Running News Daily

Nearly 100 elite athletes of 25 nationalities will compete for victory at the 10K Valencia

On January 12, thousands of runners will fly through the fastest 10K course in the world. Dominic Lobalu, Isaac Kimeli and Andreas Almgren arrive in Valencia with the goal of breaking the European 10K record.

The 10K Valencia Ibercaja by Kiprun is finalizing the details to offer again a great show in what will be its 17th edition this coming January 12. The race, which closed its registration last December 22 after exhausting the available numbers, will feature a cast of elite athletes of up to 25 nationalities. 

According to José Enrique Muñoz Acuña, Coordinator of Elite athletes and sports director of the race, the goal this year "is to continue the level of sporting demand that has the 10K Valencia as the best 10K in Spain and holder of world records for both men and women". "This January 12 we will once again experience an event of the highest level, in which -if the conditions respect us- athletes can meet their goals and we can once again see men under 27 minutes and women under 30 minutes," he added. 

As usual in the 10K Valencia, in men "we find a list that stands out for the good level of European athletes, who come with the aim of breaking the European record", which is currently held by Etienne Daguinos (27:04, Lille 2024). For this "there are three clear favorites: Dominic Lobalu (Switzerland), Isaac Kimeli (Belgium) and Andreas Almgren (Sweden), who will have a hare to launch the race to go under 27 minutes." 

As for the African armada, several athletes stand out, such as the Ethiopians Telahun Bekele, Getnet Wale and the debutant in the distance Samuel Tefera, double world indoor 1,500ml champion. In addition to many other athletes who can opt for victory, such as Kenyans Daniel Kinyanjui, Vincent Langat or Meshack Lelgut, "In total, we have 32 men with records under28 minutes".

As for the Spanish representation, several names stand out: Abdessamad Oukhelfen, current national record holder of the distance with 27:44 made last January on this circuit, Daniel Arce, who comes from running very fast in León, Juan A. Pérez Moreno, Víctor Ruiz and Aarón Las Heras. It is worth mentioning the Uruguayan athlete living in Spain, Santiago Catrofe, who comes to Valencia with the intention of improving the South American AR, which is currently held by the Argentinean Antonio Silio (27:51, 1990). 

Women, going all out 

In the women's field, three clear favorites stand out: Fotyen Tesfay (Ethiopia), Christine Chesiro (Kenya) and the young and talented Ethiopian athlete Asayech Ayichew, who won the Great Ethiopian Run a few weeks ago. "In addition to them we have to add a great cast of African athletes. They all come to Valencia to improve their records".  

In European terms, several athletes stand out, such as Slovenia's Klara Lukan, France's Mekdes Woldu and England's Abbie Donnelly, all of them looking to break their current records. 

In the Spanish field, we have two athletes who arrive in a similar form as Alicia Berzosa and Laura Priego, the clear favorites to win in the Spanish category without forgetting the athlete of the Serrano Athletics Club, Maria Jose Perez.

It is worth remembering that the 10K Valencia, which achieved the World Record in men in 2020 (26:24), managed to break all forecasts in the last edition when the athlete Agnes Jebet beat the 10K world record with a 28:46. On a national level, Abdessamad Oukhelfen won the Spanish men's 10K record with a time of 27:44. 

An amazing fast 5k in Oslo

OSLO, Norway (AP) — Hagos Gebrhiwet of Ethiopia ran the second-fastest 5,000 meters of all time in winning at the Diamond League meeting in Oslo on Thursday.

Gebrhiwet ran a final lap of 54.99 to finish in 12 minutes, 36.73 seconds — 1.37 seconds off the world record set by Olympic champion Joshua Cheptegei.

 Gebrhiwet's time is not only the second fastest time ever it was also a new national record for Ethiopia. New personal bests for the top eight finishers and new National records for Guatemala, Switzerland, Sweden, France and South Africa!

Also at the Bislett Games, home favorite Jakob Ingebrigtsen dived for the line to win the men's 1,500 just ahead of Timothy Cheruiyot in a world-leading 3 minutes, 29.74 seconds.

More details: Hagos Gebrhiwet produced the standout performance of the Bislett Games – and one of the biggest surprises of the year so far – when winning the men’s 5000m in 12:36.73 at the Wanda Diamond League meeting in Oslo on Thursday (30).

It was one of three meeting records and five world leads set on an enthralling night of athletics action in the Norwegian capital, just two months away from the Paris Olympic Games.

Going into the men’s 5000m, many eyes were on world record-holder and Olympic champion Joshua Cheptegei, two-time world cross-country champion Jacob Kiplimo and last year’s Bislett Games winner Yomif Kejelcha. But Gebrhiwet – who produced the first sub-13-minute run of his career on this track as a teenager back in 2012 – ensured his name won’t be forgotten in the lead-up to the Olympics.

The early pace was strong but not spectacular as the field was paced through the first 1000m in 2:33.13 and 2000m in 5:07.05. Addisu Yihune maintained that tempo through 3000m, reached in 7:41.05, with all the big contenders still in contention.

