AMSTERDAM, Netherlands — Ethiopian legend Kenenisa Bekele will run the TCS Amsterdam Marathon, an IAAF Gold Label road race, on Sunday 21 October, race organizers confirmed.
The multiple World and Olympic track champion will be competing for the first time marathon on Dutch soil and he’s expected to take on a solid field and the event will be streamed live worldwide.
“Kenenisa Bekele is one of the world’s best long-distance runners,” said race director Cees Pronk.
“We are incredibly proud that Bekele will be lining up at the start on Sunday 21 October.
“Bekele decided to run in Amsterdam because he has experienced the expert organisation of the event and knows first-hand that the athletes always come first.”
Bekele, who has the second-fastest ever marathon timing on a record-eligible course and the overall no. 3 fastest on any course with his personal best and national record of 2:03:03 from Berlin in 2016, will be up against defending champion Lawrence Cherono of Kenya.
Cherono won last year’s Amsterdam Marathon in a course record of 2:05:09, but finished one place behind Bekele in seventh at this year’s London Marathon.
Bekele’s personal best is just six seconds shy of Dennis Kimetto’s world record.