Running News Daily

Sheila Chepkirui and Dorcas Kimeli, who finished just half a step behind, were credited with 29:57 performances to become just the second and third women to cover the distance in under 30 minutes at Birell 10k race

Once again, the all-time 10km lists underwent major revision at the Birell Prague 10km, an IAAF Gold Label road race, on Saturday.

In the women's race, both winner Sheila Chepkirui and runner-up Dorcas Kimeli, who finished just half a step behind, were credited with 29:57 performances to become just the second and third women to cover the distance in under 30 minutes. Only their Kenyan compatriot Joyciline Jepkosgei, who set the 29:43 world record on this same course in 2017, has run faster.

In the men's race, Geoffrey Koech fought off Mathew Kimeli in the waning stages to reach the finish line in a world-leading 27:02, equalling the legendary Haile Gebrselassie as the fourth fastest man ever. Kimeli clocked 27:07, to move up to No. 7 all-time.

The women were off to a blazing start, with Chepkirui, Kimeli and Norah Jeruto, better known as a standout steeplechase, reaching the midway point in 14:46, with Fancy Chemutai another second back. 

That group was soon winnowed down to just Chepkirui and Kimeli who fought it out until the closing metres when Chepkirui finally prevailed by about half a second.

"The second five kilometres was very hard," Chepkirui said. "I was fighting so, so hard to win this race."

Jeruto, who beat world record-holder Beatrice Chepkoech in the 3000m steeplechase at the IAAF Diamond League stop in Oslo in June, was third in 30:07.

Like the women, the leaders in the men's race set a blistering pace from the outset, with Benard Kimeli leading Geoffrey Koech, Mathew Kimeli, Bravin Kiptoo and Shadrack Koech leading the field through the first five kilometres in 13:23. Another five runners were well within striking distance, just one or two seconds behind.

The pace soon proved too much for most, with just Kiptoo, Geoffrey Koech and Matthew Kimeli left in the hunt after seven kilometres. Koech, the runner-up here last year, powered away over the final kilometre to secure the win.

"Of course there is a lot of space for improvement but still I am very happy with my result,” said the 26-year-old Koech, who clipped 15 seconds from his previous career best.

Kiptoo, 18, was third in 27:12, a world U20 best.

Earlier in the day, organisers of five leading international half marathons --the EDP Lisbon Half Marathon, the Sportisimo Prague Half Marathon, the Copenhagen Half Marathon, the Cardiff University Cardiff Half Marathon and the Valencia Half Marathon Trinidad Alfonso EDP-- announced the formation of the SuperHalfs international running series that brings the five events under one banner with the aim of promoting running, tourism and environmental sustainability in the host cities.

(09/09/2019) Views: 1,972 ⚡AMP
by IAAF

Kenyans Geoffrey Koech and Fancy Chemutai lead the fields at the Birell Prague Grand Prix 10km

Fancy Chetumai and Geoffrey Koech will lead the fields at the Birell Prague Grand Prix 10km, an IAAF Gold Label road race, in the Czech capital on Saturday.

On the men's side, the main draw is Koech, who clocked 27:18 in this race last year, the 13th fastest performance of all time, to finish second. More recently the 26-year-old finished fourth at the Prague Half Marathon in April, clocking 1:00:30.

He'll face compatriot Vincent Kiprotich Kibet, who produced a 27:21 run to win in Berlin just over one year ago. Kibet, who turned 20 in March, has shown good form this year too, clocking 27:35 to win in Wurzburg in April and 27:24.09 on the track in July.

But perhaps in most impressive form is 22-year-old Ethiopian Jemal Yimer, who set his 27:54 best on the roads in Prague in 2017 before racing to the African 10,000m title in Asaba, Nigeria, last year. Yimer broke the Ethiopian record in the half marathon in Valencia last October, clocking an impressive 58:33. In July, he finished fifth in the Ethiopian 10,000m trials race for the World Championships in Hengelo, clocking 26:54.39, a lifetime best.

Others to watch include Kenya's Benard Kimeli, the winner of the Prague Half Marathon earlier this year, and Vedic Kipkoech, who improved his 10km best to 27:25 in Valencia in January.

