Ethiopia’s Yalemzerf Yehualaw aims to return to winning ways in Amsterdam

Addis Ababa, October 19, 2024 (FBC) – When Yalemzerf Yehualaw lines up at the TCS Amsterdam Marathon on Sunday (20), the Ethiopian will be targeting the top spot of the podium at the World Athletics Platinum Label road race.

The former world 10km record-holder made a stunning marathon debut in 2022, winning in Hamburg in what was then an Ethiopian record of 2:17:23. Later that year, in just her second race over the distance, she won the highly competitive London Marathon in 2:17:26.

The 25-year-old has completed three more marathons since then, but her 2022 London triumph remains her most recent victory.

“I want to give my best on Sunday, and of course, I’ve come to win,” said Yehualaw, whose 1:03:51 half marathon PB remains the second-best performance in history. “I’m looking forward to the support from the Amsterdam crowd.”

She placed fifth at the London Marathon in 2:23:26 in April, but her 1:05:31 victory at the Antrim Coast Half Marathon in August suggests she’s in shape for a strong performance on Sunday. The course record of 2:17:20, set by her compatriot Almaz Ayana, could even be in jeopardy.

Yehualaw won’t have it all her own way, though. Winfridah Moseti goes into the race as the fastest woman this year, having set a PB of 2:18:25 when finishing second in Hamburg in April. Prior to that, the Kenyan had set a half marathon PB of 1:05:59 in Malaga. Having also finished as runner-up in Frankfurt last year, the 27-year-old will be keen to capture her first victory over the classic distance.

Compatriot Selly Chepyego came within three seconds of breaking the 2:20 barrier last year. Following a third-place finish in Rotterdam in April in 2:22:46, the 39-year-old will aim to join the sub-2:20 club this weekend in the Dutch capital.

Other contenders include 2023 Osaka Marathon winner Haven Hailu, Bahrain’s Desi Jisa, and Ethiopia’s Enatnesh Tirusew, who’ll be contesting her second marathon after a promising 2:20:48 debut earlier this year.

The men’s field is similarly competitive. Guye Adola is the fastest in the field and perhaps the most consistent, having achieved podium finishes in five of his six marathons to date.

His PB remains the 2:03:46 clocking he achieved on his marathon debut in Berlin back in 2017 – a performance which made him the second-fastest Ethiopian in history at that time. He returned to Berlin in 2021 and triumphed in 2:05:45, but he hasn’t raced since his 2:07:44 third-place finish in Frankfurt last October.

He’ll be joined on the start line by fellow Ethiopian Tsegaye Getachew, the winner in Amsterdam in 2022 in a PB of 2:04:49. He finished 16th at the World Championships last year and fifth in Tokyo earlier this year in 2:06:25.