Feyisa Lelisa, winner of 2009 Dublin Marathon, 4th in Rotterdam in 2.05.23
The Fortis Rotterdam Marathon held its 30th edition yesterday. Patrick Makau of Kenya won the race in 2:04:48 after an impressive surge in the last 2,000 meters of the race. His winning time makes him the 4th fastest marathoner in history and is a massive new personal best by almost 90 seconds.
A group of 17 runners, including all pre-race favorites, went out on world-record pace for the first 15 km, passing the half-way mark after 1:02:06. With 10 km to go, Ethiopian Feyisa Lelisa, winner of dublin in 2009, picked up the pace and only three Kenyans could follow: Patrick Makau, Geoffrey Mutai and Vincent Kipruto. It was down to Makau vs. Mutai at the 40 km mark and Makau outkicked his compatriot to take the win. Mutai finished second in 2:04:55, with Vincent Kipruto third in 2:05:13 and Feyisa Lelisa fourth in a new P.B. of 2:05:23.