Athletics
Dazzling display at Cape Town Marathon as Mohamed and Dera crowned champions
Cape Town and Africa took their rightful place amongst the world’s top marathons following a dazzling display at the 2026 Sanlam Cape Town Marathon over the weekend, as Ethiopia’s Mohamed Esa and Dera Dida were crowned the 2026 champions.
Esa shattered the course record with his best-in-Africa 2 hrs 04 min 55 sec victory with Dida recording the fourth fastest Cape Town Marathon time ever, winning in 2:23:18.
While the outcome of the formal Abbott World Marathon Majors (AbbottWMM) assessment of SCTM’s performance and the pending announcement of Cape Town’s admission to their exclusive club of seven big city marathons will only be known on 11 June, in the light of what runners, officials, supporters and spectators experienced today, this can only be a formality.
The weekend’s festival of racing at the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon was an outstanding success and would have ticked all the boxes. Unofficially, AbbottWMM officials have indicated their satisfaction of the ‘job well done’.
“Cape Town sold itself well today,” said former South African great and New York Marathon winner, Hendrick Ramaala. “2:04 – that’s amazing!”
The excitement was palpable as the peace flame processed to the start, carried by Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis and accompanied by South African celebrities including Francois Pienaar and Siya Kolisi. Never has such a field of marathon elites been assembled in Africa and the competitive presence of legends of the road, Eliud Kipchoge and Edna Kiplagat, elevated the occasion still further.
The race proved a triumph for Ethiopia, home of distance-running greats Haile Gebrselassie, Kenenisa Bekele and Deratu Tulu. Athletes from the ‘Land of Origins’ captured the individual titles and five of the six open-category podium places.
Adding to the sense of occasion and enhancing the marathon’s global reach was the successful staging of the AbbottWMM Marathon Tours & Travel Age Group World Championships.
Emotions flowed as flags from Brazil, China, Canada, Turkey, Spain, Columbia and many other countries were unfurled as medal winners from the 1800 participants in the ‘race within a race’ crossed the finish line on the blue carpet at the Green Point Sporting Precinct, before disappearing into the ‘Chill Zone’ or one of many welcoming marquees to share tales of the race of their lives in Africa.
Apart from the Abbott World Marathon Majors (AbbottWMM), only a handful of cities around the world, including Valencia, Amsterdam and Dubai, can boast race records faster than Cape Town’s 2 hr 04 min 55 sec winning time.
Esa, who dropped out of last month’s Boson Marathon, suffering a chest infection, brought that marathon preparation to Cape Town and shattered his compatriot Abdisa Tola’s 2024 race record by all of 3 min 21 sec.
No fewer than ten athletes finished inside the previous record, indicative of the exceptional depth in quality in Cape Town this weekend. Several of the leading athletes promised even faster times in years to come. “With the right preparation I believe we can run 2:03 and even 2:02 in Cape Town next year,” said Esa.
In the second-closest finish in Cape Town Marathon history, just four seconds separated the top two with an Esa surge breaking up the pack 3km from home before another pace injection in the final kilometre sealed his win.
It was close, but no cigar for Yihunilign Adane, who won the Osaka Marathon in Japan earlier this year. He took second in 2:04:59. Kenyan, Kalipus Lomwai, is enjoying a remarkable rebirth in his career as a professional athlete, and finishing third in 2:05:06 in a massive personal best.
“I was not thinking about the course record,” Esa admitted. ”My target was simply to win the race in my African homeland, but I am really happy that I could do both today.
“This course is very nice, and everyone here is so supportive of running in Africa, so I am even more proud to win this African marathon.”
Like many, Kipchoge has been an inspiration for Esa, who came into the race with the fastest season’s best time, having run 2:04:49 in the 2025 Chicago Marathon seven months ago. “Eliud is my role model, and I love and respect him so much. I was so proud to race with him today on our home continent. I wanted to show the world that we are the same family of African runners.”
