Getachew Triumphs at Amsterdam Marathon: How a Near Miss Led to His Second Victory

Tsegaye Getachew has managed to win the <a href="https://www.archysport.com/2022/10/the-amsterdam-marathon-is-coming-again-many-streets-closed/” title=”The Amsterdam Marathon is coming again: ''Many streets closed''”>Amsterdam Marathon. The athlete from Ethiopia crossed the line in the Olympic Stadium after 2 hours, 5 minutes and 37 seconds. He was previously the fastest in 2022. Yalemzerf Yehualaw is the best woman with 2 hours, 16 minutes and 52 seconds, which was a course record.

The weather conditions were excellent in Amsterdam and from the start there was a large leading group including top favorites Tsegaye Getachew (former winner in 2022) and Philemon Kiplimo. The pace was led by Zaankanter Richard Douma, who had completed his task as hare after ten kilometers.

Everything went well for Getachew, while his Kenyan opponent had to abandon the fight after just under twenty kilometers. Kiplimo had been pulling his legs for minutes before that and at the Amstel his race was over. At that time, the course record from 2023 was increasingly disappearing.

Tipping point

As the 30 kilometer mark passed, the leading group thinned out more and more, but Getachew was still among them. He did see that Maru Teferi recorded the fastest time. Within three kilometers there were only four runners in the front and things were moving quickly. Getachew, Teferi, Boki Asefa and Kennedy Kimutai had shaken off Erick Sang moments earlier.

Kimutai pulled the cart for a while, but had to let go after 38 kilometers. He saw Getachew, Teferi and Asefa speeding up and couldn’t keep up. It remained very exciting with the trio until the last meters. Getachew almost took a wrong turn just before the Olympic Stadium, but after a sprint he was the best. The fastest Dutchman is Khalid Choukoud with 2.09:30. Debutant Filmon Tesfu (Den Helder) crosses the line after 2.10:58.

Course record

The battle for the women was quickly decided. Yalemzerf Yehualaw formed the leading group together with Desi Jisa, but the latter had to let go halfway. Yehualaw then continued to run the race consistently under the course record set by Almaz Ayana from 2022. Yehualaw improved the record by crossing the line after 2 hours, 16 minutes and 52 seconds. The old record was 2 hours, 17 minutes and 20 seconds.