The Rotterdam Marathon produced once again very good times in the men’s race this Sunday. Three runners clocked sub 2:07 hours times. Sammy Korir (Kenya) won in 2:06:38 hours, the fastest time of the year. Mindaye Gishu (Ethiopia) was the women’s winner in 2:28:30. At the Paris Marathon Gashaw Melese (Ethiopia) won in 2:08:03 hours on the same day. The women’s race was compared to the men’s field less spectacular too. Irina Timofejewa from Russia ran 2:27:22.
A high class and exciting race developed on a modified course in Rotterdam. After almost exactly 1:30 hours the leaders passed 30 kilometers. The pace was increased after that, so that they reached 35K in 1:44:43. This suggested a possible finishing time of sub 2:06. The leading group was reduced to three runners at that time. The later winner Sammy Korir ran next to a surprisingly strong Paul Kirui and KIMbia’s Charles Kibiwott (both Kenya). Korir is the second fastest marathon runner ever. He had finished second in Berlin in 2003, when he was just a second behind his countrymen Paul Tergat, who set the world record of 2:04:55 in that race.
The trio showed a grim fight for victory. The last kilometer was decisive. Sammy Korir got away from Charles Kibiwott, shortly after Paul Kirui had lost contact. Kirui then passed Kibiwott on the last meters and finished second in 2:06:44. Kibiwott set a new personal best as well, finishing third in 2:06:52. These are the three fastest times of this year so far. Seven runners clocked under 2:10 hours. Though Korir missed the targeted course record of his countryman Felix Limo (2:06:14) he showed a great race.
Most times in Rotterdam the women’s race has not this high standard. So it was today as well. Mindaye Gishu (Ethiopia) won in 2:28:30 ahead of Helena Javornik (Slovenia/2:29:37) and Isabel Eizmendi (Spain/2:31:53).
In Paris it was an Ethiopian who upstaged the Kenyans: Gashaw Melese won in fast 2:08:03 hours ahead of the Kenyans Kiprotich Kenei (2:08:51) and Bernard Barmasai (2:08:52). This race had good quality as well and produced six sub 2:10 times. The men took centre stage while Irina Timofejewa won in 2:27:22 ahead of Natalja Volgina (both Russia/2:27:32) and Pamela Chepchumba (Kenya/2:29:48). Paris had a new participant’s record of 36,500 runners.
