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Almaz Ayana, former world 10,000m record-holder, broke the Amsterdam Marathon course record and ran the fastest debut all-time with her 2:17:20 performance. Meanwhile fellow Ethiopian Genzebe Dibaba, the current world 1500m record holder (3:50.07) also had a stunning debut clocking a 2:18:05 finish. Not far behind was Tsehay Gemechu as Ethiopia swept the podium. She took third in the time of 2:18:59.

Ayana won the 2016 Rio Olympic 10,000m gold in a world record time of 29:17.45. The performance, typically reserved for non-global championships dropped jaws. The record has since been improved to 29:01 by yet another Ethiopian Letesenbet Gidey who currently holds the half-marathon record at 62:52. Gidey is expected to debut in the marathon on December 4 in Valencia.

Ayana and Dibaba were together for most of the race, however, in the final 5K Ayana dropped the pace to take the lead for the remainder of the race.

Yalemzerf Yehualaw previously held the record for the fastest debut marathon with her 2:17:23 from the 2022 Hamburg Hamburg Marathon that was run in April. Five of the top 10 women were Ethiopian.

The previous Amsterdam course record was held by Angela Tanui of Kenya with her 2:17:57 from the 2021 edition of the event.

Women’s top 10

1. Almaz Ayana (ETH) – 2:17:20
2. Genzebe Dibaba (ETH) – 2:18:05
3. Tsehay Gemechu (ETH) – 2:18:59
4. Nasnet Amanuel (ERI) – 2:22:45
5. Rose Chelimo (BRN) – 2:23:12
6. Zinash Gerado (ETH) – 2:24:21
7. Celestine Chepchirchir (KEN) – 2:26:50
8. Gebaynesh Ayele (ETH) – 2:27:36
9. Nora Szabo (NED) – 2:30:31
10. Leonie Balter (NED) – 2:37:41

The men’s marathon was won in the time of 2:04:48 by Ethiopian Tsegaye Getachew who narrowly bested Kenya’s Titus Kipruto, who ran 2:04:54. Ethiopian Bazezew Asmare finished third in the time of 2:04.57. Nine men run sub-2:06.

With 2K remaining, the lead pack of five, however, Getachew dropped the pace hard to leave the field in his wake for the win. The 25-year-old’s previous best was 2:05:11 from Paris 2021. There was little doubt that Getachew would begin to win marathons as at age 22, he clocked an impressive 2:06:50 in Valencia. In Shanghai, at age 21 he ran 2:09:24.

Getachew seems to be of the new generation of distance runners who move almost directly up to the marathon distance. Much of what he accomplished over distances shorter than the marathon does not suggest that he is an international athlete. In April this year, he did clock a 1:01:51 half-marathon in Málaga, Spain.

For Kipruto, his best marathon coming into the race was from Rotterdam 2021 where he clocked a 2:05:22 performance.

Men’s top 10

1. Tsegaye Getachew (ETH) – 2:04:49
2. Titus Kipruto (KEN) – 2:04:54
3. Bazezew Asmare (ETH) – 2:04:57
4. Abraham Kiptoo (KEN) – 2:05:04
5. Huseydin Mohamed – 2:05:05
6. Cybrian Kotut (KEN) – 2:05:15
7. Norbert Kigen (KEN) – 2:05:32
8. Laban Korir (KEN) – 2:05:41
9. Adeladlew Mamo (ETH) – 2:05:45
10. Jasphat Boit (KEN) – 2:06:34

*Featured photo credit:
LONDON, ENGLAND – AUGUST 05: Almaz Ayana of Ethiopia leads the Women’s 10000 metres final during day two of the 16th IAAF World Athletics Championships London 2017 at The London Stadium on August 5, 2017 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images for IAAF)