The 96th San Silvestra Vallecana took place in Madrid and would normally be a mass, celebratory NYE race. This year of course it was just the elites battling it out over 4 laps of a 2.5k circuit.

Neither of last year’s winners were back to defend their titles (Helen Bekele Tola of Ethiopia in 30:50 and Bashir Abdi of Belgium in 27:47) so that left the course clear for a battle between Kenyan Ruth Chepngetich (second last year) and 21 year old Ethiopian Yulemzerf Yehualaw Densa, who is second fastest all-time over the half marathon distance.

Windy and cold conditions made for slower times than usual, especially as the course is normally downhill enough to be deemed non-legal for records. Within the first kilometer Chepngetich and Densa had pulled away and after a brief tussle from Swedish half-marathon record holder Sarah Lahti, they pulled ahead again for the final two laps.

Densa put the hammer down around halfway through and the Kenyan just didn’t have anything to respond with, leaving Ethiopia to take the win again in 31:17 and Chepngetich runner up for Kenya for the second year in a row, in 31:50. France’s Alessia Zarbo rounded out the podium taking bronze in 33:50.

Photo: Getty Images for IAAF

Chelimo talking a big game in the build-up

There was some pre-race game-talk from Paul Chelimo who said that he would attempt to break the American 10k road record of 27:48, currently shared by Bernard Lagat and Mark Nenow. Chelimo’s track 10k PB is 27:43 but with only two races completed this year back in February and those only 3,000m it was always going to be interesting to see whether the fitness he had been building could stand up to racing.

Alas, it was not to be – Daniel Simiu Ebenyo of Kenya won the race just inside the US record time Chelimo was chasing – breaking the tape in 27:41 to take the victory for Kenya. Italian marathon record-holder Eyob Faniel was second in 28:08 and Chelimo went away with third place in 28:14.

Still a strong performance and maybe we’ll see the track start have another attempt at the record in the future.

Falls and mishaps in Barcelona

In Barcelona at the Cursa dels Nassos there was talk of 5k and 10k world records being challenged thanks to the presence of Genze Dibaba and Hellen Obiri.

As with the NYE fireworks around the world, there wasn’t quite the expected show this year but there were still some strong times. 1500m world record holder Dibaba (ETH) won her 5k race in 15:00 flat followed by her little sister Anna in 16:02 and Esther Guerror Puigvall of Spain who was third in 16:03.

Jenny Spink racing over longer distances, but presumably only once that day. Photo: Valencia Half Marathon

Bristol & West’s Jenny Spink (who lives in Spain) did an epic double, making the most of the limited chances to race, and turned around a 16:59 for tenth place in the 5k before switching numbers and hot-footing it to the start of the 10k where she placed 9th in 35:32

In the assault on the 10k WR, Obiri suffered some ill-fate as her pacemaker dropped out early and she fell heavily on a bend (see insta-video below). With Jepkosgei’s 29:43 record no longer in sight, Obiri was not deterred and doubled down her efforts to come home in 30:53- a convincing victory over Spain’s Majida Maayouf (33:19) and Marta Galimany Guasch (33:52).

 

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French party in the men’s 5 & 10k

In the men’s 5k race the win went to France’s Jimmy Gressier who raced home in 13:39. He was chased all the way to the line by Uruguayan Santiago Catrofeclose who finished just a second behind. France also nabbed the third place thanks to a 13:45 from Yann Schurb.

The French had a great day of it in the men’s races as Morhad Amdouni ran a storming 10k race to go second on the European all-time list with his 27:42. Spain’s Carlos Mayo was runner up in 28:06 and then it was back to the French contingent for third place as Gressier also gave his legs a battering by doing the double, and was rewarded with a third place finish in the 10k race (28:13).

Under-23 men’s champion Jimmy Gressier leading the field over the cross country back in Tilburg 2018.

Not just racing in Spain

Not content with letting the Spanish have all the fun, Bolzano Italy hosted the BoClassic. Again, this was an elite only race this year and run on a looped course rather than the normal one.

In the women’s 10k race it was Kenya who won out big time thanks to Margaret Chelimo Kipkemboi’s 10k debut of 30:42 and her compatriot runner’s up Dorcas Jepchirchir Tuitoek (30:43) and Norah Jeruto Tanui (30:45).

The men competed over 5k and were reportedly looking to beat a certain Jimmy Gressier’s European record (see above) of 13:18. It was a tight race but again, it was not to be. Ugandan Oscar Chelimo won in 13:17 and Robin Hendrix of Belgium fell just short of his continental challenge, taking silver in 13:19. Abdelaati Iguider of Morocco was third in 13:20.

