalem Kuma (2:26:51), Woinshet Girma (2:31:03), Meseret Legesse (2:31:37), Etalemu Kidana (debut), and the Spanish athlete Teresa Pulido (2:31:56).
Wim van Hemert for the IAAF
The most important starters are:
Charles Kibiwott (Ken) 2:06:52
Julio Rey (Esp) 2:06:52
Tesfaye Tola (Eth) 2:06:57
Daniel Yego (Ken) 2:08:16
Paulo Biwott (Ken) 2:08:17
Nicholas Chelimo (Ken) 2:08:50
Mariko Kiplagat (Ken) 2:09:03
Robert Kipchumba (Ken) 2:09:56
Debuts of: Jonathan Maiyo, Evans Kiplagat, Elijah Keitany,Gilbert Yegon (all Ken), Tadesse Feyissa (Eth), Saji Abdelkabir (Mar) and Lander van Droogenbroeck (Bel).
