Kenya’s Stella Barsosio will be heading back to defend her title at the 41st edition of the NN Rotterdam Marathon that will be held on Sunday (10) in Rotterdam, Netherlands.
The 29 year-old comes to this race as the second fastest runner on paper with a personal best of 2:22.08 after taking off one minute twenty five seconds from her previous lifetime best when she won this race last year.
Barsosio will battle for the top honors with Ethiopia’s Haven Hailu who comes to this race with the fastest time on paper of 2:20.19 that she got at the Amsterdam Marathon last year where she took the bronze medal.
Another title contender is the Kenyan-born Bahraini, Rose Chelimo, who is the 2017 World Champion. The 2019 World silver medalist, who is bouncing back from her maternity leave, comes to this race with a personal best of 2:22.51 that she got at the 2017 Boston marathon where she finished in position two.
The deep field of elite athletes that consists of Barsosio, Hailu and Chelimo has been assembled together by the race organisers to try and dismantle the ten year course record of 2:18.58 that was set by Tiki Gelana from Ethiopia.
Netherland’s will put their hopes on the brilliant Nienke Brinkman who surprised many on her debut out of nothing to third place in the Netherlands ranking of all time when she crossed the line in a lifetime best of 2:26.34. Kenyan- Dutch runners, Lornah Kiplagat (2:23.43) and her niece Hilda Kibet (2:24.37) are the only other athletes who have done this on their debut.
The 2011 European U23 10,000m silver medallist, Sara Catarina Costa Pontes Ribeiro from Portugal will also be on the start line as she fights for the top honors. Ribeiro carries on her shoulder a life time best of 2:26.39 that she got at the 2019 Valencia marathon where she finished in eleventh place.
“We are so delighted that we also have a strong field of competitors in the women’s race, including the winner of the previous edition as tradition dictates,” says Remco Barbier, CEO of organiser Golazo Netherlands. “After the overwhelming success of #demooiste in October, we are looking forward to a nail-biting and fast race for the men and women. That should also inspire the tens of thousands of other participants who will appear at the start line with their own targets.’”
LEADING TIME
42KM WOMEN
- Haven Hailu (ETH) 2:20.19
- Stella Barsosio (KEN) 2:22.04
- Rose Chelimo (BAH) 2:22.51
- Nienke Brinkman (NED) 2:26.34
- Sara Ribeiro (POR) 2:26.39
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