Mageean racing indoors in a previous year. Photo: Kieran Carlin

Fast 3000m racing in Manchester

Winner Ciara Mageean (8:54) and second place Jip Vastenberg (8:55) both broke nine minutes, with Aimee Pratt just a few seconds over in 9:03 with a close race. The win caps a strong year for Ireland’s Mageean with personal bests over 800m and 1000m national records outdoors and a 1500m national record indoors.

Elizabeth Bird and Jenny Nesbit also featured, both finishing with 9:17.

The mens race saw both Mark Pearce (7:52) and Jack Rowe (7:54) break eight minutes, with Emile Cairess in third with 8:02 after winning last weekend at the Podium 5k outside. Ross Millington, Zak Seddon and Thomas Keen completed the small, but elite field.

The inaugural James Thie New Year’s Marathon

The final word goes to James Thie (head of Team Thie) who would normally be calling the classic Nos Galen Races at this time of year.

Instead he did what I suspect a lot of us felt like doing yesterday, albeit with greater speed and over a greater distance – he went and thrashed out all his frustrations of 2020 with a good old run….. a 2:56:20 solo marathon run with 1,300ft of elevation.

And that’s a wrap

So, there’s 2020 for you. Who knows what the new year will bring. There have already been some interesting flurry’s on social media as Camille Herron and Charlotte Purdue have both left Nike.

Herron, who has set multiple records in Vaporflys and is rarely seen out of a pair, even in training, will be representing Hoka One One from now on. The US star and 24hr World Champion will feature in another 100k record breaking attempt organised by Hoka this January 23rd.

Purdue will join Lily Partridge on the Adidas roster, which will add an interesting extra level of competition to the GB women’s marathon scene.

Any races this weekend will be added to the round-up on Sunday, including the 3000m invitationals in Manchester. 

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Hellen Obiri makes her debut over the 10km. The world 5,000m and world indoor 3,000m champion is expected to perform well over the longer distance after her World Cross Country Championship victory this year. Ruti Aga could be threat having won this year’s Tokyo Marathon and Edna Kiplagat will undoubtedly challenge with a best of 31:06.

In the men’s race Ugandan Kiplimo has run the fastest road 10km of all time with 26:41 but the downhill nature of the Madrid course means he is not the world record holder. Kiplimo comes into the race having finished second in the World Cross. A leading challenger could be former New York Marathon winner Stanley Biwott who is a bit of an unknown quantity with little high level racing over the last year.

Goolab in Flying Form

The race includes some excellent depth when it comes to British runners. Nick Goolab arrives in Manchester riding high after his 13:34 5km at Ipswich Twilight last weekend. The Belgrave man has a best of 28:22 also set this year when winning Brighton Marathon 10km.

European 10,000m silver medallist Andy Vernon is on the start list but suffered an injury in the build up to the Virgin London Marathon. Vernon, who has a track best of 27:42, posted a tweet on the 7th May saying he had been undergoing shockwave therapy and “hopefully I can be running completely pain free in the next couple of weeks.”

RELATED: Jack Gray has his sights on more than just tabloid headlines  

Jack Gray is another Brit arriving at the race in top form. The England 10km international ran 13:47 to finish 4th at the Ipswich Twilight 5km and recently ran a 10km PB in Brighton of 28:57. Under 23 Emile Cairess will be expecting to take a good chunk off his road PB having run 28:48 on the track in April.

The start list also features GB and England athletes such as Dan Studley, Dejene Gezimu and Alex Teuton. Sub four minute miler Ieuan Thomas will be looking to better his PB of 29:13 set at last years Telford 10km.

Twell to Challenge

Steph Twell is likely to be the leading British challenger and is coming into the race in great form having set a 10km PB of 31:57 to win Brighton Marathon 10km. Having recently been selected for the World 50km Championships Alyson Dixon races a month after finishing 16th at Boston Marathon.

Mhairi MacLennan will be a strong challenger having finished second to Twell in Brighton with a new PB of 32:59. The Helen Clitheroe coached athlete finished 32nd at the World Cross in March and arrives in fine form. Third on the UK all time list Gemma Steel races as does Inter -Counties XC Champion Jenny Nesbitt. Having spent time away training in the US Nesbitt recently ran a strong 32:46 at the Payton Jordan Invitational.

Strong Club Times Expected

This is a mass participation race on 10km course but also half marathon and quick times are expected over both with conditions looking ideal. Over 30,000 runners are expected to start on Sunday in what is one of the most popular running events in the UK.

RELATED: Loughborough International Preview

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The women of Kenya created history in Kampala, not just becoming the first senior women’s long course team to register a perfect score or completing Kenya’s first clean sweep of the medals in that race, but by becoming the first team in history, in any of the world cross country races, to fill the top six places.

Yes, the entire Kenyan team home before anyone else got a look in!

While a repeat of such utter dominance at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships in Aarhus, Denmark on Saturday (March 30) is unlikely, there is enough firepower among the Kenyan women to make securing the team title for a record thirteenth time a mere formality.

