Yehualaw blitzes to course record time in Amsterdam success
Yalemzerf Yehualaw ignited the 2024 TCS Amsterdam Marathon by leading home an NN Running Team one-two by setting a personal best and a women’s course record time of 2:16:52 in the Dutch capital.
Producing an outstanding display of distance running, the 25-year-old Ethiopian trimmed 28 seconds from the course record of Almaz Ayana to finish clear of team-mate Haven Hailu, who also posted a personal best of 2:19:29.
On a triumphant day for the NN Running Team, 2023 World Championship silver medallist Maru Teferi of Israel was also in personal best shape setting a time of 2:05:42 to place third in a captivating men’s race – finishing four seconds behind race winner Tsegaye Getachew.
On a grey Amsterdam morning and temperatures hovering around 13C, Yehualaw – paced by NNRT duo Björn Koreman and Abel Sikowo – hit the 10km split in 32:21 alongside her NNRT teammate Desi Jisa of Bahrain with Hailu a further 15 seconds further back.
A little before the halfway mark, Jisa slipped off the blistering pace as Yehualaw reached the halfway mark in 1:08:00 – 14 seconds clear of Jisa with Hailu – who had run a more conservative first 21.1km – registering 1:08:44.
Yehualaw continued to pile on the pressure and by 25km – reached in a time of 1:20.22 - she was a huge 1:42 under course record pace with Hailu and Jisa locked together in second in 1:21:15.
For the remainder of the race, Yehualaw perhaps understandably, started to tire but still maintained her focus to achieve not only an emphatic race win but also a 31-second PB and a Dutch all-comers’ record. The performance also elevated Yehualaw to 16th on the all-time lists for the women’s marathon.
Hailu produced a strong second half of the race to stop the clock in 2:19:29 – 50 seconds quicker than her previous PB set on this course three years ago. Kenyan Winfridah Moseti completed the podium positions, posting 2:20:27 for third.
NN Running Team athlete Aminet Ahmed scalped more than two minutes from her personal best to place a creditable sixth in 2:21:24. Jisa, who contended with Yehualaw for much of the first half of the race, finished eighth in 2:22:31.
In a thrilling men’s race, Teferi impressed to hack more than a minute from his lifetime best to claim a podium spot in third.
Paced by NN Running Team athlete Richard Douma a large lead group – containing Teferi and his NN Running Team teammate and marathon debutant Erick Sang of Kenya - hit the 10km checkpoint in 14:40.
By halfway – reached in a handy 1:02:29 - the lead pack which numbered around a dozen still included the NNRT duo – before the race started to unravel beyond the 30km mark.
At this point Teferi, the 2022 European silver medallist with a pre-event PB of 2:06:43 – hit the front and the group quickly splintered. Around the 33km mark Sang fell off the back of the group and by 35km – passed in 1:43:39 - it was Teferi, the Ethiopian pair of Getachew, Boki Asefa and Kenyan Kennedy Kimutai – in the battle for glory.
Leading into the final 5km Kimutai was the first to crack but as the race reached a rousing finale Teferi, Getachew and Asefa were all still firmly in contention heading into the final kilometre.
In a moment of high drama, Getachew briefly wandered off course and lost ten metres or so on both Teferi and Asefa but quickly regained his composure to gallop to the front.
Entering the Olympic Stadium, Getachew, the 2022 champion, led Asefa by several metres with Teferi now isolated back in third.
There was no further change to the finishing order as Getachew retained his crown in 2:05:38 – two seconds clear of his compatriot Asefa. Teferi produced a lifetime best in third - a performance of which has can be immensely proud.
Sang placed a highly respectable seventh in 2:07:50.