21 October 2001 – The French athlete Driss El Himer was the revelation of the Amsterdam Marathon on Sunday, winning his debut event over the distance in a French marathon best of 2:07:02.
A serving member of the French Foreign Legion, Moroccan-born El Himer had previously established himself as a competent performer in cross country, taking sixth place in this year’s World Cross Country Championships in Ostende , and on the track, with a twelfth place in the World Championships in Edmonton in August.
The 27 year old is a former training partner and roommate of Moroccan middle distance star Hicham El Guerrouj and won Sunday’s race ahead of Kenya’s Josephat Kiprono (2:07:06) and Kiprono’s brother Luke Kibet (2:10:18). Kiprono had run the world’s fastest marathon this year winning the Rotterdam Marathon in April in 2:06:50.
Leading Results:
Men
1. El Himer (FRA)
2:07:02.
2. Josephat Kiprono
(KEN) 2:07:06.
3. Kibet
(KEN) 2:10:18.
4. Demissie (ETH) 2:10:45.
5. Cheptot
(KEN) 2:12:10.
6. Rono (KEN) 2:12:40.
7. Rop (KEN) 2:12:58.
8. Birir (KEN) 2:13:58.
9. Zeroual (FRA) 2:15:12.
10. Limo (KEN)
2:17:17.
Women
1. Gemechu Kebede (ETH)
2:28:40.
2. Renders (BEL)
2:29:30.
3. Wijenberg (NED)
2:31:45.
4. Van den Haesevelde (BEL)
2:31:54.
5. d'Agostini
Chillemi (BRA) 2:36:50.
