Bashir Abdi was on course for a third victory in the Rotterdam Marathon and a big improvement on his European record until the last four kilometres on Sunday (12) morning.
But the Belgian slowed drastically in the four kilometres due to cramp. He was passed just after the 40km checkpoint by Ethiopia’s Guye Adola who took the victory in 2:03:54 and the two-time Olympic medallist was even forced to stop in the final kilometre.
However, Abdi rallied to a third-place finish in 2:04:19, the third fastest time of his career so far and a time which has only been bettered by three other European marathon runners in history.
Abdi was seen clutching his hip in the closing stages but the Belgian blamed his demise on cramp in his leg calf, a problem which stemmed from the Gent Half Marathon last month when he set a Belgian record of 59:28.
"Everything went according to plan. From 1-38 kilometres, I was perfectly on schedule. During the last four kilometers, I got cramps in my left calf. I even had to stop a few times," said Abdi as quoted by Sporza.be.
"I can be satisfied after a difficult year. I am happy with 2:04. I even thought about quitting. I didn't know if I would be running at my level again but I didn't want to give up," he added.
Abdi now has ownership of three of the six fastest times by Europeans in the history of men’s marathon running.
Filmon Tesfu won the Dutch marathon title in seventh in a lifetime best of 2:06:40, finishing one place ahead of Italy’s 2024 European half marathon silver medallist Pietro Riva who also set a PB of 2:06:46.
In the women’s race which was won by Ethiopia’s Mekides Shimeles in a course record of 2:18:56, France’s Clemence Calvin was the leading European finisher in fifth in a 2:25:24 PB.
Mikky Keetels won the Dutch title in eighth in 2:30:42, another lifetime best.
Fastest men’s marathon times by Europeans
2:03:36 - Bashir Abdi (BEL), 2021
2:03:47 - Bashir Abdi (BEL), 2023
2:03:47 - Morhad Amdouni (FRA), 2024
2:04:03 - Amanal Petros (GER), 2025
2:04:16 - Kaan Kigen Ozbilen (TUR), 2019
2:04:19 - Bashir Abdi (BEL), 2026
2:04:20 - Abdi Nageeye (NED), 2025
2:04:24 - Awet Kibrab (NOR), 2025
2:04:26 - Iliass Aouani (ITA), 2026
2:04:32 - Bashir Abdi (BEL), 2023