by Alfonz Juck
Meseret Defar, 2016 NB Indoor, photo by PhotoRun.net
AMSTERDAM (NED): Twice Olympic 5000 m champion Meseret Defar will make her 26.2-mile debut at the TCS Amsterdam Marathon on October 21. The Ethiopian has run several half-marathons with a best of 66:09 for second in the Great North Run in 2013. Compatriot Tadelech Bekele, who won last year in 2:21:54 and went 14 seconds quicker for third and a PB at the London Marathon in 2018, will be in her way. Also making their debuts will be Kenya’s Linet Masai, the 2009 world 5000m champion who has run 68:11 for the half; Meseret Belete, who set a world junior record of 67:51 in Copenhagen this year and was eighth at the World Championships; and former world junior cross country bronze medallist Jackline Chepngeno. Ethiopia’s Guteni Shone, who has a PB of 2:23:32, could also challenge. Miranda Boonstra, who has a best of 2:27:32, leads home hopes.
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