Dida, wife of Olympic Marathon gold-medallist, Tamirat Tola, lived up to her pre-race favourite tag and always appeared in control of the race. The 29-year-old, who boasts a 2:18:32 marathon best, drew away from her closest rivals in the final 3km to win in 2:23:18, 27 seconds clear of Mestawut Fikir and less than a minute outside Glenrose Xaba’s course record.
Waganesh Makasha Amare finished third in 2:23:57 to complete an Ethiopian sweep of the podium positions in the women’s competition.
“I came here to win the race – that was my goal,” said Dida. “From around 36 kilometres, I felt confident the race was mine to win.
“I had thought to try break the course record but… the curves in the route made it a little slow for the record. But I’ll be very, very happy to come back here and then to try break the course record next year!”
Will she be encouraging her husband, Tamirat Tola, to race in Cape Town? Dida didn’t miss a beat. “He is 100% sure to race here next year,” the champion responded. “The only reason he didn’t come here to race in his African homeland was that he raced London Marathon just four weeks ago. But next year he’ll be here for sure.”
That some of the world’s leading marathoners were unable to finish inside the record in near-perfect conditions for marathon running is testimony to the strength of Xaba’s 2:22:22 win in 2024 in less than perfect conditions.
While the Ethiopians wore the laurels, South African Adriaan Wildschutt proved the catalyst for the injection of pace in the final quarter, a move which resulted in world-class times.
“The pacer (Wildschutt) was fantastic,” commented Lomwai. “As he broke away (after 27km) we were thinking ‘we didn’t expect to have to run this fast in Africa’! But then we had to race hard (as in Europe and America) to catch him.
“We learned a big lesson there and we will now need to prepare to run even faster in Africa. Next time you see we will run close to 2:02.”
Designated pacers Wildschutt and his compatriot, Adam Lipschitz, took the lead pack through 10km in 30:01. The pack, which included Kipchoge, comprised five Kenyans (Benard Biwott, Justus Kangogo, Leonard Langat, Kalipus Lomwai and Kipchoge), five Ethiopians (Esa, Adane, Jemal Yimer, Abebaw Muniye and Mulugeta Uma), two from Lesotho (Kamohelo Mofolo and Tukiso Motlomelo), 2025 ASA marathon champion Matlakala Bennett Seloyi (RSA), Maru Teferi (Israel) and Joel Rechow (USA).
Urged by Wildschutt to increase the pace, Lipschitz upped the tempo, taking the leaders through halfway at Rondebosch Common in 1:02:47. Only Kipchoge, Rechow and Motlomelo had fallen behind, leaving twelve plus the pacers up front.
Pacing duties done, Lipschitz dropped out leaving Wildschutt to maintain the tempo and the leaders passed 25km in 1:14:25 on 2:05:45 marathon pace.
Winner of the recent New York Half Marathon, Wildschutt was slated to pace until 21km but the 28-year-old from Ceres, who owns a clutch of national distance records, had license to continue, should he decided to do so.
“I was contracted to take the field through halfway in 62:30,” explained Wildschutt. “But I wanted to get a feel for what my future as an athlete might feel like beyond that distance. I felt very good at 25km and thought I should continue to help, as the pace had slowed.”
A pace injection at 27km saw Wildschutt open a gap on the rest. When the South African continued racing through 30km, 20 second clear of the pack, his pursuers sense danger. They worked together to close the gap with ‘reborn’ Kenyan Kalipus Lomwai leading the charge.
Wildschutt was ‘arrested’ by the pack opposite the City’s Traffic Police HQ at Gallows Hill shortly before 35km, with the South African opting to call time on his race after running with the race leaders for a further kilometre.
“I came here to pace the race but also to see what I could eventually do in the marathon, which at this stage is my aim for the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028,” Wildschutt added.
“I could have stopped at 21km according to my contract, but my coach and I wanted to see how my body would respond to racing beyond that distance, especially with regards nutrition. This was a valuable lesson in anticipation of my marathon debut.”
