King Kamworor reigns on the streets of Rotterdam
Geoffrey Kamworor executed a vintage performance to secure victory in the NN Marathon Rotterdam while Aminet Ahmed claimed second place in the women’s race to ensure the NN Running Team enjoyed a memorable day in the Dutch port city.
Kamworor broke free of his rivals a little after 37km to claim an emphatic 33-second victory in a time of 2:04:33 – within 10 seconds of his lifetime best recorded at the 2023 TCS London Marathon.
It was an impressive display by the 32-year-old Kenyan who during an illustrious career has claimed three World Half Marathon titles, a pair of World Cross Country crowns and was also TCS New York City Marathon champion in 2017 and 2019.
On a slightly blustery and cloudy morning in Rotterdam, Kamworor – a long-time training partner of NN Running Team marathon great Eliud Kipchoge – set out among the favourites to claim a first marathon victory in six years.
At 10km reached in 29:31 - 11 seconds down on course record pace - Kamworor featured as part of a large lead group of around 20 athletes which also included fellow NN Running Team athlete Dejene Hailu of Ethiopia.
By halfway (1:02:21) the lead group had been reduced to 13 athletes with a composed-looking Kamworor and Hailu still firmly in the mix.
By the 25km Hailu has dropped off the pace as a nine-strong lead group – contained a cruising Kamworor plus a pair of two pacemakers.
As is so often the case with marathons by the 30km mark – which was reached in 1:28:24 – the race has started to take shape. Kamworor was now prominent as part of a four-strong lead group alongside his fellow Kenyan Kennedy Kimutai and Ethiopian duo Chimdessa Debele and Chala Regasa.
By 35km – reached in 1:43:40 – you could have thrown a blanket over the lead quartet – but shortly after Kamworor could wait no longer and made his winning move.
Noticeably injecting an increase in pace the long-striding Kenyan rapidly stretched the field with Kimutai and Debele dropping out of contention. Regasa grimly latched on to the back of the Kenyan for the next kilometre or so but Kamworor continued to pour on the pace and a little after 37km he had opened up a clear advantage.
Relentless over the final five kilometres the Kenyan would not be denied and went on to claim a momentous victory, succeeding fellow NN Running Team athlete Abdi Nageeye as NN Marathon Rotterdam champion.
Regesa placed second in 2:05:06 with his fellow Ethiopian Chimdessa Debele (2:05:26) rounding out the podium. Hailu finished 11th in 2:09:48.
“I’m so happy, I came here for the win and I couldn’t be happier,” said Kamworor who made his marathon debut some 13 years ago. “It was windy but I’m happy to have made the best of it.”
Ahmed enjoyed an excellent performance to place second in the women’s race in 2:22:14 with her NN Running Team colleague Tiruye Mesfin (2:22:27) securing fourth in a race won by Kenyan Jackline Cherono in 2:21:14.
A lead group of seven women hit the 10km checkpoint in 32:50 – bang on the pre-planned pace to better the long-standing course record of 2:18:58, which included the Ethiopian duo Ahmed and Mesfin.
By halfway, however, Cherono had opened up a slight advantage in 1:09:14 with Mesfin and Ahmed four seconds further adrift in fourth and sixth, respectively.
Cherono extend her lead by 25km with Mesfin and Ahmed in fourth and fifth, registering a split time of 1:22:15.
By 30km, the NN Running Team duo - alongside their fellow countrywoman Azmeru Gebru - were locked in a battle for the minor places on the podium as the unstoppable Cherono went on to romp to the race win.
At 40km there was still nothing separating second, third and fourth and it was only in a dramatic sprint for the line did Ahmed manage to repel the challenge of Gebru to take second spot by a one-second margin. She celebrated her joy at the accomplishment by punching the air as she crossed the finish line. Mesfin completed a commendable performance by taking fourth.