Koen Naert stranded in Rotterdam on sigh of Belgian record, but has ticket for Tokyo 2020 bite

More sport In the marathon of Rotterdam ran aground Koen Naert (29) on a sigh of the Belgian record. The European champion, ran the distance in 2:07.39. Only 20 seconds slower than Vincent Rousseau, 24 years ago 2:07.19 ran. Naert has his ticket for the Games in Tokyo bite.

Eight months after his European title in Berlin and ended the West-Flemish as seventh in Rotterdam. From the start it went really fast. Naert ran in the inception phase is ‘only’ around 25th position, but passed after ten miles in 30:16. In the next five kilometres there was a first decline, partly because of a crash of a Kenyan competitor just before his feet. After the little dip went the pace again, the height, and half-way passed the European champion in 1u04:04 in fourteenth position. That is even faster than the planned passage in 1u04:15, Naert in advance as “a risk” was defined.

the tough miles between 20 and 30 - the finish line is still nowhere in sight - bridged Naert excellent. He passed after 30 kilometres as twelfth in 1h31:15 is still on schedule for a chrono under the 2u09. After 32 kilometres had in Naerts group of the last Kenyan runner to drop out, making the West-Flemish there all alone. He didn't let his heart come and passed, after 35 kilometers in the eighth in 1u46:46.

And was still Naerts pipe. In the last kilometers he went even substantially speed up eventually that besttime of 2u07:39. With his chrono did Naert in Rotterdam what no one thought possible: in the heart of the Belgian record of Vincent Rousseau, that since 1995, 2u07:19. Thus ran Naert also the olympic limit, and he assured himself so immediately of the Play in Tokyo next year.

The gain was for Marius Kipserem in 2u04:11, sharpness the Kenyan's course record. The previous personal best (2u04:27) stood since 2009 in the name of his compatriot Duncan Kibet. A Quarter improved the Dutch record and was fourth in 2u06:17.