Six remained when Wildschutt dropped – Kenyans Langat, Lomwai and Biwott joining Ethiopians Esa, Adane and Yimer in a dash for glory, out and back along the Atlantic Seaboard. Only Langat remained with the top three as they turned for home around the Queens Beach Traffic Circle 3km out, and he fell victim to an Esa surge as the quartet grabbed their final nutrition bottles through 40km.
Adane held on for all he was worth, but a final kick for home by Esa 400 metres out decided the outcome and Esa ran to within 16 seconds of his personal best time, crossing the finish in 2:04:55.
First South African home was three-time winner of the race, Stephen Mokoka (2:10:48 for 13th place in a national masters record), and he was followed home by Seloyi with a personal best 2:12:17. Debutant Anthony Timoteus, coached by Zola Budd, posted a solid 2:13:04 in his first attempt at the distance.
Kipchoge returned a creditable 16th in his opening salvo at the start of his global tour, clocking 2:13:29 and was effusive in his praise for the race.
“I have run all the Majors in the world, but today is the day that I believe the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon will become an Abbott World Marathon Majors event,” Kipchoge related. “I believe that all one billion Africans should be proud of this race. We are creating a real legacy for Africa by making Cape Town a World Marathon Major.
“My highlight today were those people on the road singing for all of us runners. They are the real heroes of the Cape Town Marathon. They were singing for the whole of Africa, and they really touched my heart… and I feel I am leaving a part of myself here in Cape Town,” added Kipchoge.
As Esa was breaking the tape, six women were fighting for individual honours. Leah Cheruto was the lone Kenyan running with Ethiopians Dida, Fikir, Amare, Ewnetie Dagnaw and Gojjam Enyew through 35km, two hours into the race.
Earlier, marathon legend and world champion, Edna Kiplagat, looked in fine form, staying in touch with the eight-strong lead group through halfway. The 46-year-old Kenyan was one of only two from her great sporting nation among the leaders at that stage, with Leah Cheruto joining her amongst a quintet of Ethiopians – Dida, Fikir, Amare, Dagnaw and Gojjam Enyew and an Ethiopian-born Bahrain athlete, Desi Mokonin.
The sole Southern African runner anywhere near the leaders at halfway was Cape Town-based Zimbabwean, Fortunate Chidzivo, running 11th, over three minutes off the pace.
Mokonin fell behind shortly after 25km with Kiplagat holding on till 30km, leaving the six to compete for line honours in the final quarter. When Dida stepped on the gas 37km into the race, the results were dramatic as one by one her rivals fell off the pace.
A final Dida surge saw Fikir give up the unequal struggle and Dida raced home in 2:23:18 to win by 28 seconds. Amare finished third a further 11 seconds back.
David Weir of Great Britain dominated the men’s wheelchair race and took the win in 1:30:20, well inside the course record 1:32:09 set by Dutchman Gert Schipper in 2023. The Brit was followed in by DutchmanJetze Plat (1:33:12).
Third position went to the 2024 winner in Cape Town, Sho Watanabe of Japan, who was given the nod for the final podium position in a photo finish with Chinese athlete Zhang Ying. Both were given the same finishing time.
The women’s wheelchair record now belongs to Switzerland’s Manuela Schär. She dominated the race to win in 1:43:25, obliterating the previous course record of 1:52:58, set by Brit Eden Rainbow-Cooper in 2023.
Second-placed Chen Xiaochun (China) also finished inside the previous record, crossing the line in 1:52:21, with another Chinese athlete, Deng Yirun, taking third in 1:57:05.
Jose Eraldo Lima (Brazil, 2:23:47) and Dora Maria Nagel-Wallimann (Switzerland, 2:48:14) were the respective winners of the AbbottWMM Age Group World Championship gold medals in the 40-44 year age group.
