By Wilmar Kortleever
(c) Race Results Weekly
12 September 2000 - Zaandam, Netherlands - Moses Tanui is the surprising name the organisers of the Dam tot Damloop presented to lead their elite athletes invitation list for the 16th edition of the biggest Dutch race on Sunday.
Back home in Nairobi - or down under in Sydney - Kenyan athletes, selectors and other officials may be looking with special interest for this years result of the 21.1 km race. Tanui, the world's all-time number three marathon man with 2:06:16 (Chicago '99) was surprisingly replaced this summer, supposedly because of insufficient training. Tanui will be eager to prove the officials wrong by winning the Dutch race in a good time, while beating runners like Worku Bikila (ETH), Gert Thys (RSA), Tesfaye Jifar (ETH) and William Kiplagat (KEN).
According to the race organisers, Tanui is in good shape. They claimed the reason of his olympic deselection may have more to do with sports politics than athletic abilities. With his 59:47 lifetime best over the half-marathon distance, Tanui is the fastest entry for the Dam tot Damloop, formerly a ten mile race.
Organisers indicated that despite, the Olympics, the men's elite field was stronger than ever. Other names on the list are Wilson Kibet (Kenya, winner of the Heerlen Telematicaloop two weeks ago), Danillo Goffi (Italy), as well as Dutch athlete Greg van Hest. Van Hest is the only competing athlete who is also scheduled to run the Olympic marathon on October 1. Italian Daniele Caimmi was entered, but withdrew because he was selected for the Olympic 10,000m despite qualifying very late.
There are also reports of Kenyan female athlete Leah Malot being selected for Sydney, but the Dam tot Damloop did not yet receive a withdrawal. Malot is listed alongside four-time winner Hellen Kimaiyo-Kipkoskei as well as last year's number two and three Susan Chepkemei (returning from injury) and Lornah Kiplagat, the world's hottest 10-K road runner this year. A good race may develop with athletes like Margaret Okayo/KEN and the Dutch top athletes Irma Heeren en Wilma van Onna present.
Elite Field:
Men
1, Moses Tanui, KEN, 59:47 (first WC '95, second WC '97; marathon 2.06.16)
2, John Kagwe, KEN, (first NY marathon '97 and '98)
3, William Kiplagat, KEN, 59:50 (2:06:50)
4, Philip Singoei, KEN, 61:20
5, John Gwako, KEN, 61;00
6, Philip Rugut, KEN, 60:05
7, Gert Thys, RSA, 60:23 (2:06:33)
8, Tesfaye Jifar, ETH, 61:51 (third WC '99; marathon 2:06:49)
9, Worku Bikila, ETH
11, Danillo Goffi, ITA, 61:23
12, Javier Caballero, ESP, (spanish champion)
13, Hilaire Ntirampeba, BUR
14, Hassan El Ahmadi, FRA, 61:39
15, Stephan Rousseau, BEL, 63:40
16, Marc Vanderstraeten, BEL
17, Gennady Panin, RUS, 62:11
18, Aziz Bougra, MAR
19, Wilson Kibet, KEN
Women
0, Lornah Kiplagat, KEN, 66:54 (5th ever; world leader 10k and 1/2 marathon; marathon
2:25:30 Amsterdam '99)
1, Susan Chepkemei, KEN, 70:10 (2:26:39; third WC XC 2000)
2, Leah Malot, KEN, 71:04
3, Hellen Kimaiyo-Kipkoskei, KEN, 69:13 (2:29:45)
4, Margaret Okayo, KEN, 70:08 (2:26:00)
6, Fatiha Klilech, MAR
7, Tina Marina Ramos, ESP
8, Simone Staicu, HUN, 70:10
9, Wioletta Kryza, POL
10, Irina Lebedinskaya, RUS, 73:37
11, Ludmilla Afonjuschkina, RUS
12, Linda Freuz, SUI
13, Petra Maak, GER
