Several great athletes will participate in the Dam tot Damloop. For the first time in three years, the running event can take place again. In addition to the pros, 40,000 participants will start at the Prins Hendrikkade in Amsterdam on Sunday 18 September.
Among the men, the focus will be on Abdi Nageeye and Khalid Choukoud. The two have the fastest time of all participants in the ten English miles. Nageeye won silver in the marathon at the Olympics last year and Choukoud became Dutch champion in Amsterdam last year. “I’m looking forward to running a different distance than the marathon again,” says Choukoud. “It’s fantastic to do that in front of your own audience at the Dam tot Damloop! In 2016 I became the first Dutchman here, hopefully I can do it again this year.”
Richard Douma is also at the start. At the beginning of this year, Douma made his debut as a marathon runner during the Rotterdam marathon. The fastest time of the Zaankanter on the Dam tot Damloop dates back to 2015.
Holterman, Koster and Ummels
Among the women, there are also a number of promising runners at the start. The North Hollanders Jill Holterman, Maureen Koster and Bo Ummels will compete with each other. Holterman and Ummels previously started in Amsterdam and it will be Koster’s first participation. Holterman and Ummels will first run the marathon at the European Athletics Championships in Munich, Koster will compete in the 5,000 meters.
The running race is organized every year under normal circumstances. The trail is 10 miles (16.1 km) long and runs from the Prins Hendrikkade in Amsterdam to the Peperstraat in Zaandam. The last two editions were canceled due to corona.