Harbert Kibet wins the 10K Facsa Castellón (© Sportmedia)
Harbert Kibet and Caroline Gitonga both moved into the top 10 on the world all-time lists while Yann Schrub and Megan Keith set European records at the 10K Facsa Castellón, a World Athletics Label road race, on Sunday (22).
Making his 10km debut, Uganda’s 20-year-old Kibet won the race in a world-leading 26:39, a time that makes him the fifth-fastest 10km runner in history – just one second slower than his compatriot Joshua Cheptegei, the multiple global gold medallist and world 5000m and 10,000m record-holder.
Kibet won by four seconds ahead of Schrub of France, who clocked 26:43 to beat Sweden’s Andreas Almgren by two seconds and improve his rival’s European record in the process. Almgren ran 26:45 in Valencia last month to improve his own European record and the world 10,000m bronze medallist matched that mark in Castellón.
Kenya’s Gitonga improved her PB by more than a minute to win the women’s race in 29:34 and move to joint ninth on the world all-time list.
She won by 11 seconds ahead of her compatriot Nelvin Jepkemboi, while Ethiopia’s Chaltu Dida was third in 29:50 and Great Britain’s Keith was fourth in 30:07, taking one second off the European record set by her compatriot Eilish McColgan in Valencia. McColgan ran 30:35 on this occasion to finish sixth, one place behind Purity Gitonga (30:25), twin sister to winner Caroline.
The pacemaker Mike Foppen led a seven-strong leading men’s pack through 5km in 13:23 and Almgren and Schrub remained to the fore as the group passed the 7km mark.
Kibet, contesting the longest race of his career so far, started to make a move with around 1.5km remaining and he strode ahead, glancing over his shoulder.
But Almgren and Schrub didn’t respond and Kibet won clear in 26:39. Schrub won the battle for the runner-up spot and the European record, moving to sixth on the world all-time list, and he and Almgren were followed over the finish line by Kenya’s Silas Senchura (26:58).
In the women’s race, Jepkemboi and Caroline Gitonga ran together through the 5km mark in 14:32. Jepkemboi then pushed ahead but she could not maintain that lead and Caroline passed her with what ended up being a winning move.
Caroline built an 11-second lead by the finish line, crossing clear in 29:34 to improve on the PB of 30:46 she set when finishing eighth in Castellón last year.
Keith, meanwhile, beat the two athletes who had previously held the European record – McColgan and Belgium’s Jana Van Lent, who ran 30:10 in Nice last month and clocked 30:50 in Castellón. Lonah Chemtai Salpeter’s 30:05 from Tilburg in 2019 remains the fastest time achieved by a European athlete but that mark was not ratified as a European record.
Leading results
Women
1 Caroline Gitonga (KEN) 29:34
2 Nelvin Jepkemboi (KEN) 29:45
3 Chaltu Dida (ETH) 29:50
4 Megan Keith (GBR) 30:07
5 Purity Gitonga (KEN) 30:25
6 Eilish McColgan (GBR) 30:35
Men
1 Harbert Kibet (UGA) 26:39
2 Yann Schrub (FRA) 26:43
3 Andreas Almgren (SWE) 26:45
4 Silas Senchura (KEN) 26:58
5 Biniyam Melak (ETH) 27:10
6 Bereket Nega (ETH) 27:39
Mekashu and Dida claim Ethiopian double in Guadalajara
Kolole Mekashu and Gemechu Dida achieved an Ethiopian double at the XL Medio Maratón Internacional Guadalajara Electrolit, a World Athletics Platinum Label road race, in Guadalajara, Mexico, on Sunday (22).
Mekashu clocked a PB of 1:12:49 to win the women’s race by four seconds, while Dida ran 1:03:38 to pip Kenya’s Isaia Kipkoech Lasoi in a close battle.
Mekashu and Kenya’s Mercy Jerop Kwambai ran as part of a group that passed 5km in 17:42, 10km in 35:03 and 15km in 51:56.
Mekashu, Kwambai and Mexican triathlete Anahí Álvarez broke away and Álvarez looked to be pushing the pace. But Mekashu and Kwambai were waiting for their moment to kick and they first ran together before Mekashu moved ahead and eventually won by four seconds – 1:12:49 to 1:12:53.
Álvarez gained on Kwambai but ran out of road and finished third in 1:12:54.
The men’s race ended in a sprint. Dida and Lasoi ran together as part of a large pack that hit 5km in 15:20 and 10km in 30:36. A breakaway group of six passed the 15km mark in 45:17 and then the race was down to Dida and Lasoi plus Kenya’s Moses Kibet and Rhonzas Lokitam Kilimo.
Dida had the strongest finish and he held off Lasoi, both athletes given a finishing time of 1:03:38.
Kibet was five seconds behind them and Kilimo a further three seconds back. Kenya’s Victor Kipchirchir was fifth (1:04:10) and Mexico’s Antonio Vara was sixth (1:04:40).
Leading results
Women
1 Kolole Mekashu (ETH) 1:12:49
2 Mercy Jerop Kwambai (KEN) 1:12:53
3 Anahí Álvarez (MEX) 1:12:54
4 Adela Honorato (MEX) 1:13:35
5 Marcela Álvarez (MEX) 1:13:42
6 Ana Torres (MEX) 1:15:03
Men
1 Gemechu Dida (ETH) 1:03:38
2 Isaia Kipkoech Lasoi (KEN) 1:03:38
3 Moses Kibet (KEN) 1:03:43
4 Rhonzas Lokitam Kilimo (KEN) 1:03:46
5 Victor Kipchirchir (KEN) 1:04:10
6 Antonio Vara (MEX) 1:04:40
