Posted: October 18, 2004

Athletics: Cheboror Sets Course Record at ING Amsterdam Marathon

From David Monti

(c) 2004 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved RaceResultsWeekly.com

ING Amsterdam Marathon (29th) - Amsterdam, NED; Sunday, October 17

Distance: 42.195 km
Finishers: 4491 (also 5879 in half-marathon and 2935 in 10-K)
Course Records: Men, new (see below); Women, 2:22:20, Gete Wami (ETH), 2002
Weather: Overcast, 10/11C, little wind at start; light rain later

NOTE: From WIM VAN HEMERT and the race organizers; Cheboror ran a huge negative split, covering the first half in 1:04:07 and the second half in 1:02:26. The half-marathon and 10-K did not have any statistically significant results --Ed.

AMSTERDAM (17-Oct) -- A year after he was one of the pacemakers in the ING Amsterdam Marathon, Robert Cheboror won the 29th edition of the event in the Dutch capital. The tall Kenyan, who will be 26 on 11-Nov, crossed the finish line in 1928 Olympic stadium in 2:06:23, not only bettering the one year-old course record compatriot William Kipsang, but also setting the third fastest time of the year. Only Cheboror's countrymen, Felix Limo (2:06:14, Rotterdam) and Evans Rutto (2:06:16, Chicago) were quicker in 2004.

Although he started as a pacemaker last year, Cheboror went on to finish ninth. The East African, who was second in this year's Boston marathon, ran an impressive race at Amsterdam. Around the 36th kilometre in the center of Amsterdam, Cheboror pullsed away from his last opponent, Kenyan Rodgers Rop, and was never in danger. His training companion and reigning champion Kipsang finished second, 2:18 behind. Kipsang had been scheduled to run in Chicago last weekend, but was unable to get a visa to enter the United States.

The womens race was won by Helena Javornik of Slovenia who set a national record 2:27:33. She finished 20th overall.

At the start the weather conditions looked ideal with overcast sky, a temperature of 10/11 degrees CT and nearly no wind. During the race however a light rain started and the wind was coming up. As result of that a lot of runners were complaining about the cold. From the beginning, the race started in the Olympic stadium where it returned after a loop of around seven kilometres and then on the loop course of 35 kms, there was a leading group of twelve including three pacemakers. The rabbits set a high pace with first ten kilometres passing in 29:22. The pace went up and down but when the leaders reached the 15 kilometres point (44:54), they had to fight a headwind along the river Amstel (this part was also run in the 1928 Olympic marathon) the pace became more even but stayed rather quick.

After halfway the leading group was nine: Kipsang, Rop, Cheboror, Boumlilli, Manyim, Lahsinni. Kipsang and the pacemakers Jackson Koech and Silas Kirui (both Kenyan) broke. Kipsang several times lost contact with the group (he later said he had troubles with his back) but every time came back. At 35 kilometres Rop and Cheboror were alone, and the winner would be one of thest two athletes. One kilometre later Cheboror left the weakening Rop, and went on to win with a wide margin. Rop dropped further back and was finally passed by seven runners. Kipsang looked very strong in the final kilometres but his trainingmate Cheboror was too far ahead.

"I asked William if he was angry because I betterd his course record," said Cheboror after the race. "'No,' he said, 'I'm happy for you with the course record and the personal best.'".

In the womens race 38 year-old Helena Javornik and Kenyan Emily Kimura were running together untill around 34 kilometres then the Slovenian women went ahead and took over two minutes over her last opponent. Javornik was happy with her win but disapointed about her time, despite lowering her own national record.

"I hoped for a time around 2:25:00," she said. "I had some problems between twelve and thirty kilometres. After 30-K I went well and had no problems anymore."

MEN - 
 1. Robert Cheboror, EN          2:06:23 PB/CR*
 2. William Kipsang, KEN         2:08:41
 3. El Hassan Lahsinni, FRA      2:10:10
 4. Wilfred Kigen, KEN           2:12:05
 5. Hugo van de Broek, NED       2:12:08 PB
 6. Khalid Boumlilli, MAR        2:12:32
 7. Salim Kipsang, KEN           2:12:44
 8. Teferi Bacha, ETH            2:13:07
 9. Rodgers Rop, KEN             2:13:58
10. Benjamin Kimutai Kosgei, KEN 2:14:16
11. Dereji Tesfaye, ETH          2:15:06
12. Henry Tarus, KEN             2:15:37
13. Philip Manyim, KEN           2:18:17
14. Pavel Faschingbauer, CZE     2:18:23
15. Francisco Bautista, MEX      2:18:50
16. Sullivan Smith, GBR          2:25:48
    Titus Munji, KEN             DNF
*Course record; previous 2:06:39, William Kipsang (KEN), 2003

Intermediate Times for Cheboror:
5-K's: 15:04-29:33-44:54-1:00:26-1:15:23-1:30:06-1:44:59-1:59:59 
Halves: 1:04:07/1:02:26

WOMEN - 
 1. Helena Javornik, SLO         2:27:33 NR
 2. Emily Kimuria, KEN           2:29:46 
 3. Tigiste Abidi, ETH           2:33:26 
 4. Kristijna Loonen, NED        2:37:01 
 5. Jane Rotich, KEN             2:37:14
 6. Alena Samokhvalova, RUS      2:38:43
 7. Millicent Boadi, GHA         2:48:27
 8. Agnes Hijman, NED            2:49:29
 9. Sanna Lampi, FIN             2:57:17

Intermediate times for Javornik:
5-K's: 17:00-33:53-51:23-1:09:07-not available-1:44:30-2:02:19-2:19:59
Halves: 1:13:25/1:14:08

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