Mathew Kisorio, John Mwangangi for Rotterdam Marathon
Matthew Kisorio crosses the finish line to win the UAP Ndakaini Half Marathon on September 13, 2014 in Ndakaini. PHOTO | CHRIS OMOLLO | NATION
What you need to know:
- It’s Kenya’s Eliud Kipchoge who stopped Ethiopia’s two-year dominance in the race when he won the 2014 race in 2:05:00, in what was his third race over the distance.
- Ethiopia's Yemane Adhane had halted Kenya’s 13-year dominance over the race with victory in 2012.
Kenyans Mathew Kisorio, John Mwangangi and Mark Kiptoo take the battle to Ethiopians Ayele Abshero and Tsegaye Kebede when the Rotterdam Marathon goes down on Sunday in the Netherlands.
Mwangangi, who won his maiden marathon in Valencia last year in a personal best 2 hours, 06 minutes and 13 minutes, returns in Rotterdam on Sunday, hoping for victory.
It’s in Rotterdam where Mwangangi, the 2012 World Half Marathon bronze medallist, made his full marathon debut in 2013, clocking 2:09:32 for fifth place in a race won by Tilahun Regassa from Ethiopia.
Mwangangi, 25, was one of the pacesetters at the 2012 Rotterdam where the top two runners finished under two hours and five minutes. Ethiopian Yemane Adhane won the race in 2:04:48.
It’s Kenya’s Eliud Kipchoge who stopped Ethiopia’s two-year dominance in the race when he won the 2014 race in 2:05:00, in what was his third race over the distance. Adhane had halted Kenya’s 13-year dominance over the race with victory in 2012.
“I have been running a lot of races in the Netherlands and I have been a pacemaker on the same course, so I know the course very well,” said Mwangangi, who has been training in Mwingi.
Mwangangi warmed up for the race with a fifth-place finish in World’s Best 10K in San Juan by clocking 28:00, just seven seconds shy of his personal best. Kenya’s Bedan Karoki won the race in 27:42.
