The reigning Hamburg Marathon champion, Cyprian Kimurgor Kotut will fight for the top podium finish as he engages a selected deep elite field at the 47th edition of the Amsterdam Marathon that will be held on Sunday (16) in Amsterdam, Netherlands.
The 30 year-old who broke the fastest man on the planet over distance, Eliud Kipchoge’s course record in Germany twenty four weeks ago with a time of 2:04.47 which is also his personal best will battle for honors with Ethiopia’s Lemi Berhanu Hayle who comes to this race with the fastest time on paper of 2:04.33 that he got at the 2016 Dubai Marathon where he finished in second place. The 28 year-old who has won five marathons out of nine he has taken part in according to World Athletics statistics, will be a torn in the flesh for the Kenyan though the current performance by Kotut places him at a better position to lift the title.
The two will not have an easy ride to the trophy as they will face-off with seven athletes who carry sub 2:05 performance.
Reigning Milano Marathon champion, Titus Kipruto from Kenya leads the seven athletes as he comes to this race with third fastest time on paper of 2:05.05 that he got this April with the reigning Riyadh Marathon champion Tsegaye Getachew from Ethiopia also being in the mix as they seek to fight for the title.
Two other Kenyans, Norbert Kigen and Laban Korir will also be on the start line up as they fight for the top podium place. Kigen who is familiar with this course, carries a personal best of 2:05.13 that he got at the 2017 edition of this event while Korir who serves as the president of the Global Communications training camp that houses the man who holds the two fastest time in the world over the distance, Kipchoge, comes with a personal best time of 2:05.54 that he got at the 2016 edition of this race where he finished in fourth place.
Ethiopia’s Adeladlew Mamo and Afewerki Berhane both will be running their second marathons as they hold personal bests of 2:05.12 and 2:05.13 respectively.
The 2015All-Africa Games bronze medallist in 10,000m Adugna Takele, who is also the oldest in the line will also be on the battle front as he seeks to unseat the young stars. The 33 year-old comes with a personal best of 2:05.52 that he got in February at the Zurich marathon where he finished in fourth place.
The race organisers have put together these deep field to try and lower the race course record of 2:03.38 that was set last year by Tamirat Tola from Ethiopia
LEADING TIME
42KM MEN
- Lemi Berhanu (ETH) 2:04.33
- Cyprian Kotut (KEN) 2:04.47
- Titus Kipruto (KEN) 2:05.05
- Tsegaye Getachew (ETH) 2:05.11
- Adeladlew Mamo (ETH) 2:05.12
- Norbert Kigen (KEN) 2:05.13
- Afewerki Berhane (ETH) 2:05.22
- Adugna Takele (ETH) 2:05.52
- Laban Korir (KEN) 2:05.54
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