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The World Athletics Platinum Label race in Amsterdam is set to witness a thrilling showdown between Kenya’s Dorcas Tuitoek and Ethiopia’s Ashete Bekere, as they vie for gold in the highly competitive event.

Tuitoek, who recently triumphed in the Hamburg Marathon with a personal best time of 2:20:09, hopes to challenge her Ethiopian competitors and secure a prestigious victory in Amsterdam.

Dorcas Tuitoek against seasoned athlete

Bekere, a seasoned Ethiopian marathoner, is determined to add another triumph to her impressive resume, which includes victories in Berlin, Valencia, and Rotterdam over her 12-year marathon career.

The 35-year-old boasts a remarkable personal best of 2:17:58, achieved when she finished second in Tokyo last year.

She also recorded a strong performance of 2:18:18 during her third-place finish in London in 2021. Bekere’s Berlin Marathon victory in 2019 further underscores her exceptional talent, and she recently clinched a podium finish by securing third place in Tokyo earlier this year.

This will mark Bekere’s debut at the Amsterdam Marathon, an event that witnessed a course record of 2:17:20 set by Almaz Ayana last year. With her sights set on a spectacular performance, Bekere expressed, “If all conditions cooperate, I want to show something special.”

The race also features Bekere’s compatriot Tiruye Mesfin, a rising star in the marathon scene. Mesfin achieved her personal best time of 2:18:47 when she finished sixth in Valencia in December.

In April, the 21-year-old secured second place in the Hamburg Marathon with a time of 2:20:18. Mesfin, set to participate in her third career marathon in Amsterdam, has demonstrated her potential with a half marathon personal best of 1:06:31 in Lisbon in March.

Dorcas Tuitoek competitors

Ethiopia’s Sisay Meseret Gola, who set her PB of 2:20:50 when finishing second in the 2022 Seville Marathon, is also a contender in the race.

The 25-year-old athlete finished fifth in that year’s Berlin Marathon and was the runner-up in the Osaka Women’s Marathon in January.

The field further includes Ethiopia’s Atalel Anmut, Kenya‘s Marion Kibor, and Linet Masai, Kenya’s 2009 world 10,000m champion, who set her marathon personal best of 2:23:46 in Amsterdam in 2018.

Ethiopia’s Sofia Assefa, known for claiming 3000m steeplechase silver at the London 2012 Olympics, is poised to make her marathon debut.