Almgren breaks European 10km record in Valencia, Hirpa comes from behind to win in Dubai

Kenya's Hellen Ekalale Lobun and Sweden’s Andreas Almgren claimed victories at the 10K Valencia Ibercaja by Kiprun, a World Athletics Label road race, on Sunday (12).

Lobun, who took the women’s title in 29:30, moved to fourth on the world all-time list while Almgren took 11 seconds off the European record, winning the men’s race in 26:53.

In a race of incredible depth, the first four women now feature in the top 10 on the world all-time list, while the men’s contest marked the first time 11 athletes had finished inside 27:30.

The women’s contest had been billed as an assault on the Ethiopian record (29:14) by pre-race favourite Fotyen Tesfay, who won the Valencia Half Marathon in 1:03:21 in October. Paced by Spain’s Abedarrahman El Khayami, the lead quartet of Tesfay, Lobun, Girmawit Gebrezihair and teenager Asayech Ayichew went through 3km in 8:46, putting them on course to break the world record of 28:46.

The cadence soon dropped, however, and Tesfay went through 5km in 14:31 with Lobun five seconds behind, Ayichew another two seconds in arrears and Gebrezihair clocking 14:42. Soon after, Tesfay had been reeled back in, and the lead trio – Tesfay, Lobun and Gebrezihair – reached 7km in 20:29.

Approaching the final kilometre, Tesfay dropped back, leaving Lobun and Gebrezihair to duel for the victory. Lobun broke away from her Ethiopian rival with 600 metres to go, crossing the line in 29:30 in what was her first standalone 10km race (though she has previously contested two half marathons).

Gebrezihair was second in 29:34, taking more than a minute off her previous best, while a tired Tesfay (29:42) managed to hold off Ayichew (29:43), both women setting PBs. It’s just the second time in history – after last year’s Valencia 10k – that four women have finished inside 30 minutes.

“I didn’t expect to win but I knew I was in good shape,” said Lobun who is based in Kirenget and is coached by Williams Langat. “It was my first 10km ever so my debut has been fantastic. I’ll next compete on 23 February at the Lobo Village cross country race in Eldoret and later I’ll focus on the track season as I try to make the Kenyan team for the World Championships in Tokyo.”

Despite the absence of the scheduled pacemaker Rodrigue Kwizera, who was forced to withdraw because of flu, the men’s contest ended up being one of the best ever in terms of depth.

Kenya’s Daniel Kinyanjui, Vincent Langat and Benard Langat, along with Ethiopia’s Tadese Worku and Telahun Haile Bekele took charge of the pacing duties with Almgren, Switzerland’s Dominic Lobalu and Belgium’s Isaac Kimeli also part of the leading pack. The opening 3km was covered in 8:13 and half way was passed in 13:43, suggesting a finishing time well outside 27 minutes.

The pace soon started to increase, though, as Bekele, Langat and Lobalu started to push harder, reaching 7km in 19:05 with seven athletes in the lead pack. The pace, now at 2:40/km, continued to increase as Lobalu, Langat and Almgren reached 9km well ahead of the rest.

European 10,000m champion Lobalu tried to surge in the closing stages, but Langat and Almgren stayed on his shoulder. With just seconds to go, track specialist Almgren put his kick finish to good use and edged in front to cross the line in 26:53, having covered the second half in 13:10.

Lobalu settled for second in 26:54 and Langat completed the podium in 26:55. Further down the field, Uruguay’s Santiago Catrofe set a South American record of 27:16 in eighth.

“Last year I ran 27:20 here and I knew I could run much faster today,” said Almgren, the 2014 world U20 800m bronze medallist who has moved up in distance in recent years and ran 26:53.57 for 10,000m on the track last year. “It’s my first European record so I’m over the moon; I’ll now spend four weeks in the altitude of Sierra Nevada to focus on my next target, the 3000m at the European Indoor Championships.”

