Geoffrey Kipchumba Toroitich Smashes Course Record with 2:03:30 at Amsterdam Marathon

Kenya’s Geoffrey Kipchumba Toroitich stormed to victory at the 50th TCS Amsterdam Marathon, setting a new course record of 2:03:30 in just the second marathon of his career.

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Defending champion Tsegay Getachew of Ethiopia, a two-time Amsterdam winner (2022 in 2:04:49 and 2024 in 2:05:38), finished second in 2:04:18, narrowly edging compatriot Getaneh Molla by one second.
Tanzania’s national record holder Gabriel Geay placed fourth in 2:04:36, while Uganda’s Joshua Cheptegei—three-time world champion and double Olympic gold medalist (5000m Tokyo 2021, 10000m Paris 2024)—improved his personal best by over a minute, clocking 2:04:52 in his third career marathon. Ethiopia’s Bazezaw Asmare was sixth in 2:05:17, the second-fastest time of his career.

The men’s leading pack hit 10 km in 29:16 and halfway in 1:02:14, before a seven-man group passed 30 km in 1:28:22. A quartet of Toroitich, Getachew, and Molla then surged clear, leaving Cheptegei and Geay behind. With 3 km to go, Toroitich made his decisive move, pulling away from Molla to establish a commanding lead.

He crossed the finish line inside the historic Amsterdam Olympic Stadium in 2:03:30, shaving nine seconds off the previous course record of 2:03:39 set by Tamirat Tola, the reigning Olympic champion who withdrew this year due to a stress fracture. Toroitich’s performance also marked a massive improvement on his previous best of 2:05:46, set in Tokyo earlier this year.

MEN'S MARATHON LEADING RESULTS

Aynalem Desta Wins Women’s Race in 2:17:37

Ethiopia dominated the women’s race, sweeping the top six positions. Aynalem Desta claimed victory in a lifetime best of 2:17:37, the third-fastest time ever recorded at the Amsterdam Marathon. Her compatriot Bertukan Welde followed close behind in 2:17:56, with Mekides Shimeles completing the all-Ethiopian podium in 2:19:56. Both Desta and Welde, born in 2004, continued Ethiopia’s legacy of young marathon talent.

A former 3000m steeplechaser, Desta was part of the lead pack that passed 10 km in 32:41 and the halfway mark in 1:09:10. By 30 km (1:38:07), the group had narrowed to four Ethiopians—Desta, Welde, Shimeles, and Waganesh Mekasha. Mekasha began to fade shortly afterward, leaving Desta and Welde to battle it out over the final kilometres.

In the closing stages, Desta surged clear to secure victory in 2:17:37, slashing four minutes off her previous best and missing Yalemzerf Yehualaw’s course record by just 45 seconds.

WOMEN'S MARATHON LEADING RESULTS