Fast! Patrick Makau en route to his 2:04:48 PB in Rotterdam (© Jiro Mochizuki)
With a sizzling 2:04:48 victory, Patrick Makau became the fourth fastest marathoner ever after his 2:04:48 victory at the Rotterdam Marathon on Sunday.
Windy and rather cold (8-10 degrees C) conditions were a hindrance to the hope of bettering the Rotterdam course record, set last year after a thrilling finish between the Kenyans Duncan Kibet and James Kwambai who with 2:04:27 clocked the fastest marathon time of 2009.
But Makau weathered the conditions more than adequately with his effort, at the moment the fastest of the year. His compatriot Geoffrey Mutai also broke the 2:05 barrier, finishing second in 2:04:55.
While the men’s contest had a close finish, the women's edtion was a lonely affair for Ethiopian Aberu Kebede who clocked 2:25:29. American Magdalena Lewy-Boulet was second in 2:26:22, a personal best.
Dutch road races are good for Patrick Makau. The 25-year-old Kenyan ran his ninth Half Marathon on 14 March at The Hague winning in 59:51.
“The victory in The Hague was the decision to start in the Rotterdam marathon.'' Makau said. “I had injury problems since last year. The half marathon in The Hague gave me the feeling that everything was okay'' And Makau showed that he was O.K., kicking away from Mutai over the final kilometre.
After 32 kilometres in the Kralingse Bos (Kralingen Wood) the young Ethiopian Feyisa Lelisa, just 20, broke away from a group of ten. Pressing the pace, the group broke. Makau, Mutai and a third Kenyan, Vincent Kipruto, followed, with the quartet running together behind Lelisa.
The four passed the 35Km marker in 1:43:52, when the Lelisa, and then Kipruto, fell back. In the final seven kilometres it became a duel between Makau and Mutai with Makau mostly leading before making his final break.
In the women’s contest Kebede led from the outset for her dominating victory.
Wim van Hemert for the IAAF
Leading Results -
Men
1. Patrick Makau KEN 2:04:48 PB
(splits: 14:48-29; 16-43:57; 58:40; 1:02:08; 1:13:51; 1:28:58; 1:43:52; 1:58:38)
2. Geoffrey Mutai KEN 2:04:55 PB
3. Vincent Kipruto KEN 2:05:13 PB
4. Feyisa Lelisa ETH 2:05:23 PB
5. Bernard Kipyego KEN 2:07:01 PB debut
6. Francis Kiprop KEN 2:08:53
7. Daniel Rono KEN 2:09:49
8. Elias Chelimo Kemboi KEN 2:10:29
9. Koen Raymaekers NED 2:11:09 PB Dutch champion
10. Yared Dagnaw Sharew ERI 2:11:28
11. Jonathan Maiyo KEN 2:12:45 P debut
12. Michael Shelley AUS 2:13:05 PB debut
13. James Carney USA 2:15:50 PB
14. Evans Kiplagat KEN 2:16:25
15. Ronals Schroer NED 2:16:28 PB second in Dutch championship
16. Rens Dekkers NED 2:17:10 PB third in Dutch championship
17. Jeppe Farsoeht DEN 2:18:47 PB
18. Jason Warick CAN 2:21:09
19. Rachid Benjira SWE 2:21:20
20. James Kwambai KEN 2:24:07 (second last year in 2:04:27)
Women -
1. Aberu Kebede ETH 2:25:29 PB
(splits: 17:03; 33:57; 51:10; 1:08:02; 1:11:59; 1:24:58; 1:42:00; 1:59:17; 2:17:15)
2. Magdalena Lewy-Boulet USA 2:26:22 PB
3. Xialin Zhu CHN 2:29:42
4. Yevgenia Danilova RUS 2:31:44 PB
5. Beatriz Ros Blanco ESP 2:32:28
6. Alina Istadura ROM 2:33:36 PB
7. Zoila Gomez USA 2:33:54
8. Meseret Mengistu ETH 2:34:07 PB Debut
9. Olga Glok RUS 2:38:10
10. Merel de Knegt NED 2:38:41 PB Dutch champion
11. Xenia Luxem BEL 2:39:01 PB Debut
12. Anna von Schenk SWE 2:39:20
13. Inge de Jong NED 2:40:55 PB Debut, second in Dutch championship
14. Miriam van Reijen NED 2:41:24 PB third in Dutch championship
15. Colette Fagan GBR 2:46:32
Windy and rather cold (8-10 degrees C) conditions were a hindrance to the hope of bettering the Rotterdam course record, set last year after a thrilling finish between the Kenyans Duncan Kibet and James Kwambai who with 2:04:27 clocked the fastest marathon time of 2009.
