For marathon runner Björn Koreman from Raamsdonkveer, the Rotterdam marathon will be an important moment. He wants to become the sixth Dutchman ever to run faster than two hours and ten minutes. Koreman sees it happening. “The training sessions have never gone so well.”
Koreman’s best time is now on 2.11.07 and the athlete from Raamsdonkveer is only too happy to get a lot from that. ”I keep a low heart rate during training for a 30-kilometer run. I am in very good shape,” he said in the Omroep Brabant sports program de Zuidtribune.
Running the marathon in such a fast time is rare for a Dutchman. In the past, Tilburger Greg van Hest and Luc Krotwaar from Eindhoven came close to 2.10.00.
- Abdi Nageeye 2:06.17 Rotterdam 2019
- Kamiel Maase 2:08.21 Amsterdam 2007
- Gerard Nijboer 2:09.01 Amsterdam 1980
- Khalid Choukoud 2:09.55 Siena 2021
- Michel Butter 2:09.58 Amsterdam 2012
- Marti ten Kate 2:10.04 Rotterdam 1989
- Greg van Hest 2:10.05 Rotterdam 1999
- Luc Krotwaar 2:10.13 Fukuoka 2003
Koreman hopes to settle in the top five: ”It would be nice to get there.” The weather on Sunday seems to be good, there are only concerns about the wind.
Koreman already knows in his head how the race should go. ”Halfway through 1.05.00 and continue that in the second part. Then it can work.”
A time of two hours and ten minutes would also mean that the marathon runner can go to the World Athletics Championships in mid-July. His preference is only for the European Championship in mid-August. “Because you have a better chance of a high ranking there. The competition is less great without the Africans,” says Koreman. A qualifying time of 2.12.30 is needed for the European Championship.
Last fall Koreman tried to set a good time in Amsterdam, but then he was injured. Even now he knows that every mistake can be fatal. “We all know that if you start too hard, the second part can get really painful. But we don’t assume that.”
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