2014 Amsterdam Marathon: Meseret Hailu & Flomena Cheyech the Women’s Race Favourites
The battle for the women’s race at this year’s TCS Amsterdam Marathon on Sunday 19 October could be fought out between Meseret Hailu and Flomena Cheyech after organisers for the IAAF Gold Label Road Race announced their top women today.
Ethiopia’s Hailu is the course record holder in Amsterdam, with a time of 2:21:09 from two years ago. As well as winning the Amsterdam Marathon in 2012, she has also placed well at other major marathons, coming third in Prague in the same year, second in Boston in 2013 and fourth in Dubai in 2014.
She also memorably triumphed at the 2012 IAAF World Half Marathon Championships.
However, the fact that Flomena Cheyech has won almost every marathon she’s run to date will make her a serious opponent for Hailu. Her last victory was at the recent Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, where she crossed the finish line in 2:26:45.
Last year, the 32-year-old athlete was also the winner at the Paris Marathon, where she set a personal best of 2:22:44. In 2013, she added the Vienna and Toronto marathons to her list of victories.
Betelhem Moges’ personal best of 2:26:42 also puts her potentially in the running for one of the top places in Amsterdam. She made her debut over the classic distance in Dubai earlier this year, where 23-year-old Ethiopian came home fifth and was just 22 seconds behind Hailu.
Moges also ran a half marathon personal best of 1:09:23 at the Mattoni Olomouc Half Marathon, her last outing before a summer break from racing, back in June.
Source: IAAF.org
