Kenya’s Tuitoek outclassed as Ethiopia’s Belete reigns supreme in Amsterdam
By Joel Sang, October 15, 2023Ethiopia’s Meseret Belete beat Kenya’s Dorcas Tuitoek to emerge as the winner of the Amsterdam Marathon on Sunday, October 15, 2023.
In a race that was dominated by the Ethiopians, Tuitoek finished third in 2:20:02 behind Belete, who claimed the first position in 2:18:21, and Meseret Abebayehu came in second in 2:19:50.
Unlike the men’s race, where Kenya claimed the podium finish, it was Ethiopia’s day in the women’s category.
Both champions, Belete for women and Joshua Belet for men, produced the third-fastest winning times ever recorded.
Belete also produced her personal best by more than two minutes, and this is her second victory of the year, as she had won in Doha back in January by clocking 2:20:46. This was her previous lifetime best.
Belete unstoppable
Meanwhile, Belete was consistent in her race and was accompanied by her Ethiopian teammates, Meseret Abebayehu and Ashete Bekere. Tuitoek gave a good account of herself amid the close race with her Ethiopian rivals.
At 5km, there was still a huge pack in the leading line, which crossed that mark at 16:27 and 10km at 32:45. Through the halfway line, the number had slightly reduced as nine contestants were in the leading pack, and they crossed that mark in 1:09:05.
At the halfway mark, the runners were within the set time to finish within 2:18, although Almaz Ayana’s course record of 2:17:20 was perhaps by now slightly out of reach.
They reached the 30km mark in 1:38:08, and at this point, there were just four women left in the lead pack. Belete, Abebayehu, Tuitoek, and Bekere ran together, but the eventual race winner opened a gap after some 10 minutes.
Belete, who maintained her pace as her rivals faded off, finally crossed the finishing line in 2:18:21, and that means she won by 89 seconds.
Abebayehu, winner in Riyadh and Xiamen, held on for a second place in 2:19:50, and that means she shattered her personal best by more than four minutes.
Women’s leading result
1 Meseret Belete (ETH) 2:18:21
2 Meseret Abebayehu (ETH) 2:19:50
3 Dorcas Tuitoek (KEN) 2:20:02
4 Ashete Bekere (ETH) 2:21:51
5 Tiruye Mesfin (ETH) 2:22:07
6 Anchalem Haymanot (ETH) 2:22:23
7 Meseret Gola (ETH) 2:22:29
8 Sofia Assefa (ETH) 2:23:33
9 Marion Kibor (KEN) 2:24:26
10 Anne Luijten (NED) 2:26:36