Venlo, the Netherlands – In 2017 the Kenyan Meshack Koech won the Weir Venloopafter a thrilling finish with five athletes in 60.19 minutes. On Sunday 25th of March he will return to the Dutch city Venlo to defend his title. He is aiming to attack the course record of 59.44 minutes set by Geoffrey Yegon in 2016.
His main competitors will be Mustapha El Aziz from Morocco and Gilbert Masai from Kenya. Mustapha has the fastest time in the Elite field. He ran his personal best of 59.29 minutes in 2016 in Valencia and with this time he holds Moroccan record. Gilbert is winner of the Berlin half marathon 2017 and has the second fastest time of 59.31 minutes. Outsiders are Edwin Kiptoo from Kenya, winner of the Breda half marathon (PB 60.11 minutes), Philip Tarbei (PB 60.18 minutes), John Langat winner of the Stadsloop Appingedam (PB 60.40 minutes ), Victor Chumo (winner of the Groningen 4 miles 2017) and Abdallah Mande from Uganda (60.18 minutes).
The women’s field in Venlo is very strong with three sub 70 minutes athletes. The favorite is 38-year old Nancy Kiprop, in 2017 she ran 67.22 minutes in Usti NadLabem and won the Vienna marathon. Lucy Karimi won the 2016 Prague marathon and her personal best is 68.43 minutes. The winner of the Weir Venloop 2016, Perendis Lekapana, returns to Venlo with a personal best time of 69.13 minutes. The top elite women are aiming at the course record of 70.02 minutes that was set in 2016 by Isabella Anderson from Sweden.
In the 13th edition of the Weir Venloop the Dutch athletes will be competing for the Dutch Championships half marathon. Bart van Nunen (63.35 minutes) and Gert-Jan Wassink (64.04 minutes) will battle for the gold medal. The favorites in the women’s race are Olympians Jip Vastenburg (71.04 minutes ) and Andrea Deelstra (73.37 minutes).
Elite Field Men:
|
1
|
Meshack Kiprop Koech
|
KEN
|
27-7-1989
|
60.07 (2017)
|
|
2
|
Mustapha El Aziz
|
MAR
|
24-12-1985
|
59.29 (2016)
|
|
3
|
Gilbert Masai
|
KEN
|
16-12-1989
|
59.31 (2016)
|
|
4
|
Edwin Kibet Kiptoo
|
KEN
|
28-12-1987
|
60.11 (2015)
|
|
5
|
Philip Kibungei Tarbei
|
KEN
|
13-2-1994
|
60.13 (2017)
|
|
6
|
Abdallah Kibet Mande
|
UGA
|
10-5-1995
|
60.18 (2018)
|
|
7
|
David Kwemoi Maru
|
KEN
|
23-1-1992
|
60.41 (2013)
|
|
8
|
John Kiprono Langat
|
KEN
|
31-12-1996
|
60.41 (2017)
|
|
9
|
Mousaab Hadout
|
MAR
|
11-3-1988
|
61.40 (2016) a
|
|
10
|
Timothy Kosgei Kiptoo
|
KEN
|
2-8-1984
|
61.46 (2015)
|
|
11
|
Victor Kimutai Chumo
|
KEN
|
19-3-1987
|
62.07 (2016)
|
|
12
|
Stephen Kiprop
|
KEN
|
8-9-1999
|
62.18 (2017) a
|
|
13
|
Ahmed Mussa Osman
|
USA
|
1-1-1988
|
63.02 (2014)
|
|
14
|
Adam Nowicki
|
POL
|
24-8-1990
|
63.57 (2017)
|
|
15
|
Marius Vedvik
|
NOR
|
18-3-1992
|
64.14 (2015)
|
|
16
|
Mohamed Agourram
|
MAR
|
11-7-1991
|
64.59 (2017)
|
|
30
|
Philemon Kacheran Lokedi
|
KEN
|
4-7-1992
|
|
|
31
|
Isaac Kipkemboi Too
|
KEN
|
20-12-1994
|
|
|
45
|
Isaac Kipkoech Langat
|
KEN (Pacer 1)
|
8-1-1994
|
60.25 (2017)
|
|
46
|
Cornelius Kipruto Kangogo
|
KEN (Pacer 2)
|
31-12-1993
|
61.05 (2017)
|
|
40000
|
Saji Abdelkabir
|
CZE
|
17-1-1976
|
63.57 (2009)
|
|
Dutch Championships half marathon, Men
|
||||
|
30010
|
Gert-Jan Wassink
|
AV Argo
|
18-12-1985
|
64.04 (2015)
|
|
30011
|
Bart van Nunen
|
AV Passaat
|
