Amsterdam course records THREATENED as Kirui takes on three-time winner Chebet in Sunday race

Wilson Chebet

Wilson Kwambai Chebet will be seeking a fourth bite at the cherry in Amsterdam Marathon on Sunday.

Having ruled the Dutch capital flagship race, Chebet left the country on Tuesday night with arduous task ahead: he needs to be at his best to counter two-time world marathon champion Abel Kirui, who has announced his bid to attack Chebet’s course record mark of 2:05.36.

But Chebet, who is nick-named ‘Mr Amsterdam’ for his superb wins, has dared the Olympic silver medalist to brace for a tough race.

“I have prepared well. It will not be easy as Abel Kirui has announced to lower the course record. I will be there to keep him in check. I will give my best shot,” Chebet told FeverPitch before heading to Amsterdam.

Chebet will lead a star-studded Kenyan line up that also includes former world cross-country bronze medalist Lucas Rotich, former Tokyo Marathon winner Bernard Kipyego, former national cross-country champion Philemon Rono, former world half-marathon bronze medalist John Mwangangi and new kid Gideon Kipketer.

Former national cross-country junior champion John Kemboi and Robert Chemosin will make their marathon debut.

Throw in Ethiopia’s assassins Ayele Abshero, Dino Sefir and Endeshaw Negesse and the light-hearted will tremble.

Ogla Kimaiyo, who basks in a personal best time of 2:36.57, will certainly walk a tight rope against a classy Ethiopian line-up that features Meseret Hailu (2:21.09) and Betelhem Moges (2:26.42).

Chebet has won Amsterdam Marathon hat-trick –2011, 2012 and 2013. He went down into history in 2011 as the only runner to rule marathon running in the Netherlands –winning Amsterdam and Rotterdam marathons –in a season.

Not bad for a man who discontinued schooling at Lelan Secondary in Elgeyo Marakwet County for lack of fees. He then decided to try his hand in business, buying sheep in Lelan and transporting them to the nearby Kaptalamwa market.

“I hope to perform well since I have many fans in Amsterdam. I do not want to disappoint them,” said Chebet, a runner-up in Boston Marathon last April.

Kirui, who saw a career threatening injury dash his 2013 world championships title defence bid, would make good his bid to break the course record.

Kirui, 32, from Samitoi village in Nandi County, always gets blessings from his 86-year-old grandmother, Tamining Chemaiyo, ahead of big marathon races.
As a boy, Kirui practiced running while herding his family’s goats. He attended the nearby Simatoi Primary with his mind riveted on academic excellence.

The runner, whose siblings Michael Rotich and James Songok are also athletes, says they were forced to run 28-laps instead of the usual 24-laps for the 10,000m race as the track was shorter. And glory has kept streaming his way.