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Rotterdam marathon champion Stella Barsosio will lead a star-studded field to the 41st edition of NN Marathon tomorrow in the Netherlands. 

Barsosio who will defend her title comes to this race as the second fastest runner on paper with a personal best of 2:22.08 after taking off one minute twenty-five seconds from her previous lifetime best when she won this race last year.

She won last year’s edition of the women’s race after timing 2:22:08 ahead of Nataliya Lehonkova who clocked 2:30:28, while another Kenyan Bornes Kitur was placed third in 2:30:41.

Barsosio will battle for the top honours with Ethiopia’s Haven Hailu who comes to this race with the fastest time on paper of 2:20.19 that she got at the Amsterdam Marathon last year where she took the bronze medal.

Another title contender is the Kenyan-born Bahraini, Rose Chelimo, who is the 2017 World Champion. The 2019 World silver medallist, who is bouncing back from her maternity leave, comes to this race with a personal best of 2:22.51 that she got at the 2017 Boston Marathon after finishing in position two.

The deep field of elite athletes that consists of Barsosio, Hailu and Chelimo has been assembled by the race organisers to try and dismantle the ten-year course record of 2:18.58 that was set by Tiki Gelana from Ethiopia.

Netherlands will put their hopes on the brilliant Nienke Brinkman who surprised many on her debut out of nothing to third place in the Netherlands ranking of all time when she crossed the line in a lifetime best of 2:26.34. Kenyan- Dutch runners Lornah Kiplagat (2:23.43) and her niece Hilda Kibet (2:24.37) are the only other athletes who have done this on their debut. In the men’s category, two-time Rotterdam champion Marius Kipserem will be the man to beat as he chases a hat trick of victories

Kipserem clinched the 2016 event winning in 2:06:11 and setting the course record three years ago when he posted 2:04:11. The 34-year-old was not lucky in the 2018 edition as he finished a distant fifth in 2:07.22 in a race won by Kenneth Kipkemoi in 2:05.44. 

Kipserem came back in 2019 breathing fire smashing the ten years course record of 2:04.27 that had been set by Duncan Kibet and James Kwambai in 2009, both ran the third-fastest time ever for the distance. 

He set a new course record of 2:04.11 which is also his personal best and has now set his sight on lowering it again on Sunday. Kipserem has won three marathons out of ten that he has competed in and his worst finish was being placed in 10th place at the 2020 London marathon in 2:09.25. He will team up with Reuben Kipyego (2:03:55).

The Kenyan duo faces an uphill task with five Ethiopian athletes in contention.   They include Solomon Deksisa, who has a personal best of 2:04:40 alongside Kebebe Wami Tulu (2:06:32), Getachew Yizenagwa (2:06:47), Dawit Wolde (2:06:18) and Asefa Tefera (2:07.47).  “We are so delighted that we also have a strong field of competitors in the women’s race, including the winner of the previous edition as tradition dictates,” says Remco Barbier, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the organiser Golazo of Netherlands. “After the overwhelming success in October, we are looking forward to a nail-biting and fast race for the men and women.