Cheptegei eyes maiden Marathon win in Amsterdam
David GOMBE
Uganda’s legendary long distance runner Joshua Cheptegei will be pursuing his maiden Marathon win at the TCS Amsterdam Marathon on Sunday, 19th October.
Cheptegei finished ninth on his second Marathon try in Tokyo this year in March with a new personal best of 2 hours, 5 minutes and 59 seconds at the 42Km distance race.
The Ugandan icon has contested just two marathons to date, he ran 2:08:59 on his debut in Valencia at the end of 2023 before he took off three minutes in Tokyo this year.
In April this year, Cheptegei triumphed over the 10km in Bengaluru with a time of 27:53 which was his last outing.
On Sunday, he will be against Gabriel Geay the fastest man in the field who set a Tanzanian record of 2:03:00 when he finished second in Valencia in 2022
One year later, he failed to finish in Boston and at the Olympic Games later in 2024 but rebounded at the start of this year with a win in Daegu posting a time of 2:05:20.
Cheptegei is a three time multiple world champion over the 10000m race and will be optimistic to prevail at the marathon distance after Jacob Kiplimo’s success in Chicago last Sunday.
Leading Entries for the Amsterdam Marathon
Men
Gabriel Geay (TAN) 2:03:00
Getaneh Molla (ETH) 2:03:34
Andualem Shiferaw (ETH) 2:04:44
Tsegaye Getachew (ETH) 2:04:49
Bute Gemechu (ETH) 2:04:51
Bazezew Asmare (ETH) 2:04:57
Geoffrey Toroitich (KEN) 2:05:46
Joshua Cheptegei (UGA) 2:05:59
Muktar Edris (ETH) 2:05:59
Kenya Sonota (JPN) 2:05:59
Enock Kinyamal (KEN) 2:06:28
Lameck Too (KEN) 2:06:29
Merhawi Kesete (ERI) 2:06:36
Masresha Bere (ETH) 2:06:44
Afewerk Mesfin (ETH) 2:07:08
Boki Diriba (ETH) 2:07:13
Khalid Choukoud (NED) 2:07:37
Godadaw Belachew (ISR) 2:07:45
Mesfin Niguse (ETH) 2:07:58
Phil Sesemann (GBR) 2:08:04
Haftom Welday (GER) 2:08:24
Shadrack Kimining (KEN) 2:08:29
Benson Tunyo (KEN) 2:08:36
Takashi Ichida (JPN) 2:08:57
Aron Kifle (ERI) 2:09:39
Tadesse Getahon (ISR) debut
Daniel Tola (ETH) debut