Posted: September 14, 2005

Athletics: Limo And Chepkemei Lead Dam Tot Dam Entrants

From David Monti

© 2005 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved RaceResultsWeekly.com

In addition to Sunday's half-marathons in Philadelphia and Newcastle, the Dam tot Damloop will also take place on Sunday from Amsterdam to suburb Zaandam in the Netherlands, one of the world's fastest ten mile courses.

Kenyans Felix Limo and Susan Chepkemei are the top entrants, according to event manager, Jan Willem Mijderwijk of Stichting Sportevenementen Le Champion. Limo has run well in the Netherlands, winning the 2004 Fortis Marathon Rotterdam in a course record 2:06:14, and setting the world best for 15 km in Nijmegen in 2001 (41:29). He won this year's Twintig van Alphen and was third at the the marathon in Rotterdam.

Chepkemei, who in front of a huge global television audience battled Paula Radcliffe right to the finish line of last year's ING New York City Marathon where she finished second, won the Meia-Maratona Internacional de Lisboa earlier this year (1:08:49) and was third at the Flora London Marathon (2:24:00).

Key challengers for Limo include Kenyan William Kipsang, winner of the ING Amsterdam Marathon in 2003; Kenyan Bernard Barmasai, the former world record holder for the 3000m steeplechase; Kenyan John Kelai, winner of the ING Brussels Marathon in 2004, and oop 2003) and Dutch-based Moroccan Jamal Baligha, who won last Friday's Singeloop 10-K in Gouda in a solo 28:40.

Ethiopian Gete Wami will try to challenge Chepkemei. The two-time Olympic medalist has run 8:36.22 for 3000m this season and won the Coca-Cola Zero Rock 'N' Roll Marathon last June (2:30:55). Kenyans Rose Cheruiyot and Hilda Kibet, the latter the cousin and training partner of Lornah Kiplagat, will also take part.

The event records are 44:45 by Paul Koech in 1997 and 50:31 by Ingrid Kristiansen in 1987.