Kenya’s Bernard Kipyego, Wilson Chebet and Sammy Kitwara will compete at the Amsterdam Marathon on October 16.
Kipyego, who has won the past two editions of the Amsterdam Marathon, will be looking to complete a hat-trick of victories in the Dutch capital.
“I also aim to lower the course record,” said Kipyego, who will target Chebet’s mark of 2:05:36 set in 2013.
Chebet will do everything he can to retain his course record. He will be contesting the Amsterdam Marathon for the sixth year in a row and is familiar with every bend of the fast course. After winning the marathon in 2011, 2012 and 2013, he was nicknamed ‘Mr Amsterdam’. But Kipyego and Chebet will have to fend off Kitwara, who has run faster than 2:05:00. Ethiopia’s Dino Sefir, who has also run faster than 2:05 will also be in the mix.
Kitwara ran his personal best at the 2014 Chicago Marathon, where he finished second in 2:04:28. He has finished in the top four in Chicago on four occasions, and has twice been runner-up, but the 29-year-old Kenyan will be aiming to secure his first marathon victory in Amsterdam next month.
Sefir has big plans for his return to the Dutch capital. The Ethiopian dropped out of the 2014 Amsterdam Marathon due to illness but has returned to form this year, winning the Barcelona and Ottawa Marathons. His personal best of 2:04:50 was set at the 2012 Dubai Marathon.