BEKELE SIGNS UP FOR AMSTERDAM MARATHON

Multiple world and Olympic champion Kenenisa Bekele will run the TCS Amsterdam Marathon, an IAAF Gold Label road race, on Sunday 21 October.

Kenenisa Bekele (born 13 June 1982) is an Ethiopian long-distance runner and the current world record and Olympic holder in both the 5,000 meter and 10,000 meter events.

The Ethiopian distance runner owns the second-fastest marathon performance in history on a record-eligible course, having clocked a national record of 2:03:03 to win the 2016 Berlin Marathon. His time is just six seconds shy of Dennis Kimetto’s world record.

Bekele, who will be contesting his first marathon on Dutch soil, will be up against Lawrence Cherono, who won last year’s Amsterdam Marathon in a course record of 2:05:09. Cherono also finished one place behind Bekele at this year’s London Marathon.

Kenenisa Bekele is considered the greatest distance runner of all time, owning several world records and an array of medals. On 6 April 2014, he produced the sixth fastest marathon debut ever on a record eligible course with his victory at the Paris Marathon, in a course record time of 2:05:04. On 25 September 2016, Bekele won the 2016 Berlin Marathon in a time of 2:03:03 which set a new personal best time for him at the Marathon distance and the second fastest marathon of all time.

“Kenenisa Bekele is one of the world's best long-distance runners,” said race director Cees Pronk. “We are incredibly proud that Bekele will be lining up at the start on Sunday 21 October. Bekele decided to run in Amsterdam because he has experienced the expert organisation of the event and knows first-hand that the athletes always come first.”

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