In addition to the area records, national records were also set by Switzerland’s Lobalu, Eritrea’s Dawit Seare (27:21), Great Britain’s Rory Leonard (27:38), Spain’s Ilias Fifa (27:41) and Ireland’s Efrem Giday (27:43).

Emeterio Valiente for World Athletics

Leading results

Women
1 Hellen Lobun (KEN) 29:30
2 Girmawit Gebrzihair (ETH) 29:34
3 Fotyen Tesfay (ETH) 29:42
4 Asayech Ayichew (ETH) 29:43
5 Fentaye Belayneh (ETH) 30:00
6 Christine Chesiro (KEN) 30:06
7 Maurine Toroitich (KEN) 30:28
8 Miriam Serem (KEN) 30:29
9 Alice Chemtai (KEN) 30:47
10 Lomi Muleta (ETH) 31:01

Men
1 Andreas Almgren (SWE) 26:53
2 Dominic Lokinyomo Lobalu (SUI) 26:54
3 Vincent Langat (KEN) 26:55
4 Daniel Kinyanjui (KEN) 27:06
5 Isaac Kimeli (BEL) 27:10
6 Benard Langat (KEN) 27:11
7 Telahun Haile Bekele (ETH) 27:13
8 Santiago Catrofe (URU) 27:16
9 Dawit Seare (ERI) 27:21
10 Celestin Ndikumana (BDI) 27:23

 

Hirpa and Gemechu lead Ethiopian sweep at Dubai Marathon

Bedatu Hirpa came from behind to take the women’s title at the Dubai Marathon in a huge PB of 2:18:27, while marathon debutant Bute Gemechu made it an Ethiopian double by taking the men’s title at the World Athletics Label road race in 2:04:51 on Sunday (12).

After an intriguing five-way tussle up to 25km, Dera Dida and training partner Hirpa forged a lead which was to prove unassailable for the pursers. When Dida eased away with 5km to go, it looked as though she was set to repeat her 2023 victory.

But as soon as she came into the lengthy finishing straight, she started to struggle with stomach cramps. At that stage, with less than a kilometre to run, Hirpa was still 10 seconds behind, but the 2015 world U18 1500m champion soon made up the ground and eased into the lead.

Hirpa crossed the line in 2:18:27, a substantial improvement on the PB of 2:21:09 she set in Amsterdam three months ago. Dida finished five seconds behind but was rewarded with a PB of 2:18:32. Tigist Girma, contesting her first marathon since December 2022, was third in 2:20:47.

Bute Gemechu broke away from the leading men’s group at 35km. Compatriot Shifera Tamru cut the gap to about 20 metres with two kilometres to go, but his challenge was short-lived.

Gemechu went on to win in 2:04:51, becoming the fifth Ethiopian debutant in succession to win the Dubai men’s race. Berehanu Tsegu came through for second place in 2:05:14 ahead of Tamru (2:05:28).

Ethiopian athletes filled the top 16 places in the women’s race and the first 14 positions in the men’s race.

Women
1 Bedatu Hirpa (ETH) 2:18:27
2 Dera Dida (ETH) 2:18:32
3 Tigist Girma (ETH) 2:20:47
4 Zeineba Yimer (ETH) 2:21:12
5 Bertukan Welde (ETH) 2:21:54
6 Kuftu Tahir (ETH) 2:22:53
7 Gadise Mulu (ETH) 2:23:19
8 Almaz Kebede (ETH) 2:23:30
9 Kebebush Yisma (ETH) 2:24:04
10 Dibabe Beyene (ETH) 2:24:38

Men
1 Bute Gemechu (ETH) 2:04:51
2 Berehanu Tsegu (ETH) 2:05:14
3 Shifera Tamru (ETH) 2:05:28
4 Desalegn Girma (ETH) 2:06:52
5 Dejene Hailu (ETH) 2:07:03
6 Getachew Masresha (ETH) 2:07:04
7 Tadele Demissie (ETH) 2:08:21
8 Boki Diriba (ETH) 2:09:06
9 Embay Goitom (ETH) 2:09:08
10 Yismaw Atinafu (ETH) 2:09:32