On the women's side, Chemutai, the thrid fastest woman of all time on the roads with 30:06, will be looking to break the event's 30-minute barrier. Chemutai turned in that performance in Prague in 2017 when she chased Joycilene Jeppkosgei who eventually shattered the world record with her extraordinary 29:43 run. Chemutai, 24, impressed in Boston in June, winning a 10km there in 30:36.

She'll face 20-year-old Gloria Kite, who went even faster this year, clocking 30:26 in Valencia in January and currently sits in the No.9 position on the world all-time list. Steeplechase standout Norah Jeruto, who beat world record-holder Beatrice Chepkoech at the IAAF Diamond League stop in Oslo in June, could also be a factor.

(09/05/2019) Views: 1,838 ⚡AMP

Teen runs the second fastest road 10K ever, Phonex Kipruto clocked 26:46 at the Birell Prague Grand Prix

18-year-old Rhonex Kipruto from Kenya runs 26:46 Saturday evening at the Birell Praque Grand Prix.  This is the second fastest-ever road 10k, while his compatriot Caroline Kipkirui moved to third on the women’s world all-time list. 

Phonex Kipruto – who was third in Prague last year in 27:13 and then ran 27:08 in New York before claiming the world under-20 10,000m title in Tampere – clocked 26:46 for a dominant win. It was a Kenyan top three as Geoffrey Koech ran 27:18 in second and Mathew Kimeli 27:26 in third.

A total of 11 athletes dipped inside 28 minutes. The women’s race was much closer and Kipkirui won in 30:19 ahead of Fancy Chemutai (30:22) and Diana Chemtai Kipyokei (30:23) to complete another Kenyan clean sweep. Running alone with his opponents rapidly dropping back, Kipruto went through 5km in 13:31 before clocking a negative split of 13:15 to take 22 seconds off his PB.

Only his compatriot Leonard Komon has run a faster time with his world record 26:44 set in 2010.

(09/08/2018) Views: 2,962 ⚡AMP

British duo Luke Traynor and Emelia Gorecka set for Prague 10k

British duo feature among a top international field in one of the fastest 10k road races in the world. Luke Traynor and Emelia Gorecka have been named in the elite fields for the Birell Prague Grand Prix on Saturday, September 8. The British pair feature among a strong international field set to race in the 10k race on the streets of the Czech capital. In last year’s race, Joyciline Jepkosgei memorably ran 29:43 to break the women’s world record. Traynor has impressed throughout 2018, including a 10k personal best performance of 28:32 in June, a time that ranks him as the third fastest Scot of all time over the distance. The 24 year-old is no stranger in the Czech Republic and earlier this year won the Mattoni ÄŒeské BudÄ›jovice Half Marathon. (08/24/2018) Views: 1,725 ⚡AMP

An epic battle is expected at the 23rd Annual Birell 10k race Sept 8

World Junior 10,000 meters champion Rhonex Kipruto is hoping to win the Birell Prague Grand Prix after writing history in Tampere, Finland earlier this month. Kipruto said he is eying a win in the 10km race to be run in Czech Republic  September 8.  An epic battle is expected in the 23rd edition of the race in September as Kipruto says he is determined to dethrone race record holder, Bernard Kimeli. Kimeli and Kipruto also competed in Prague last year and the former won.   "I know the competition will be tough and I preparing hard,” Kipruto said in Iten. In 2017, Bernard Kimeli and Mathew Kimeli battled it out right to the end clocking 27:10, Bernard was the first to cross the finish line, breaking a new personal best and race record. Kipruto (27:13), whose excellent result took everyone by surprise, settled for third place. A total of eight men managed to finish the race in under 28 minutes including the Norwegian Sondre Nordstad Moen who clocked 27:55 a personal best and the best European time recorded in 2017. (07/26/2018) Views: 1,868 ⚡AMP

RunCzech Runing League Is On The Move

“23 years ago, sitting in a Prague pub, my friends and I first expressed thoughts about setting up a marathon here. I couldn’t possibly have know then how such a small event could flourish,” stated Carlo Capalbo, president of RunCzech. 82,883 Runners took part in RunCzech Running League races in 2017. At these events four Czech records, nine course records and five world records were set. “When I see more and more Runners finish, I think to myself, this is only the beginning,” says Carlos. (12/20/2017) Views: 1,481 ⚡AMP