Joshua Cheptegei's third marathon is Sunday in Amsterdam. Can he finally run a good one? Predictions?

Cheptegei 7s behind a lead group of four at 35k. Not out of it yet.

Toroitich splits 14:17 from 35k to 40k

Chepegei 5th
2:04:53, PB

Fifth with 2:04:53. But he can only get better, one hopes.

That's what I predicted, from 2:03:00-2:05:00.

He still has a learning curve for the marathon. Can he end up at 2:02:00? Possibly, but might be difficult, as he's on the down side of his career. I think his best days are behind him but if I'm wrong I'll be very happy - seems like a good dude.

Who won?

Chep is a good marathoner…. he’ll never be a great one.

Seems unlikely after 3 marathons...

Kamworor barely improved his PB over the years, still won NYC twice.

Geoffrey Toroitich in 2:03:31

Can't say I'd ever heard of him ! Was 5th in Tokyo earlier this year for his first marathon, 2:05:46

He's much better on the track just like Kiplimo is better suited for the roads. Remember Kiplimo only has two global bronzes from the track.

It's the fifth place that is most disappointing. 2:04 is fine, but over a minute behind the winner, who isn't exactly one of the big dogs, doesn't look good for Cheptegei going forward. Maybe he's developing slowly at the distance, he's still young for a marathoner. But it looks like he's going to have to pick his race carefully if he ever wants to win a major

Top results.

Men

Pos | Name | Nat | Finish | Half
------------------------------------------------------------
1 | Geofry Toroitich Kipchumba | KEN | 02:03:30 | 1:02:15
2 | Tsegaye Getachew | ETH | 02:04:18 | 1:02:15
3 | Getaneh Molla | ETH | 02:04:19 | 1:02:15
4 | Gabriel Geay | TAN | 02:04:36 | 1:02:14
5 | Joshua Cheptegei | UGA | 02:04:52 | 1:02:14
6 | Bazezaw Asmare | ETH | 02:05:17 | 1:02:15
7 | Bute Gemechu | ETH | 02:06:12 | 1:02:15
8 | Aron Kifle | ERI | 02:07:12 | 1:03:52
9 | Tadesse Getahon | ISR | 02:07:15 | 1:03:53
10 | Phil Sesemann | GBR | 02:07:18 | 1:03:52
11 | Lameck Too | KEN | 02:07:21 | 1:02:14
12 | Merhawi Kesete | ERI | 02:07:27 | 1:03:53
13 | Khalid Choukoud | NED | 02:08:00 | 1:03:53
14 | Enock Kinyamal | KEN | 02:08:12 | 1:03:05
15 | Nils Voigt | GER | 02:08:22 | 1:03:53
16 | Kenya Sonota | JPN | 02:08:33 | 1:02:15
17 | Godadaw Belachew | ISR | 02:08:46 | 1:03:53
18 | Benson Tunyo | KEN | 02:09:01 | 1:02:15
19 | Daniel Tola | ETH | 02:09:55 | 1:03:53
20 | Andualem Shiferaw | ETH | 02:10:35 | 1:02:14
21 | Gianluca Assorgia | NED | 02:12:47 | 1:05:45
22 | Stan Niesten | NED | 02:13:40 | 1:06:49
23 | Bas Stigter | NED | 02:14:09 | 1:07:43
24 | Frank Futselaar | NED | 02:14:22 | 1:06:49
25 | Jonatan Venema | NED | 02:15:05 | 1:07:43
26 | Joris Keppens | BEL | 02:15:08 | 1:05:45
27 | Manuel de Backer | NED | 02:15:24 | 1:07:44
28 | Lucas Nieuweboer | NED | 02:16:00 | 1:07:43
29 | Takashi Ichida | JPN | 02:16:03 | 1:04:00
30 | Jeremy Belkacem | FRA | 02:16:05 | 1:05:45
31 | Ivan Gorlanov | RUS | 02:16:41 | 1:09:10
32 | William Hague | USA | 02:16:41 | 1:09:11
33 | Luc Essink | NED | 02:16:44 | 1:07:43
34 | Ruben Sansom | NED | 02:17:34 | 1:09:12
35 | Richard Douma | NED | 02:17:37 | 1:09:10
36 | Emiel Berghout | NED | 02:17:47 | 1:09:11
37 | Kevin Quinn | GBR | 02:17:57 | 1:09:10
38 | Pim Bijl | NED | 02:18:33 | 1:09:12
39 | Marco van Etten | NED | 02:19:08 | 1:09:12
40 | Daan Reintjes | NED | 02:19:26 | 1:09:11
41 | Julien Péché | FRA | 02:19:45 | 1:10:29
42 | Tony Hanna | LBN | 02:19:46 | 1:10:28
43 | Max Parker | GBR | 02:19:55 | 1:10:24
44 | Mees de Ridder | NED | 02:20:15 | 1:10:02
45 | Stijn Burghoorn | NED | 02:20:43 | 1:11:07
46 | Brent Pieterse | NED | 02:22:44 | 1:11:43
47 | Miroslav Spasov | BUL | 02:22:51 | 1:09:11
48 | Freek van de Weerd | NED | 02:22:54 | 1:10:03
49 | Maxime Michel | BEL | 02:22:55 | 1:10:23
50 | Luuk Maas | NED | 02:22:55 | 1:11:07

Women:

