Yomif Kejelcha wins in Valencia (© Organisers)
Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha will target another record-breaking performance at the 10K Facsa Castellón, a World Athletics Label road race, on Sunday (16).
The 27-year-old may have lost his world indoor mile record last Saturday but he’s still the world half marathon record-holder, thanks to his stunning 57:30 run in Valencia last October. Soon after that race, he turned his attention to taking down the world 10km record of 26:24 in Castellon.
Burundi’s Castellón-based Rodrigue Kwizera will be the pace maker and he has been tasked with reaching the halfway point in 13:12.
Kejelcha isn’t the only athlete in the field capable of finishing inside 27 minutes. Kenya’s world cross country bronze medallist and 2021 world U20 5000m champion Benson Kiplangat has PBs of 12:58.78 for 5000m and 26:55.09 for 10,000m. He will be joined by fellow Kenyans Daniel Kinyanjui, who ran 27:06 for 10km last month in Valencia, and Brian Kibor, a 27:31 performer.
Watch out too for Ethiopian teenagers Yismaw Dillu and Kuma Girma. The former finished fourth in the U20 race at last year’s World Cross Country Championships and has a 27:08.85 PB for 10,000m, while debutant Girma, younger brother of former world indoor 3000m record-holder Lamecha Girma, is a 12:58 performer for 5km and is fresh from a commanding 7:31.78 3000m victory in Metz last Saturday.
France’s European steeplechase silver medallist Djilali Bedrani, Italy’s European half marathon silver medallist Pietro Riva and Britain’s Andy Butchart are also in the field.
Ethiopia’s Likina Amebaw is in the form of her life, as shown by her 14:33 PB over 5km last weekend, and will be aiming to improve on her 10km PB of 29:56.
Compatriot Medina Eisa, the world U20 5000m champion, is making her 10km debut following on from setting a world U20 5km record of 14:23 at the end of last year.
Aynadis Mebratu, who clocked 30:09.05 over 10,000m last summer, and Wede Kefale, a 30:31 performer, are also in the field, as is Kenya’s Cintia Chepngeno, who has a 30:08 PB.
After breaking the European 5km record last weekend with 14:39, European 10,000m silver medallist Diane Van Es of the Netherlands now sets her sights on the continental record for 10km. She’ll line up alongside in-form Slovenian Klara Lukan, who smashed her national record in Monaco with 14:45 last weekend.
Kiplimo targets fast time at Barcelona half
Two-time world cross country champion Jacob Kiplimo is the standout athlete at the e-Dreams Mitja Marató Barcelona by Brooks, a World Athletics Gold Label road race on Sunday (16).
The Ugandan, who is preparing for his marathon debut in London on 27 April, is the second-fastest man in history for the half marathon, having clocked 57:31 in Lisbon in 2021 which stood as the world record until Kejelcha broke it.
The 24-year-old’s last competitive outing was at the San Silvestre Vallecana in Madrid on 31 December when he shared the win with Berihu Aregawi in a course record of 26:32.
Kiplimo isn’t the only former world record-holder and two-time world cross-country champion in the field as he’ll be joined by Kenya’s Geoffrey Kamworor. The three-time world half marathon champion, who has a PB of 58:01, will line up alongside compatriots Samwel Mailu, the world half marathon bronze medallist, and Ronce Konga, a 59:08 performer.
Italy’s European champion Yeman Crippa is reported to be in great shape and he will target the European record of 59:13, while Germany’s European bronze medallist Amanal Petros is aiming for his first sub-60-minute clocking.
Former world record-holder Joyciline Jepkosgei will defend her title in the women’s race. The 31-year-old Kenyan won here last year in a PB of 1:04:29, then went on to achieve a PB of 2:16:24 at the London Marathon.
Gladys Chepkurui, who finished third last year and set a PB of 1:05:46 in 2023, could be Jepkosgei’s toughest opposition.
The weather forecasts for Castellón and Barcelona are similar with temperatures predicted to range between 11-13C.
Emeterio Valiente for World Athletics
