IDENTICAL SCRIPT: 'Rags-to-riches' Kenyan duo do battle in Amsterdam Marathon

Kenya's Bernard Kipyego gestures as he crosses the finish line to win the Amsterdam Marathon on October 19, 2014. AFP PHOTO

Kenya’s elite runners lined up for TCS Amsterdam Marathon this morning have identical backgrounds that inspire budding athletes.

The cliché ‘rags to riches’ will no doubt swirl around when they battle in the Dutch’s 42km premier race to the finish line at the Olympic Stadium here.

Three-time winner Wilson Chebet, two-time winner Bernard Kipyego and Sammy Kitwara, a former runner-up in Chicago marathon, will no doubt put aside childhood challenges as they battle for honours in the IAAF Gold Label Road Race.

Chebet better known as ‘Mr Amsterdam’ completed Standard Eight at Kaptalamwa Primary School and then proceeded to Lelan Secondary School. He has come a long way to emerge out of their family poverty chains.

The fifth child in a family of six was forced to discontinue schooling at Lelan Secondary School due to lack of school fees.

He then decided to try his hand in business buying sheep in Lelan and transporting them to Kaptalamwa market. That did not work out and he chose athletics.

And the result was two wins in Dutch flagship races in a season, Rotterdam and Amsterdam marathons, earned Chebet his greatest honour –he was nicknamed ‘Mr Amsterdam’.

They will be up against Ethiopia’s Dino Sefir even as Kipyego longs complete a hat-trick –having won the past two editions.

“I also aim to lower the course record. I have had enough training,” Kipyego said.

The 31-year old Kipyego earned his second marathon win here last year, which turned a sigh of relief for he had competed in 10 marathons without a win –having finished third in Boston and Chicago marathons.

Kiprop, better known as ‘junior’ in athletic circles due his youthful physique, is no doubt mentioned in the same breath as world marathon record holder Dennis Kimetto (2:02.57).

But Chebet will be keen to protect his course record of 2:05.36 as he contests in Amsterdam for the sixth year in a row banking on his familiarity with the course.

Kipyego and Chebet will have to fend off Kitwara and Dino Sefir as the two have run a sub 05:00.

Kitwara, second-placed in 2014 Chicago Marathon in 2:04.28, has finished in the top four in Chicago on four occasions, and has twice been runner-up, but the 29-year-old runner from Marakwet now aims to secure his first marathon victory in Amsterdam today.