Pos | Name | Nat | Finish | Half
----------------------------------------------------------
1 | Aynalem Desta | ETH | 02:17:37 | 1:09:11
2 | Bertukan Welde | ETH | 02:17:56 | 1:09:11
3 | Mekides Shimeles | ETH | 02:19:56 | 1:09:11
4 | Waganesh Mekasha | ETH | 02:20:26 | 1:09:11
5 | Gadise Mulu | ETH | 02:21:04 | 1:09:11
6 | Bosena Mulatie | ETH | 02:21:23 | 1:09:11
7 | Rose Chelimo | BRN | 02:22:55 | 1:11:07
8 | Margaux Sieracki | FRA | 02:25:50 | 1:13:29
9 | Zinah Senbeta | ETH | 02:27:32 | 1:11:15
10 | Louise Small | GBR | 02:27:51 | 1:14:49
11 | Anne Luijten | NED | 02:28:28 | 1:14:49
12 | Jill Holterman | NED | 02:29:02 | 1:14:49
13 | Mikky Keetels | NED | 02:31:23 | 1:13:30
14 | Chelsea Baker | GBR | 02:32:31 | 1:16:33
15 | Elizeba Franken-Cherono | NED | 02:33:41 | 1:16:51
16 | Kuba Alemu | ETH | 02:33:59 | 1:12:46
17 | Lisan Duijvestijn | NED | 02:39:30 | 1:20:01
18 | Hannah Olde Loohuis | NED | 02:40:39 | 1:20:52
19 | Ingrid Klaassen | NED | 02:41:55 | 1:21:14
20 | Jasmijn Sibma | NED | 02:42:09 | 1:21:15
21 | Tineke Heuveling | NED | 02:42:29 | 1:21:14
22 | Hinde Fokkema | NED | 02:43:41 | 1:23:52
23 | Eira Rapp | NOR | 02:44:55 | 1:22:19
24 | Sanne Mooldijk | NED | 02:45:10 | 1:22:51
25 | Emilie Tissot | FRA | 02:45:14 | 1:21:24
26 | Nella Oenema | NED | 02:45:38 | 1:24:12
27 | Saskia Weinans | NED | 02:45:52 | 1:22:25
28 | Camilla-Marie Flaaten | NOR | 02:46:00 | 1:21:21
29 | Shibeal Mc Cann | IRL | 02:46:05 | 1:22:52
30 | Floortje Cieraad | NED | 02:46:37 | 1:23:18
31 | Femke Yska | NED | 02:46:41 | 1:23:52
32 | Joelle Flueck | SUI | 02:47:07 | 1:23:34
33 | Mathilde Vinet | FRA | 02:47:43 | 1:25:56
34 | Anna Morsink | NED | 02:47:58 | 1:26:50
35 | Charline Micoud | FRA | 02:48:16 | 1:23:09
36 | Nynke Altena | NED | 02:49:31 | 1:26:03
37 | Lucy Morrison | GBR | 02:51:17 | 1:28:59
38 | Maria Noordam | NED | 02:51:19 | 1:25:21
39 | Annemarie Kersbergen | NED | 02:51:51 | 1:26:07
40 | Suzanne Boekestijn | NED | 02:52:18 | 1:22:27
41 | Merle Lambregts | NED | 02:52:50 | 1:27:17
42 | Ingrid Versteegh | NED | 02:52:59 | 1:26:47
43 | Leila van der Pal | NED | 02:53:14 | 1:26:09
44 | Elizabeth Allen | GBR | 02:53:27 | 1:26:05
45 | Tara Muijlwijk | NED | 02:53:31 | 1:28:27
46 | Anniek van Eijkern | NED | 02:53:35 | 1:27:42
47 | Clara Planegger | AUT | 02:53:38 | 1:27:57
48 | Lorraine Ravestein | NED | 02:53:59 | 1:27:17
49 | Joline van Arnhem | NED | 02:54:10 | 1:27:44
50 | Berber Swart | NED | 02:54:22 | 1:27:07

more results with 5km splits here:
TCS Amsterdam Marathon | 19-10-2025

World Athletics race recap:

worldathletics.org

Toroitich breaks course record at Amsterdam Marathon | REPORTS | World Athletics

Kenya’s Geoffrey Toroitich Kipchumba broke the course record at the TCS Amsterdam Marathon, clocking 2:03:30.

Open link

Wow, 18 Netherlands runners in top 50! All between 2:08:00 - 2:22:55. Impressive Netherlands. Very good depth in the Netherlands.

Chepegei should pace Kiplimo to the WR in the marathon. Easy peasy!

Yeah if we’re being honest the 25-year-old winner Toirotich was just 13s ahead of Chep in his debut in Tokyo. Now in marathon race #2 he breaks 2:04 convincingly and gaps him by almost 90 seconds. Which guy is more believable to win majors one day? It’s definitely Toirotich, if it was going to happen for Chep to be a stud marathoner it’d have happened by now.

I agree it seems unlikely, but we’ve seen runners struggle in their first few marathons before becoming world beaters. Tamirat tola comes to mind: he was not on the podium for his first 4 or 5 marathons and eventually became world and Olympic champion.

Probably should run a hilly tactical course like NYC

Kiplimo is younger. I believe the Cheptegei / Mo Farah comparisons are accurate. Kiplimo easily beat him at the 2023 NYC Half as well.

Kipchoge took to it like a natural like nobody before. But he ran the WR at age 37 after a very accomplished junior track career