Kenyans Wilson Chebet and Philes Ongori produced impressive runs to claim victories at the ABN AMRO Rotterdam Marathon, an IAAF Silver Label Road Race, on Sunday (10).
Running in sunny and humid conditions and in a two-way battle, Chebet took broke away from compatriot Vincent Kipruto the final stages to win with a fast 2:05:27 career best, the fastest time in the world this year. Ongori made her debut over the distance an auspicious one, clocking 2:24:20 to beat Dutchwoman Hilda Kibet, who reached the finish in 2:24:27, also a personal best.
It seemed that the Rotterdam organizers had made a clever move by insuring a possible World record for USD $350,000, with the hopes for a new World mark in the men's race living on until the 25th kilometer. The "Magnificent Seven", as the first seven on the starting list - Kenyans Kipruto, Eliud Kiptanui, Chebet, Gilbert Kirwa and Ethiopians Feyisa Lilesa, Getu Feleke and Chele Dechasa - were nicknamed, alone with debutante Kenyan Michael Kipyego, went out very fast with six pace makers. The group passed the five-kilometre marker in 14:38, three seconds shy of Haile Gebrselassie's split in the World record he set in Berlin in 2008. Then the pace increased.
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1. Wilson Chebet KEN 2:05:27 PB
(splits: 14:38-29:09-43:49-58:40-:1:02:07-1:13:42-1:28:41-1:43:44-1:58:47)
2. Vincent Kipruto KEN 2:05:33
3. Chele Dechasa ETH 2:08:47
4. Elius Kiptanui KEN 2:09:08
5. Alemayehu Shumye ETH 2:09:36
6. Michael Kipyego KEN 2:11:03
7. Feyisa Lilesa ETH 2:11:42
8. Koen Raymaekers NED 2:13:41
9. Julius Kanghethe Mbugua KEN 2:14:11
10. Zemiro Zohar ISR 2:14:28 PB
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