The Rotterdam Marathon: the Women's 10 Fastest Winning Times

Adam Hornbuckle, Yahoo! Contributor Network
May 1, 2010 "Share your voice on Yahoo! websites. Start Here."

First held in 1981, the Rotterdam Marathon immediately earned a reputation for yielding fast times, especially for the men, as the winner of the men's race, John Graham, of the United Kingdom, posted 2:09:28, the third fastest time in the world that year. The same, however, cannot be said for the women, as the winner of the women's race, Marja Wokke, of the Netherlands, clocked 2:43:23, the 97^th fastest time that year.

Women from the Netherlands have won more Rotterdam titles than women representing other nations. Dutch runners have claimed seven titles, with Carla Beurskens having the most at two in 1984 and 1990. Lornah Kiplagat, a Kenyan born naturalized Dutch citizen, holds the fastest time by a Dutch woman: 2:27:36, which came in her 2005 victory.

As for the top ten winning times, Kenyan runners led with four, of which three belong to Tegla Laroupe, who won the Rotterdam Marathon three times from 1997 to 1999. Her fastest winning time, 2:20:47 in 1998. The number one time in the world that year, it stood as the world record until Laroupe posted 2:20:43 in Berlin the following year. Still the course record, the time is history's 18^th best by a woman. Japanese runners follow the Kenyans with two of the top ten fastest times. Winning performances by runners from Ethiopia, Morocco, Serbia, and Russia round out the top ten winning times.

2:20:47 - Tegla Laroupe (Kenya) April 19, 1998

Laroupe produced the fastest women's winning time of 2:20:47 in the 1998 Rotterdam Marathon, the second of three consecutive victories. While it remains the course record, the time stood as the world record until 1999, when she clocked 2:20:43 in Berlin.

2:22:07 - Tegla Laroupe (Kenya) April 20, 1997

Laroupe produced the second fastest winning time of 2:22:07 in the 1997 Rotterdam Marathon, the first of three consecutive victories. The time eclipsed the course record of 2:25:52 established by Miyoko Asahina in 1994.

2:22:48 - Tegla Laroupe (Kenya) April 18, 1999

Laroupe produced the third fastest winning time of 2:22:48 in the 1999 Rotterdam Marathon, the third of three consecutive victories.

2:23:43 - Takami Ominami (Japan) April 21, 2002

Ominami produced the fourth fastest winning time of 2:23:43 in the 2002 Rotterdam Marathon.

2:25:12 - Lyubov Morgunova (Russia) April 13, 2008

Morgunova produced the fifth fastest winning time of 2:25:12 in the 2008 Rotterdam Marathon.

2:25:23 - Olivera Jevtić (Serbia and Montenegro) April 13, 2003

Jevtić produced the sixth fastest winning time of 2:25:23 in the 2003 Rotterdam Marathon. The time stands as the Serbian national record.

2:25:25 - Aberu Kebede (Ethiopia) April 11, 2010

Kebede produced the seventh fastest winning time of 2:25:25 in the 2010 Rotterdam Marathon

2:25:45 - Susan Chepkemei (Kenya) April 22, 2001

Chepkemei produced the eighth fastest winning time of 2:25:45 in the 2001 Rotterdam Marathon

2:25:52 - Miyoko Asahina (Japan) April 17, 1994

Asahina produced the ninth fastest winning time of 2:25:52 in the 1994 Rotterdam Marathon. The fastest time of her career, it knocked more than three minutes off the course record of 2:29:14 established by Aurora Cunha, of Portugal, in 1992.

2:26:10 - Zhor El Kamch (Morocco) April 4, 2004

El Kamch produced the tenth fastest winning time of 2:26:10 in the 2004 Rotterdam Marathon.

References:

Association of Road Racing Statisticians, World Marathon Rankings for 1981, ARRS Official Website

Association of Road Racing Statisticians, World Marathon Rankings for 1998, ARRS Official Website

Ottavio Castellini, Aberu Kebede, IAAF Official Website

Ottavio Castellini, Carla Beurskens, IAAF Official Website

Ottavio Castellini, John Graham, IAAF Official Website

Ottavio Castellini, Lornah Kiplagat, IAAF Official Website

Ottavio Castellini, Lyubov Morgunova, IAAF Official Website

Ottavio Castellini, Miyoko Asahina, IAAF Official Website

Ottavio Castellini, Olivera Jevtić, IAAF Official Website