But Makau weathered the conditions more than adequately with his effort, at the moment the fastest of the year. His compatriot Geoffrey Mutai also broke the 2:05 barrier, finishing second in 2:04:55.
While the men’s contest had a close finish, the women's edtion was a lonely affair for Ethiopian Aberu Kebede who clocked 2:25:29. American Magdalena Lewy-Boulet was second in 2:26:22, a personal best.
Dutch road races are good for Patrick Makau. The 25-year-old Kenyan ran his ninth Half Marathon on 14 March at The Hague winning in 59:51.
“The victory in The Hague was the decision to start in the Rotterdam marathon.'' Makau said. “I had injury problems since last year. The half marathon in The Hague gave me the feeling that everything was okay'' And Makau showed that he was O.K., kicking away from Mutai over the final kilometre.
After 32 kilometres in the Kralingse Bos (Kralingen Wood) the young Ethiopian Feyisa Lelisa, just 20, broke away from a group of ten. Pressing the pace, the group broke. Makau, Mutai and a third Kenyan, Vincent Kipruto, followed, with the quartet running together behind Lelisa.
The four passed the 35Km marker in 1:43:52, when the Lelisa, and then Kipruto, fell back. In the final seven kilometres it became a duel between Makau and Mutai with Makau mostly leading before making his final break.
In the women’s contest Kebede led from the outset for her dominating victory.
Wim van Hemert for the IAAF
Leading Results -
Men
1. Patrick Makau KEN 2:04:48 PB
(splits: 14:48-29; 16-43:57; 58:40; 1:02:08; 1:13:51; 1:28:58; 1:43:52; 1:58:38)
2. Geoffrey Mutai KEN 2:04:55 PB
3. Vincent Kipruto KEN 2:05:13 PB
4. Feyisa Lelisa ETH 2:05:23 PB
5. Bernard Kipyego KEN 2:07:01 PB debut
6. Francis Kiprop KEN 2:08:53
7. Daniel Rono KEN 2:09:49
8. Elias Chelimo Kemboi KEN 2:10:29
9. Koen Raymaekers NED 2:11:09 PB Dutch champion
10. Yared Dagnaw Sharew ERI 2:11:28
11. Jonathan Maiyo KEN 2:12:45 P debut
12. Michael Shelley AUS 2:13:05 PB debut
13. James Carney USA 2:15:50 PB
14. Evans Kiplagat KEN 2:16:25
15. Ronals Schroer NED 2:16:28 PB second in Dutch championship
16. Rens Dekkers NED 2:17:10 PB third in Dutch championship
17. Jeppe Farsoeht DEN 2:18:47 PB
18. Jason Warick CAN 2:21:09
19. Rachid Benjira SWE 2:21:20
20. James Kwambai KEN 2:24:07 (second last year in 2:04:27)
Women -
1. Aberu Kebede ETH 2:25:29 PB
(splits: 17:03; 33:57; 51:10; 1:08:02; 1:11:59; 1:24:58; 1:42:00; 1:59:17; 2:17:15)
2. Magdalena Lewy-Boulet USA 2:26:22 PB
3. Xialin Zhu CHN 2:29:42
4. Yevgenia Danilova RUS 2:31:44 PB
5. Beatriz Ros Blanco ESP 2:32:28
6. Alina Istadura ROM 2:33:36 PB
7. Zoila Gomez USA 2:33:54
8. Meseret Mengistu ETH 2:34:07 PB Debut
9. Olga Glok RUS 2:38:10
10. Merel de Knegt NED 2:38:41 PB Dutch champion
11. Xenia Luxem BEL 2:39:01 PB Debut
12. Anna von Schenk SWE 2:39:20
13. Inge de Jong NED 2:40:55 PB Debut, second in Dutch championship
14. Miriam van Reijen NED 2:41:24 PB third in Dutch championship
15. Colette Fagan GBR 2:46:32