24-9-1995
|
63.53 (2016)
|
|
30012
|
Mohamed Ali
|
Nijmegen Atletiek
|
11-11-1989
|
64.20 (2017) a
|
|
30013
|
Joeri Wolf
|
AV Cifla
|
21-2-1991
|
65.07 (2017)
|
|
30014
|
Edwin de Vries
|
AV Castricum
|
11-12-1992
|
65.11 (2017)
|
|
30015
|
Emmanuel Biwott
|
AV de Liemers
|
25-12-1984
|
62.08 (2007)
|
|
30016
|
Wesley van der Gouw
|
Prins Hendrik
|
30-4-1985
|
65.15 (2014)
|
Elite Field Women:
|
50
|
Nancy Jepkosgei Kiprop
|
KEN
|
7-7-1979
|
67.22 (2017)
|
|
51
|
Lucy Karimi
|
KEN
|
6-10-1986
|
68.43 (2016)
|
|
52
|
Perendis Lekapana
|
KEN
|
4-8-1991
|
69.13 (2017)
|
|
53
|
Maryanne Wangari Wanjiru
|
KEN
|
20-12-1986
|
70.13 (2016)
|
|
54
|
Melat Yisak Kejeta
|
ETH
|
27-9-1992
|
70.27 (2012)
|
|
55
|
Joy Kemuma Loyce
|
KEN
|
3-3-1988
|
70.28 (2017)
|
|
56
|
Sylvia Mmboga Medugu
|
KEN
|
14-2-1990
|
70.42 (2017)
|
|
57
|
Betty Jematia Chepkwony
|
KEN
|
26-4-1995
|
74.35 (2017)
|
|
58
|
Marthe Katrine Myhre
|
NOR
|
4-3-1985
|
76.58 (2013)
|
|
Dutch Championships half marathon, women
|
||||
|
30070
|
Jip Vastenburg
|
AV ’34
|
21-3-1994
|
71.04 (2017)
|
|
30071
|
Andrea Deelstra
|
AV Heerenveen
|
6-3-1985
|
73.37 (2012)
|
|
30072
|
Inge de Jong
|
AV Trias
|
6-6-1976
|
75.20 (2016)
|
|
30073
|
Jacelyn Gruppen
|
HAC ’63
|
3-11-1989
|
76.09 (2017)
|
Winners Venloop:
|
Men
|
Women
|
||||
|
2017
|
Meshack Koech (Kenia)
|
1:00.19
|
Naom Jebet (Kenia)
|
1:10.03
|
|
|
2016
|
Geoffrey Yegon (Kenia)
|
59.44*
|
Perendis Lekapana (Kenia)
|
1:10.34
|
|
|
2015
|
Alfers Lagat (Kenia)
|
1:00.33
|
Jane Moora (Kenia)
|
1:10.41
|
|
|
2014
|
Nicholas Togom (Kenia)
|
1:01.52
|
Elizeba Cherono (Kenia)
|
1:10.15
|
|
|
2013
|
Philemon Yator (Kenia)
|
1:01.53
|
Jane Moora (Kenia)
|
1:10.40
|
|
|
2012
|
Urige Buta (Noorwegen)
|
1:02.35
|
Sharon Tavengwa (Zim)
|
1:11.25
|
|
|
2011
|
Stephen Chelimo (Kenia)
|
1:02.26
|
Elizeba Cherono (Kenia)
|
1:11.26
|
|
|
2010
|
Abraham Rotich (Kenia)
|
1:02.20
|
Isabellah Andersson (Zweden)
|
1:10.02 *
|
|
|
2009
|
Stephen Chelimo (Kenia)
|
1:01.32
|
Magdalene Mukunzi (Kenia)
|
1:10.34
|
|
|
2008
|
Boniface Biwott (Kenia)
|
1:02.02
|
Flomena Chepchirchir (Kenia)
|
1:11.23
|
|
|
2007
|
Elias Maindi (Kenia)
|
1:01.53
|
Peninha Arusei (Kenia)
|
1:10.49
|
|
|
2006
|
Mark Tanui (Kenia)
|
1:02.35
|
Robe Tola (Ethiopië)
|
1:12.53
|
* Course Record
Fastest times at Venloop (all time):
|
Mannen
|
Vrouwen
|
||||
|
1
|
Geoffrey Yegon (Ken), 2016
|
0:59.44
|
1
|
Isabellah Andersson (Zwe), 2010
|
1:10.02
|
|
2
|
Kenneth Keter (Ken), 2016
|
0:59.48
|
2
|
Naom Jebet (Ken), 2017
|
1:10.03
|
|
3
|
Yigrem Demelash (Eth), 2016
|
0:59.49
|
3
|
Elizeba Cherono (Ken), 2014
|
1:10.15
|
|
4
|
Meshack Koech (Ken), 2017
|
1:00.19
|
4
|
Maryanne Wanjiru (Ken), 2017
|
1:10.20
|
|
5
|
Jorum Lumbasi Okombo (Ken), 2017
|
1:00.20
|
5
|
Perendis Lekapana (Ken), 2016
|
1:10.33
|
|
6
|
Albert Kangogo (Ken), 2017
|
1:00.21
|
6
|
Magdalene Mukunzi (Ken), 2009
|
1:10.34
|
|
7
|
Kenneth Kipkemoi (Ken), 2017
|
1:00.24
|
7
|
Jane Moora (Ken), 2013
|
1:10.40
|
|
8
|
Noah Kigen (Ken), 2017
|
1:00.25
|
8
|
Jane Moora (Ken), 2015
|
1:10.41
|
|
9
|
Alfers Lagat (Ken), 2015
|
1:00.33
|
9
|
Marion Limo (Ken), 2017
|
1:10.47
|
|
10
|
Ezrah Sang (Ken), 2015
|
1:00.36
|
10
|
Peninah Arusei (Ken), 2007
|
1:10.49
|
Il Blog di Alberto Stretti 