Ethiopians Buze Diriba and Lemi Berhanu both kicked hard over the final kilometre in Amsterdam on Sunday to take victories over deep fields.
The women
Diriba dropped a hard kick to win the 2026 TCS Amsterdam Marathon on Sunday. With the win, she set a new course record of 2:16:12. Meanwhile, defending champion and fellow Ethiopian Aynalem Desta finished second in 2:17:06. Former winner Meseret Belete completed an Ethiopian podium sweep in 2:18:06.
Diriba improved Yalemzerf Yehualaw’s course record from 2024 of 2:16:52 by 40 seconds. She also improved her own personal best from 2:19:34. She had run sub-2:20 only the once, before Amsterdam.
Conditions were rainy, cool, and breezy.
A large group of Ethiopians ran in a pack with four leading for several kilometres before Diriba and Desta began to take control.
For much of the race, the course record appeared out of reach. Diriba split halfway in 1:08:34, looking as if she would strain to run 2:17. By 25 km, the leaders were a minute outside the course record.
The closing stages changed everything. As the pack fell back, Desta remained in contention to defend her title, but Diriba had more at the business end of the marathon. The defending champion was dropped late, which allowed Diriba to take the final stretch solo into the Olympic Stadium.
She covered the second half in 1:07:38, nearly a minute faster than the first half.
Belete, Amsterdam’s 2023 champion, took third. She finished 1:54 behind Diriba. Ethiopians also finished fourth and fifth to dominate the day.
It appeared that the top two women were wearing the Adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3.
The men
It appeared to be all about Ethiopia again.
Lemi Berhanu also kicked hard late in the race to secure the win in 2:03:33, leading a deep field where the first 11 finishers broke 2:06. Kenya’s Nicholas Kipkorir finished six seconds behind in 2:03:39, while Patrick Mosi rounded out the podium in 2:03:58.
The win was just three seconds slower than Kenyan Geofry Kipchumba’s course record of 2:03:30, set in 2025. Berhanu also improved his personal best of 2:04:33 by exactly one minute, adding an Amsterdam victory to a career that includes the 2016 Boston Marathon title.
The leaders passed 5 km in approximately 15:01 before the pacemakers increased the tempo. By 20 km, they were only 12 seconds behind the current course record split. The difference widened again during the next 5 km split. Defending champion Kipchumba struggled through halfway and lost contact with the leading group.
Despite the conditions, a substantial pack remained in contention deep into the race. France’s Mehdi Frère and Japan’s Yohei Ikeda stayed with the lead group until 31 km. Six remained intact through 38 km. The race then changed when Kipkorir accelerated hard, with only Berhanu able to follow.
Kipkorir pushed hard through the closing kms. Berhanu, trailing and drafting the Kenyan, made his decisive move near the exit of Vondelpark. He opened a gap and entered the stadium alone, maintaining his lead to the finish.
Behind the podium finishers, Several Kenyans placed in the top 10, including Kalipus Lomwai, who placed fourth in 2:04:09. Next was Sila Kiptoo in 2:04:13 and Justus Kangogo in 2:04:24. Jonathan Korir clocked 2:04:53 and marathon debutant Isaia Lasoi finished in 2:04:57, bringing the number of sub-2:05 finishers to eight. Ikeda and Ethiopia’s Yihunilign Adane both finished in 2:05:16, before Victor Kipchirchir secured 11th in 2:05:40.
Three men under 2:04, eight under 2:05 and 11 under 2:06 underline Amsterdam’s extraordinary quality. With just 2:07 separating the winner from 11th place, the results make a compelling case for this edition as one of the deepest elite men’s marathon races in history—even as the course record narrowly survived.
Berhanu has run sub-2:06 at least six times.
The top two finishers were wearing the Adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3. Mosin was wearing an undetermined model of Asics super shoe.
Top Dutch athletes
Noah Schutte and Mikky Keetels were the top Dutch finishers at the TCS Amsterdam Marathon.
Male: Noah Schutte finished 25th overall in 2:09:35.
Mikky Keetels finished 14th among females in 2:30:36.
Results
| Place | Athlete | Country | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lemi Berhanu | Ethiopia | 2:03:33 |
| 2 | Nicholas Kipkorir | Kenya | 2:03:39 |
| 3 | Patrick Mosin | Kenya | 2:03:58 |
| 4 | Kalipus Lomwai | Kenya | 2:04:09 |
| 5 | Sila Kiptoo | Kenya | 2:04:13 |
| 6 | Justus Kangogo | Kenya | 2:04:24 |
| 7 | Jonathan Korir | Kenya | 2:04:53 |
| 8 | Isaia Lasoi | Kenya | 2:04:57 |
| 9 | Yohei Ikeda | Japan | 2:05:16 |
| 10 | Yihunilign Adane | Ethiopia | 2:05:16 |
| 11 | Victor Kipchirchir | Kenya | 2:05:40 |
| 12 | Godwin Katakura | Zimbabwe | 2:06:23 |
| 13 | Gerba Beyata | Ethiopia | 2:06:42 |
| 14 | Justus Limo | Kenya | 2:06:42 |
| 15 | Mehdi Frère | France | 2:06:48 |
| 16 | Bastien Augusto | France | 2:06:48 |
| 17 | Bazezew Asmare | Ethiopia | 2:07:06 |
| 18 | Henok Tesfay | Eritrea | 2:07:19 |
| 19 | Merhawi Kesete | Eritrea | 2:07:21 |
| 20 | Maru Teferi | Israel | 2:07:22 |
TOP RESULTS WOMEN’S MARATHON
| Place | Athlete | Country | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Buze Diriba | Ethiopia | 2:16:12 |
| 2 | Aynalem Desta | Ethiopia | 2:17:06 |
| 3 | Meseret Belete | Ethiopia | 2:18:06 |
| 4 | Tiringo Mulu | Ethiopia | 2:20:36 |
| 5 | Mestawut Fikir | Ethiopia | 2:21:32 |
| 6 | Girmawit Gebrzihair | Ethiopia | 2:22:28 |
| 7 | Rabecca Chepkwemoi | Kenya | 2:22:48 |
| 8 | Desi Mokonin | Bahrain | 2:22:49 |
| 9 | Selamawit Teferi | Israel | 2:22:58 |
| 10 | Kena Girma | Ethiopia | 2:24:28 |
| 11 | Adanech Anbesa | Ethiopia | 2:26:45 |
| 12 | Kiara Nahen | Germany | 2:27:24 |
| 13 | Stacy Ndiwa | Kenya | 2:27:53 |
| 14 | Mikky Keetels | Netherlands | 2:30:36 |
| 15 | Bregje Smits | Netherlands | 2:30:57 |
| 16 | Chelsea Stokes | Great Britain | 2:31:51 |
| 17 | Warkine Abdeta | Ethiopia | 2:35:21 |
| 18 | Sabrina Baftiri | United States | 2:36:11 |
| 19 | Britt Ummels | Netherlands | 2:36:48 |
| 20 | Anaïs Quemener | France | 2:38:53 |
