Kenyan Eliud Kipchoge won the 34th ABN AMRO Rotterdam Marathon on Sunday, but failed in his bid to break the course record on a windy day in the Dutch port city.
The 29-year-old, who was the pre-race favourite, finished the race in Coolsingel in 2:05:00. Eliud Kipchoge’s compatriots and training buddies Bernard Koech (2:06:07) and Bernard Kipyego (2:07:57) finished second and third respectively.
The Rotterdam Marathon organizers had hoped he’d break the course record of 2:04.27 set in 2009 by the Kenyans Duncan Kibet and James Kwambai, but pacemakers dropped out regularly as wind hindered the runners.
“I’m happy to win the race,” Kipchoge said after the race. “Next time, I will come for the course record.”
Eliud Kipchoge from Kenya won the 34th ABN AMRO Rotterdam Marathon on Sunday in the Dutch port city.
Khalid Choukoud made a strong debut, finishing seventh with a time of 2:10:52 meeting the qualification standard for the European Championships in Zurich, and he moved up to the all-time Dutch ranking into ninth place .
After the race, an emotional Choukoud said: “I have no words for it.”
Abebech Afework from Ethiopia, second last year in Rotterdam, was the fastest woman with a recorded a time of 2:27:50.
Leading Results:
| Place | Name | City | Country | Gross | ||||
| 1 | Eliud Kipchoge | Kenia | 2:05:00 | |||||
| 2 | Bernard Koech | Kenia | 2:06:08 | |||||
| 3 | Bernard Kipyego | Kenia | 2:07:58 | |||||
| 4 | Deriba Robi | Ethiopië | 2:08:02 | |||||
| 5 | Weldu Negash | Eritrea | 2:09:14 | |||||
| 6 | Albert Matebor | Kenia | 2:10:40 | |||||
| 7 | Khalid Choukoud | Nederland | 2:10:52 | |||||
| 8 | Alemayehu Abebe | Ethiopië | 2:13:30 | |||||
| 9 | Willem Van Schuerbeeck | België | 2:13:55 | |||||
| 10 | James Theuri | Frankrijk | 2:14:48 | |||||
| 11 | Koen Raymaekers | Nederland | 2:15:19 | |||||
| 12 | Hugo van den Broek | Nederland | 2:15:31 | |||||
| 13 | Florent Caelen | België | 2:17:31 | |||||
| 14 | Andrea Gagamelli | Mondavio | 2:17:31 | |||||
| 15 | Sean Hehir | Ierland | 2:17:47 | |||||
| 16 | Olfert Molenhuis | Nederland | 2:17:49 | |||||
| 17 | Lander Van Droogenbroeck | België | 2:18:48 | |||||
| 18 | Stijn Fincioen | België | 2:19:10 | |||||
| 19 | Kári Steinn Karlsson | IJsland | 2:19:17 | |||||
| 20 | Michael Brandenbourg | Falmagne | 2:20:39 | |||||
| 21 | Sebastièn Schletterer | Middelburg | 2:20:41 | |||||
| 22 | Wesley van der Gouw | Nederland | 2:20:47 | |||||
| 23 | Fredrik Johansson | Göteborg | 2:20:53 | |||||
| 24 | Miguel Beltran Mendez | San Juan Del Puerto | 2:21:11 | |||||
| 25 | Gary O’Hanlon | Dublin | 2:22:52 | |||||
| 26 | Mike Teekens | Rijswijk Zh | 2:23:02 | |||||
| 27 | Dennis Laerte | Herent | 2:23:11 | |||||
| 28 | Félix Pont Cháfer | Gandía | 2:23:45 | |||||
| 29 | Christoforos Merousis | Chios | 2:23:53 | |||||
| 30 | Kazuyoshe Tokumoto | Japan | 2:24:39 | |||||
| 31 | Vincent Graas | Marseille | 2:24:51 | |||||
| 32 | Eoin Callaghan | Gormanstown | 2:24:58 | |||||
| 33 | Rens Dekkers | Nederland | 2:25:05 | |||||
| 34 | Roger Könins | Burg-Reuland | 2:25:22 | |||||
| 35 | Juan de Dios Salamanca Molina | Alcázar de San Juan | 2:26:45 | |||||
| 36 | Alexander Stuffer | Sarnthein | 2:27:44 | |||||
| 37 | Philip Van Lierde | Denderleeuw | 2:27:45 | |||||
| 38 | Imo Muller | Amsterdam | 2:27:47 | |||||
| 39 | Abebech Afework | Ethiopië | 2:27:50 | |||||
| 40 | Oscar Martin Perez | San Agustin Del Guad | 2:28:00 | |||||