Kenyan athletes have won the last six individual titles, and are expected to dominate the podium once again.

Lillian Kasait Rengeruk, bronze medallist in Kampala, is the only starter from the all-conquering 2017 team, but she will be joined by a star-studded line-up which includes reigning World, Commonwealth and African 5000m champion Hellen Obiri and world steeplechase record holder Beatrice Chepkoech.

Such is the strength of the Kenyan team, that Agnes Tirop, the 2015 champion and 2017 fifth placer; and 2018 African Cross Country Championship runner-up Margaret Chelimo Kipkemboi, are only reserves this time around.

Kenyan studs

Obiri, who also holds the Kenyan 5000m record, ran a 29:59 for 10k on the slightly downhill San Silvestre Vallecana course in Madrid on New Year’s Eve, won the IAAF Permit meet in Elgoibar in January, and took the Kenyan trials victory in February.

She may well start as favourite, and will look to add world cross country gold to her global indoor and outdoor titles. If successful, she would become the first female athlete to do so.

Chepkoech, like Obiri, is better known for her track accomplishments than she is for her cross country pedigree. She did finish third at the Kenyan trials and picked up a win at the IAAF Permit race in January.

The Commonwealth Games silver medallist shot into fame when she knocked an incredible eight seconds off the world steeplechase world record last summer, and she will look to use her steeplechasing strength to good effect in Aarhus.

Beatrice Chepkemoi Mutai – who split the track stars at the Kenyan trials – won bronze at the 2016 African Cross Country Championships. Mutai, the older sister and training partner of world 1500m champion Faith Kipyegon, may also be a contender.

Can anyone stop the Kenyans?

Among the Ethiopians attempting to halt the Kenyan dominance will be 2015 and 2017 under-20 champion Letesenbet Gidey, and Dera Dida the runner up in the younger age category in 2015.

Gidey, originally a reluctant recruit to the sport and once temporary expelled from school for refusing to run in her physical education classes, now boasts a 5000m best of 14:23.14.

Dida, who won the Ethiopian trials ahead of Gidey has a marathon PB of 2:21:45, and the five-lap energy-sapping course should be less of an issue for her proven endurance.

Stella Cheseng is the Commonwealth 10,000m champion. The Ugandan trials winner, who finished second to Obiri in Elgoibar and runner-up to Chepkoech in Seville in January, could also feature.

With the roof of the Moesgaard Museum – which participants will have to navigate five times – seemingly steepening as the hours pass, the most significant result on Chesang’s CV may well be her World Mountain Running title from 2015.

Photo: Lone Dybdal

The challenge from Bahrain will be led by World Marathon champion Rose Chelimo, who finished ninth in Kampala; Eunice Chumba, 2016 Asian cross-country champion and a 66:11 half marathoner; and Winfred Mutile Yavi, who won the Cinquemulini IAAF Permit meet in January.

The team battle

If anyone is to get close to the Kenyans in the team stakes, it will be the Ethiopians. The East African rivals have shared the past twenty team titles between them, and it’s difficult to see anyone coming between the pair this time around.

Bahrain, with a team comprising Kenyan and Ethiopian exports, were third last time out, and the bronze medal battle looks set to be between them, the Ugandans, and a strong USA contingent led by world steeplechase silver medallist Courtney Frerichs.

Incidentally, Portugal, the last non-African team to win the team title, way back in 1994, don’t have a single athlete entered in the race this time around. The European nation, with a strong distance running history, and have only entered one athlete across the five races.

Local interest

London-based Danish athlete Anna-Emilie Møller, who won the European under-23 title in December, will be the star attraction for the Danish crowd.

Photo: Andy Peat

The 2016 Olympian and 2017 European under-23 steeplechase champion became the first non-British female BUCS Cross Country champion in February.

Møller finished second to Kenya’s Gloria Kite at the IAAF Permit meet in Soria in November, and will be hoping to put in an inspired performance on home soil.

In the absence of the top five finishers from the senior race in Tilburg, Møller may even start as leading European challenger, though Ireland’s Fionnuala McCormack, a two-time European champion, and Germany’s Elena Burkard, sixth in Tilburg, may have something to say about that.

The Irish and British challenge

McCormack hasn’t competed at the World Cross Country Championships since leading the Irish team to fifth place in 2013. The three-time Olympian finished in the top 20 in 2007, 2011 and 2013, and will be one of the few to relish the conditions and the distance on Saturday.

Photo: Sportsfile

Currently preparing for the Boston marathon, the Wicklow woman has raced sparingly since giving birth to her first child last October; her sixth place from Belfast in January her only cross country performance of late.

