Bernard Kipyego wins TCS Amsterdam Marathon , Rotich and Mwangangi finish 2nd and 3rd respectively

Bernard Kipyego

Bernard Kipyego and Betelhem Moges secured victories at the 2014 Amsterdam Marathon, winning the men's and women's races respectively.

Kipyego finished in a personal best time of 2:06:20 to lead home a men's race dominated by Kenyan athletes; he was joined on the podium by compatriots Lucas Rotich and John Mwangangi who finished in second and third place respectively.

In the women's race it was Moges who emerged as comfortable victor. She was followed by Kenya's Ogla Kimaiyo in second place. Burundi's Diane Nukuri Johnson finished third. The Ethiopian came home in a time of 2:28:35.

Meanwhile, Abraham Cheroben turned in a sparkling performance at the 24th edition of the Medio Maraton de Valencia Trinidad Alfonso, clocking 58:48 at the IAAF Silver Label Road Race yesterday. 

 

NINTH STRAIGHT WINNER

It was a personal best for the 21-year-old Kenyan, the fastest time in the world for more than two years, just 25 seconds shy of Zersenay Tadese's 2010 world record and a Spanish all-comers best, smashing the latter mark set by another Kenyan, the late Samuel Wanjiru, who ran 59:26 in Granollers in 2008.

He is the ninth successive Kenyan winner of the race, which has acquired a deserved reputation for fast times thanks to its flat course and being only around 16 metres above sea level. His compatriot Kenneth Kipkemoi finished second in a personal best of 59:01.

 "I'm satisfied with my win but I'm not totally happy because I was targeting a new world record today. I'm convinced I can break the 58-minute barrier for the distance. Today's temperature was a little bit hot for an endurance event like this, so conditions were good but not ideal," reflected Cheroben.

 

TAKE CONTROL

Asked about the possibility of tackling a marathon sometime soon, Cheroben was adamant: "No, not at the moment. My only goal in the near future is to break the half marathon world best."

After the leading group went through 5km in 13:57 to clearly suggest that a time well under one hour was on the cards, the pace even increased slightly in the second 5km and a four-man pack - an all-Kenyan quartet of Cheroben, Kipkemoi, Matthew Kisorio, and Tirus Mbishei - at the front passed 10km in a fast 27:40.

Kisorio was the man pushing the pace in the middle stages of the race but Cheroben always looked comfortably ahead and just before the 15km checkpoint he started to pull away and take control of the race.

Mbishei was the first to fall off the back of the leading pack and by 15km, was reached by Cheroben in 41:53. Kipkemoi and Kisorio were two seconds adrift and Mbishei a further two seconds back.

Cheroben then just extended his advantage all the way to the line as Kipkemoi won the battle for second place. Kisorio was third in 59:50 and Mbishei fourth with a big personal best of 59:55.

 Two-time IAAF World Cross Country Championships gold medallist Emily Chebet won the women's race in a course record of 1:08:01.

Chebet went quickly to the front with just her fellow Joyce Chepkirui for company.

The pair went through 5km together in 15:37 and 10km in 31:40, with Chepkirui generally dictating proceedings. The pair had a 10-second advantage over the rest of the field.

 "Last year I came home as the runner up in 68:20. Today, I was the winner and ran almost 20 seconds faster so I have to be more than satisfied," said Chebet, who is expected to defend her world cross country title in Guiyang, China, next March. -IAAF