L. MathekaKipyego settles for bronze at Rotterdam Marathon
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Reading Time: 2min | Sun. 10.04.22. | 15:23
Kipyego surprised many in 2019 when he won the Abu Dhabi marathon, having gone in as a pacer.
Abu Dhabi Marathon 2019 champion Reuben Kipyego clocked 2:05.10 to bag bronze at this year's Rotterdam Marathon held on Sunday 10 April.
The marathon was being held for the second time in six months, as the previous edition had been delayed to 24 October due to the Covid-19.
The men's race at the Rotterdam Marathon was won by less than a second 🤯
— AW (@AthleticsWeekly) April 10, 2022
1⃣ Abdi Nageeye 🇳🇱 (2:04:54)
2⃣ Leul Gebresilase 🇪🇹 (2:04:54)
3⃣ Reuben Kiprop Kipyego 🇰🇪 (2:05:10) pic.twitter.com/X91ezyTroV
Olympic silver medalist Abdi Nageeye prevailed in Sunday's event, clocking 2:04.54 for gold ahead of Leul Gebreselasse who clocked 2:04.54 as well in a dramatic sprint decided on a photo finish.
The time for the champion is a national record. It is also a first title for a Dutch runner in Rotterdam. Nageeye broke his own national record of 2:06.17 set three years ago at the same event.
With his victory, Nageeye is the successor of his Belgian friend Bashir Abdi, Olympic bronze medalist, who was the best in Rotterdam last year. Abdi finished fourth on Sunday. In the last 21 editions before that, the victory has always gone to an athlete from Kenya or Ethiopia.
The pacers set a pace of 2:57 with 14 athletes forming the leading group that covered the 20 km in just 59 minutes and clocked 1:02 at the half-way mark. The leading group went through the 30km mark in 1:28.28 with Kipyego in front.
This day just keeps getting better!🤩Haven Hailu wins the NN Marathon Rotterdam (2:22:01) and Nienke Brinkman crosses the line second noting a new NR (2:22:51)!👏🏻 #demooiste #rotterdammarathon pic.twitter.com/cbvLgDbysv
— NN Running Team (@NNRunningTeam) April 10, 2022
Kipyego kept setting the pace and Abdi was the first to give up, about to reach km 40 . Kipyego himself was the second to drop, close to 41. The victory was disputed between two athletes from the NN Running Team in a very long sprint in which Nageeye prevailed.
In the women's race, Haven Hailu won in 2:22:01 and Nienke Brinkman crossed the line second noting a new national record of 2:22.51.
