Tola en Tanui winnen TCS Amsterdam Marathon in record times

The TCS Amsterdam Marathon was won today by Tamirat Tola and Angela Tanui in two new course records. Hailed by the crowd, Tola finished in a fantastic time of 2:03.39. The 30-year-old Ethiopian entered the Olympic Stadium solo and took 27 seconds off the course record. Angela Tanui made the party in Amsterdam complete by running one and a half minute faster than the old course record. With her time of 2.17.57, the Kenyan leads the world rankings for 2021. The Dutch titles went to Khalid Choukoud (2.10.25) and Ruth van der Meijden (2.29.55).

Tamirat Tola was supreme in the last three kilometres. “I knew a personal best was possible with these good weather conditions. I felt strong and my tactic today was to wait, I controlled the race and then pushed to the finish. I am very happy with this big win”. With his time of 2:03.39, he beat Lawrence Cherono's 2018 course record of 2:04.06 and ran the best time of his life. This puts Tola in second place in the 2021 world rankings and makes him the fastest marathon time on Dutch soil. The TCS Amsterdam Marathon, in possession of the Platinum Label of World Athletics, thereby once again proves itself to be one of the fastest marathons in the world. 

Kenyan Bernhard Koech took second place in another personal best. The 2:04.09 was a fine performance, after he fell at a care station along the way. Leul Gebresilase, who was the fastest on paper with a PR of 2.04.02, managed a time of 2.04.12. Jonathan Korir (2.04.32) and Hiskel Tewelde (2.04.35) also surpassed themselves with personal bests. 

The success of this strong race is partly due to three strong pace setters, including Edwin Kiptoo. There was calm in the large range of African elites, who were dropped off at 21.1km slightly faster than planned in 62.12 minutes. On the way back, the tailwind along the Amstel gave the runners wings. When the pace setters left the field after 30 km, the pace went up considerably, partly because Tola took the lead. Tola felt after 35 km that he had the best legs, and with his acceleration, he assured himself of the win and an exciting finish.

Angela Tanui ran through the finish ribbon at 2:27.57, held by Olympic champion Sifan Hassan. She was clearly emotional. “I pushed until the end to commemorate my friend, it was a special race”, referring to the sad event in the Kenyan camp after her Kenyan friend Agnes Torop died. Tola also later revealed that he was emotional about the event within his management. 
During the press conference, Tanui said that she is so grateful that she was able to run in Amsterdam, after she was unable to compete in Boston due to her visa. “I am so happy. I knew this was going to be my race.” She came through the halfway point at 1:10.07. “I kept saying: I can go faster.” She ran a phenomenal second half of the race and had the clock stopped at an absolutely great time of 2:17.57. A time with which she not only leads the world rankings, but also is the ninth fastest time of all time and the fastest time run in the Netherlands.