Kejelcha took control soon after and started to wind up the pace. Gebrhiwet stayed close to his fellow Ethiopian with Ugandan duo Kiplimo and Cheptegei close behind as 4000m was reached in 10:11.86, the previous kilometre being covered in 2:30.

Cheptegei was unable to hold on for much longer and started to drift back. Kejelcha continued to drive the pace but the challenge from Gebrhiwet and Kiplimo wasn’t fading, despite the increase in pace. Gebrhiwet struck as the bell sounded and moved into the lead, kicking past his compatriot and pulling away with each stride.

With a final lap of 54.99, Gebrhiwet charged through the line in 12:36.73 to win by more than two seconds from Kejelcha (12.38.95) – the first time in history that two men have broken 12:40 in the same race.

Gebrhiwet’s winning time is just 1.37 seconds shy of the world record Cheptegei set in 2020 and moves him to second on the world all-time list, one place ahead of Kenenisa Bekele, whose Ethiopian record Gebrhiwet broke.

Kiplimo held on for third, setting a PB of 12:40.96, while Spain’s Thierry Ndikumwenayo (12:48.10) and Yihune (12:49.65) also finished inside 12:50.

It was just the second time in history that 13 men have broken 13 minutes. Along with Gebrhiwet, there were national records for Guatemala’s Luis Grijalva (12:50.58), Switzerland’s Dominic Lokinyomo Lobalu (12:50.90), Sweden’s Andreas Almgren (12:50.94), France’s Jimmy Gressier (12:54.97) and South Africa’s Adriaan Wildschutt (12:56.67).

“I’m really happy with my time,” said Gebrhiwet, the world road 5km champion. “I set a PB when I first ran in Oslo, and now it’s even better. The conditions and the crowd were great. It was a very fast race and it wasn’t easy for me, but it went very well. I’ll now try to qualify for the Olympics in the 10,000m too.”

There were notable performances in two other endurance events in Oslo.

Australia’s Georgia Griffith continued her breakthrough to win the 3000m in an Oceanian record of 8:24.20. The field had been paced through 1000m in 2:50.34, then that pace was maintained through 2000m in 5:40.73.

The field became more strung out over the final kilometre as the pace increased. Griffith made a break in the closing stages and Ethiopia’s Likina Amebaw tried to come back, but her challenge was in vain as the Australian won in a meeting record of 8:24.20, 0.09 ahead of Amebaw in a race where the top six women finished inside 8:30.

In the closing event of the night, Olympic champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen was made to dive for the line to ensure a home victory for the Norwegian fans.

He controlled the pace in the second half, but still had 2019 world champion Timothy Cheruiyot for company on the final lap. The Kenyan challenged the Norwegian down the home straight and appeared to have timed his kick to perfection, but Ingebrigtsen collapsed over the line to get the verdict in a world-leading 3:29.74, 0.03 ahead of Cheruiyot. The first 11 finishers all set either season’s or personal bests.

Gebreselama and Fisher win as records fall in San Juan Capistrano

Tsigie Gebreselama set a US all-comers' record to win the women’s 10,000m, while Grant Fisher topped a deep men’s race to triumph at The TEN, a World Athletics Continental Tour Silver event, in San Juan Capistrano, California, on Saturday (16).

Hitting the Olympic standards for Paris – 27:00.00 for men and 30:40.00 for women – was the aim for many athletes in San Juan Capistrano. A total of eight athletes managed it in the men’s race and four achieved it in the women’s.

Leading the way in that women’s race was Ethiopia’s world cross country silver medallist Gebreselama, who improved her PB to 29:48.34 to move to ninth on the world all-time list.

The 23-year-old won the Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon in a PB of 1:05:14 three weeks ago and returned to the track to dip under 30 minutes for 10,000m for the first time, also becoming the first woman to break that time barrier on US soil.

Gebreselama, the fourth-place finisher in the World Road Running Championships half marathon in October, had been the only athlete to go with USA’s Alicia Monson from the start but when Monson struggled to maintain the pace, Gebreselama took over at the front and Monson later dropped out.

Chasing the Olympic standard in a group further back, USA’s Weini Kelati led the way and clocked a PB of 30:33.82 to finish second. She was followed by Lauren Ryan, who ran 30:35.66 to improve Benita Willis’s 20-year-old Australian record, and Britain’s Megan Keith, who ran 30:36.84 on her 10,000m debut.

Rachel Smith finished fifth in 31:04.02 and Karissa Schweizer sixth in 31:04.80.

In the men’s race, North American record-holder Fisher led one of the deepest 10,000m races in history as he sprinted into the lead in the closing stages to win in 26:52.04. 

His 21-year-old US compatriot Nico Young followed him over the finish line in a US collegiate record of 26:52.72 and the next six were also under the Olympic entry standard.

Andreas Almgren ran a Swedish record of 26:52.87 to finish third, while Canada’s Mohammed Ahmed was fourth in 26:53.01, Eritrea’s Habtom Samuel was fifth in a PB of 26:53.84, Adriaan Wildschutt was sixth in a South African record of 26:55.54, USA’s Woody Kincaid was seventh in a PB of 26:57.57 and Kenya’s Edwin Kurgat was eighth in a PB of 26:57.66.