Aregawi and Kiplimo take top spots, Garcia surprises Chepngetich in Madrid

Ethiopia’s Olympic 10,000m silver medalist Berihu Aregawi and Spain’s European 5000m bronze medalist Marta Garcia claimed respective victories at the San Silvestre Vallecana, a World Athletics Gold Label road race, in Madrid on Tuesday (31) evening.

While Aregawi and Uganda’s two-time world cross country champion Jacob Kiplimo crossed the finish line together without fighting for the win, Garcia became a surprise victor as she clearly defeated Kenya’s world marathon record-holder Chepngetich.

The men's race had been billed as a mouth-watering showdown between Aregawi and Kiplimo, both on the hunt for a second victory following their victories in 2018 (Kiplimo) and 2023 (Aregawi).

The race started with opening kilometers in the 2:40/2:42 region, taking advantage of the early downhill section. By then the lead group featured six athletes: Kiplimo, Aregawi, his fellow Ethiopian Nibret Kinde, France’s Felix Bour and the Spanish duo of Adel Mechaal and last year’s runner-up Aaron Las Heras.

It was shortly before the third kilometer when the Tokyo Olympic 10,000m bronze medalist Kiplimo and Aregawi broke away from the rest of the leading pack with incredible ease to go through that point in 8:01. Kiplimo took on most of the pacing duties but Aregawi remained very close to him throughout. That duo reached halfway in a brisk 13:07 following a frantic 5:06 2km split which suggested the course record of 26:41 was in jeopardy. Way back, Kinde travelled alone in third, 13 seconds in arrears, with Mechaal and Bour another three seconds adrift.

Over the second half of the race the leading pair maintained their blistering rhythm, covering the following kilometers at 2:36 pace to clock 20:58 by the eighth kilometer checkpoint, always with Kiplimo at the helm and Aregawi just behind.

When it became clear that a course record was on the cards, the large crowd assembled got ready for a thrilling sprint finish between the two distance stars. But once inside the Rayo Vallecano stadium, they looked at each other and decided not to battle for the win, instead crossing the finish line virtually even, the victory eventually going to Aregawi in 26:32, the same time as recorded by Kiplimo.

Their performances are not valid for record or ranking purposes since they had the benefit of a downhill circuit – 705m of altitude at the start, a lowest point of 610m at the eighth kilometer and an uphill final two kilometers to conclude at 650m.

The fight for the final podium place proved thrilling as the 34-year-old Mechaal overtook Kinde and Bour inside the closing 400m to take third in 27:39 to Bour’s 27:42 and Kinde’s 27:44.

Garcia prevails over Chepngetich

Held jointly with the men’s race, the women’s contest witnessed an early lead by the overwhelming pre-race favorite Chepngetich. The Kenyan ace had declared on the eve of the event that her target was to erase her compatriot Brigid Kosgei’s course record of 29:54 set in 2018. Yet the 30-year-old never traveled at that kind of rhythm, covering the early stages in around three minute kilometer pace.

The 2019 world marathon champion led by the third kilometer, reached in 9:09, but the in-form Spaniard Garcia – fresh from another win two days before in her native Leon – always seemed a serious threat as she only ran three seconds behind. Chepngetich went through the halfway mark in 15:06 to Garcia’s 15:08, while Paris Olympic 1500m finalist Agueda Marques and Carolina Robles traveled in third and fourth, 12 seconds behind their fellow Spaniard.

It was shortly after reaching the sixth kilometer when Garcia, on the eve of her 27th birthday, managed to catch Chepngetich. The pair shared the lead for one kilometer before the Kenyan could not follow Garcia’s pace. Despite slightly easing her pace over the flat kilometers before facing the uphill section, Garcia managed to build a sizeable advantage over the Kenyan to cover the closing stages being loudly cheered by the home crowd, about to enjoy the first Spanish win since 2008.

At the tape, Garcia was timed at 31:19 to Chepngetich’s 31:32, the world marathon record-holder holding off the late challenge provided by Marques, who was third thanks to a 31:34 performance.

“It’s my first time competing in this circuit and I’m impressed,” said Garcia, who recently completed a four-week training stint in South Africa.

“I didn’t feel tiredness over the closing kilometers because the spectators cheered a lot, it’s amazing. I’ll now focus on the short track season over 3000m.”

Leading results

Women

1 Marta Garcia (ESP) 31:19

2 Ruth Chepngetich (KEN) 31:32

3 Agueda Marques (ESP) 31:34

4 Carolina Robles (ESP) 31:58

5 Carla Gallardo (ESP) 32:10

6 Adawork Aberta (ETH) 32:16

7 Laura Priego (ESP) 32:20

8 Fatima Ouhaddou (ESP) 32:22

9 Risper Gesabwa (MEX) 32:35

10 Tugba Yenigun (TUR) 32:42

Men

1 Berihu Aregawi (ETH) 26:32

2 Jacob Kiplimo (UGA) 26:32

3 Adel Mechaal (ESP) 27:39

4 Felix Bour (FRA) 27:42

5 Nibret Kinde (ETH) 27:44

6 Jesus Ramos (ESP) 28:07

7 Aaron Las Heras (ESP) 28:12

8 Andreu Blanes (ESP) 28:50

9 David Cantero (ESP) 28:56

10 Adrian Ben (ESP) 28:57

posted Thursday January 2nd
by World Athletics