Klasbak Bashir Abdi wins Rotterdam marathon and smashes European record | Athletics

The run was very fast from the start in Rotterdam, but that high pace turned out to be no problem for 32-year-old Bashir Abdi.

The Belgian initially quickly joined a large leading group and after 15 kilometers was already half a minute ahead of the schedule of the European record, which has been in the hands of Kenyan Turk Kaan Kigen Özbilen (2u04’16”) since 2019.

It was exactly that chrono that Abdi wanted to improve in Rotterdam, but gradually he saw his bonus on Özbilen dwindle. When Abdi ended up in a 3rd group around kilometer 28, it looked equally dire.

But the bronze medal had organized his race excellently and moved back to the center of the race in stocking feet.

Little by little he took more lead on the planned schedule and after 36 kilometers he thought it was enough and threw his two remaining competitors overboard with a speed increase.

Abdi did not slacken in the final kilometers and came in on the Coolsingel in a fantastic 2h03’35”, no less than 41 seconds faster than Özbilen’s previous European record.

Abdi is only the second Belgian who succeeds in winning the Rotterdam marathon. He follows in the footsteps of Vincent Rousseau, winner in 1994 in a time of 2:07:51″.

As fast as he had walked, so quickly a very happy speech waterfall Bashir Abdi also spoke for the NOS cameras. “I’m very happy that it worked,” the Belgian beamed.

“Rotterdam feels like a home game for me. The spectators drove me crazy. I was just deaf in certain parts. It really gave me goosebumps. I wanted to give something back to the public by winning here.”

For a moment Abdi had to let go of the role in the front. “I had just taken a drink when they accelerated. But there was still time to overtake. I did not panic and started running faster at the right time.”

“I’m glad I was able to walk the last part alone, although the last 2 kilometers seemed to last 5 kilometers”, Abdi laughs.

He ran his last marathon barely 2.5 months ago and that is rarely seen. “I trained well and was able to rest a lot. The condition was there, I didn’t have to start from scratch. The conditions here in Rotterdam were also ideal.”