Kirui 2:07 and Cheromei 2:25 debut – Double Kenyan victory in Amsterdam

Amsterdam, The Netherlands – The 33rd edition of the ING Amsterdam Marathon was topped out by Paul Kirui and Lydia Cheromei of Kenya, respectively the men’s and women’s division race winners of this IAAF Silver Label Road Race.

Kirui, the 2004 World Half Marathon champion who has a full marathon PB of  2:06:44 (2006), clocked a time of 2:07:52, while Cheromei, running her first marathon broke the finishing tape in the 80-year-old Olympic stadium in an impressive 2:25:57.

Behind Kirui a new Ethiopian talent emerged in the shape of 24-year-old Chala Dechase who took second place in 2:08:31. Robert Cheboror, the Kenyan winner of the 2004 edition (2:06:23, PB) was third in 2:09:13.

Cheromei, the 2004 World Half Marathon silver medallist, was way ahead of her nearest opponent, Adenech Zekiros of Ethiopia, who clocked 2:30:17 for second place.

Last year the weather circumstances in Amsterdam were nearly ideal, and although the temperature of 13-15 degrees CT was nice for a marathon this year too, the runners were sometimes hindered by a rather strong wind especially along the river Amstel on the way to the half marathon marker.

MEN

From the beginning there was a large leading group of about twenty runners including several pace makers. They passed the first 5 km marker in a promising 14:57, and stayed together for a long time.