Ireland’s other representative, Birmingham-based doctor Sara Treacy, ran her first World Cross Country Championships as a 16 year-old in Fukuoka. Thirteen years later she makes her debut appearance in the senior race.

Treacy is an athlete for the big day and the Olympic steeplechase finalist and 1o-times European Cross Country participant will be more than at home on this stage.

The British team will have an eye on a top six team finish, something which they last achieved in 2011. Like their male counterparts, there is little to choose between the sextet.

Jess Piasecki and Kate Avery, who were members of the team which so narrowly lost out on the team gold at the European Championships in December, are the most experienced members of the team.

Photo: Andy Peat

Like Treacy, both have previously competed in the junior event, but Saturday will be their first experience of the senior race.

Jenny Nesbitt was a dominant winner of the trial event earlier this month, and the Welsh Cross Country Champion, also an established competitor on the roads, will be relishing her first taste of world championship competition.

Emily Hosker-Thornhill, who took the English title on the hills around Harewood House in February, will be hoping to improve on her 90th place from Kampala two years ago.

English under-20 champion Amelia Quirk was the surprise package of the British trials finishing fifth against her older rivals. The young University of Birmingham fresher, who finished second to Møller at the BUCS Championships, will look to use Aarhus as a stepping stone to a successful senior career.

North of England champion Mhairi MacLennan, who’s put in a number of strong performances this winter, completes a strong team.

And so…

In the absence of defending champion Irene Cheptai, and with Agnes Jebet Tirop not due to make the Kenyan starting six, we’re guaranteed a first-time champion this time around.

The field is not, however, lacking in star quality, and a number of world champions and record holders will be vying to add the prestigious cross country title to their CV.

Obiri, the 5000m star, will start as favourite, but on the challenging Aarhus’ course, track pedigree may count for nothing.

Expect the Kenyans to dominate, but the Ethiopians, wounded by the trashing they received in Kampala two years ago, along with the Ugandans and Bahrainis are at least capable of getting in the mix for individual medals this time around.

Meanwhile, Geoffrey Kamworor is targeting a third straight World Cross Country gold in the senior men’s race, and a full preview can be found here.

Additionally the race timetable and TV guide can be found here.

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The post World Cross Country Championships: ones to watch in the senior women’s race appeared first on Fast Running.

The Dutch star, a bronze medallist over at the World Championships, passed world 5000m champion Hellen Obiri on the final bend, for a perfectly timed sprint to the line clocking 8:28.90 in a record-breaking performance.

Germany’s Konstanze Klosterhalfen also set a new national record of 8:29.89 for second, with Margaret Chelimo Kipkemboi of Kenya in third.

Hassan said: “It has been three years since I last ran a 3000m so I enjoyed the opportunity to run the distance here.

“Racing over distances like the 800m and 3000m always surprises me but it was a fast race and I ran a very good time. The fact that it is a national record and meeting record is a nice bonus for me.”

Seven athletes set personal bests in the race including British duo Eilish McColgan and Rosie Clarke.

McColgan continued her fine form over 3000m this year finishing fifth in 8:31.00 for another personal best.

Teammate Rosie Clarke ran strongly to clock a personal best of 8:51.00, finishing 12th.

To read the full round up of the Diamond League meet in Birmingham, including how Mo Farah brought the curtain down on an illustrious track career in Britain click here.

The post Sifan Hassan Breaks Two Records to Win 3000m in Birmingham appeared first on Fast Running.

The race started with a pedestrian 81-second opening lap and with the next two laps almost as slow, it was time to move for 10,000m world champion Ayana and Olympic silver medalist Obiri.

Ayana led the charge with world leader Obiri tracking close behind, the pair going on to devastate the field in one lap.

With the African pair in a race of their own for gold and silver, it became a thirteen-woman fight for bronze, wth Netherland’s Sifan Hassan leading the pack.

Ayana had failed to shake Obiri and as the bell rang for the final lap it was the Kenyan who kicked with a superb piece of running. In the blink of an eye Obiri built up a 30m gap ahead of her rival, with Ayana unable to answer as Obiri clinched gold clocking 14:34:86.

It was amazing demonstration of distance running from the new world champion as she covered the last kilometre in 2 minutes 45 seconds and the final 400m in just 60 seconds.

Ayana took silver in a season’s best 14:40.35, with Hassan bagging a well deserved bronze in 14:42.73.

In her first major 5,000m, Britain’s Laura Muir finished a very credible sixth adding to her fourth place over 1,500m

Compatriot Eilish McColgan finished in tenth place among a strong field in 15:00.43.

In the women’s 800m Caster Semenya won her third world title, finishing ahead of Francine Niyonsaba of Burundi, with the Olympic champion clocking 1:55.16. It was a world leading time and a new personal best for the South African star.

USA’s Ajee Wilson sealed the bronze, while Britain’s Lynsey Sharp finished eighth.

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