Joshua Cheptegei got the desired improvement in his elite road running chapter but only missed out on the victory at the Amsterdam Marathon in the Netherlands yesterday.
The 29-year-old inched closer to a maiden podium finish over the 42km by taking a strong fifth-place finish in the Dutch capital with a time of two hours, four minutes and 52 seconds.
Yet, Cheptegei showed marks of improvement. For his third marathon, he produced a third straight personal best (PB) mark even if he did not capitalize on the attention to beat the tape first.
‘Again, a PB with more than a minute,’ his coach Addy Ruiter told this paper. ‘Another few marathons, and he can run with the best,’ he added.
In his first marathon, Cheptegei took a distant 37th place at the 2023 Valencia Marathon in Spain with 2:08:59 but he got much better with ninth place at the Tokyo Marathon in Japan with 2:05:59 on March 2.
On Sunday, Cheptegei carried the attention of the broadcasters with the expectation of a first marathon win in Amsterdam. However, he did not have it all in the closing 7km to mount the best challenge.
Instead, Kenyan Geofry Toroitich Kipchumba had the best day as he broke away with 5km left to win in a course record time of 2:03:30, beating the previous mark set by Ethiopian Tamirat Tola by eight seconds.
The three-time Olympic medalist Cheptegei and defending champion Ethiopian Tsegay Getachew featured prominently on the commentators’ lips and both stayed in the lead group which crossed 10km in 29:16.
The lead group was being guided by pace makers including Cheptegei’s training partner Ugandan Stephen Kissa.
At halfway stage, they crossed in 1:02:15 which was about four seconds under the course record. Thereafter, Kissa put the pace up and only 13 men seemed to stick with him including Tanzanian Gabriel Gaey.
When Cheptegei slowed down to pick his drink from Tim te Brake of Global Sports Communication at 27km, it all seemed perfect.
The men however were still together while approaching the Johan Cruyff Arena but shortly after, Ethiopian Mesfin Negus dropped off. At 30km, Kissa dropped off but he had moved the field eight seconds into the course record time at 1:28:25.
Moments later, Gaey, winner of this year’s Daegu Marathon in South Korea, charged and took six more men only with him at 31.5km, with Cheptegei at the back of the group.
On 34km, Gaey repeated the trick and this time, only Kipchumba, Getachew and Getaneh Molla followed and here’s where Cheptegei lost the grip.
Whereas they were still in his sight, Kipchumba and Gaey began peeling away and at 36km, Kipchumba took off his black gloves to firmly embrace the battle for the victory.
Kipchumba kept grinding all the way to the finish line before he was hugged by athletics great Ethiopian Haile Gerbreselassie.
For Cheptegei, the growth into marathon can only get better, perhaps with a bigger test in the World Marathon Majors (WMM) of London or Boston next April.
WORLD ATHLETICS PLATINUM LABEL RACE
AMSTERDAM MARATHON
MEN’S 42KM RACE RESULTS
1 Geofry Toroitich Kipchumba (KEN) 2:03.30
2 Tsegaye Getachew (ETH) 2:04.18
3 Getaneh Molla (ETH) 2:04.19
4 Gabriel Geay (TAN) 2:04.36
5 Joshua Cheptegei (UGA) 2:04.52
CHEPTEGEI AT A GLANCE
Date of birth: September 12, 1996
Major Races: Half-Marathon, Marathon
Personal Bests: 21km (59:21), 42km (2:04:59)
Coach: Addy Ruiter
International Manager: Youri Verbaas
Kit Sponsor: Nike
CHEPTEGEI IN 2025
Oct 19: Amsterdam Marathon (5th, 2:04:52)
Apr 27: Bengaluru 10K (1st, 27:53)
Mar 2: Tokyo Marathon (9th, 2:05:59)
CHEPTEGEI IN 2024
Oct 20: Delhi Half Marathon (1st, 59:46)
Sept 22: Dam tot Damloop (2nd, 45:18)
Aug 2: Paris Olympics 10000m Final (1st, 26:43.14)
May 30: Bislett Games 5000m (9th, 12:51.94)
May 17: LA Grand Prix 5000m (3rd, 12:52.38)
Mar 30: World X-Country (6th, 28:24)
Mar 16: Laredo 10K (2nd, 25:53)
CHEPTEGEI IN 2023
Dec 3: Valencia Marathon (37th, 2:08:59)
Aug 20: Budapest Worlds 10000m Final (1st, 27:51.42)
June 30: Lausanne DL (2nd, 12:41.61)
Jun 2: Florence DL (4th, 12:53.81)
Mar 19: New York Half-Marathon (2nd, 1:02:09)
Feb 18: World X-Country (3rd, 29:37)