Athletics Africa Magazine

ROTTERDAM (NED):  Organizers of the 32nd ABN AMRO Rotterdam Marathon on April 15 have announced their first three stars of the race. Race director Mario Kadiks is hoping the fast course in Rotterdam could produce a world record and has invited Kenyans Moses Mosop , who debuted in Boston last year in 2:03.06 and later won Chicago in 2:05:37. Other top names are Peter Kirui who debuted last autumn in Frankfurt (2:06:31) with beeing 6th in Daegu 10 000 m earlier. Top debut is expected from fast road runner and World half marathon medalist Sammy Kitwara (road bests 27:11 at 10 km and 58:48 at HM). The course will be remeasured before the race and athletes will start 30min earlier than in previous years. JOHANNESBURG (RSA): South African running legend Hendrick Ramaala has quit the Athletics South Africa (ASA) administration to get his running career back on track. This comes after ASA board appointed former banker Frik Vermaak as new chief executive of the...

Patrick Makau led a Kenyan one-two-three in the Rotterdam marathon on Sunday. The 25-year-old completed the course in 2hr 4min 47sec, 7sec ahead of Geoffrey Mutai, with Vincent Kipruto in third a further 19sec adrift. The trio, accompanied for much of the race by Ethiopian Feysa Lelisa, was on track to breaking Haile Gebrsselassie's world record of 2:03.59 before fading at the last. Ethiopian Aberu Kebede won the women's race in 2:25.29 ahead of American Magdalena Lewy Boulet, with Chinese favourite Xiaolin Zhu in third. Results Men 1. Patrick Makau (KENYA) 2hr 04min 47sec, 2. Geoffrey Mutai (KENYA) 2:04.54, 3. Vincent Kipruto (KENYA) 2:05.13 Women 1. Aberu Kebede (ETHIOPIA) 2:25.29, 2. Magdalena Lewy Boulet (USA) 2:26.22, 3. Xiaolin Zhu (CHINA) 2:29.42