Central Gauteng marathoner, Elizabeth Potter, gave local fans cause to cheer when she won the gold medal in the 55-59 age group in 3:01:54.
Other South African top five positions in the age group championship were Maxwell Sobetshe (2nd in 50-54), Elmarie Coetzee (2nd W60-64), Mark Headbush (3rd in M80+), Norah Doherty (3rd in W75-79) and Nancy Will (4th W70-74).
2026 Sanlam Cape Town Marathon Results
Top 10 Elite Men
1 Mohamed Esa (Ethiopia) 2:04:55
2 Yihunilign Adane (Ethiopia) 2:04:59
3 Kalipus Lomwai (Kenya) 2:05:06
4 Leonard Langat (Kenya) 2:05:26
5 Jemal Yimer (Ethiopia) 2:05:48
6 Mulugeta Uma (Ethiopia) 2:06:19
7 Maru Teferi (Israel) 2:06:46
8 Abebaw Dessie Muniye (Ethiopia) 2:06:57
9 Benard Kipkurui Biwott (Kenya) 2:07:34
10 Justus Kipkogei Kangogo (Kenya) 2:07:42
Top 10 Elite Women
1 Dera Dida (Ethiopia) 2:23:18
2 Mestawut Fikir (Ethiopia) 2:23:46
3 Waganesh Amare (Ethiopia) 2:23:57
4 Leah Cheruto (Kenya) 2:24:31
5 Edna Kiplagat (Kenya) 2:25:44
6 Gojjam Enyew (Ethiopia) 2:26:24
7 Mercy Jerop Kwambai (Kenya) 2:30:36
8 Desi Jisa Mokonin (Burundi) 2:30:44
9 Cynthia Jerotich Limo (Kenya) 2:32:00
10 Salmi Nduviteko (Namibia) 2:33:23
Top 5 Wheelchair Men
1 David Weir (Great Britain) 1:30:20
2 Jetze Plat (Netherlands) 1:33:12
3 Sho Watanabe (Japan) 1:33:43
3 Zhang Ying (China) 1:33:43
4 Gerard Schipper (Netherlands) 1:33:45
Top 5 Wheelchair Women
1 Manuela Schär (Switzerland) 1:43:25
2 Chen Xiaochun (China) 1:52:21
3 Deng Yirun (China) 1:57:05
4 Christie Dawes (Austria) 1:58:46
5 Zhang Yuan (China) 2:12:27
2026 AbbottWMM Age Group World Championship Results
Men 40-44
Men 45-49
Men 50-54
Men 55-59
Men 60-64
Men 65-69
Men 70-74
Men 75-79
Men 80+
Women 40-44
Women 45-49
Women 50-54
Women 55-59
Women 60-64
Women 65-69
Women 70-74
Women 75-79
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Athletics
Agnes and Andreas light up Copenhagen at the climax of the World Road Running Championships
Acknowledged as ‘the queen’ by her rivals, Agnes Ngetich was the ruling monarch of Copenhagen this morning when she secured the gold medal in world record time at the 2026 World Road Running Championships.
And there was Scandinavian joy as neighbouring Sweden’s Andreas Almgren upset race favourite, Nicholas Kipkorir, and raced to victory and a European half marathon record in the men’s race, which brought down the curtain on a successful six-race championship.
The championship fully embraced Danish ‘Hygge’ culture – everyone has a good time – with the race routes taking in some of the capital city’s outstanding features, including the Tivoli Gardens, the Marble Church and the Queen Louise Bridge, rumoured to be in line for a name change to Queen Agnes Bridge after the weekend’s racing!
45 000 participants took part in the mass-participation half marathon which immediately followed the championship event. Cool conditions favoured the athletes, although wind gusts, which collapsed a row of bicycles near the start, added to the finish times of the elite.
Ngetich was in a class of her own, breaking away from the start to win by the best part of a minute ahead of compatriot Veronica Loleo, but with a $50 000 incentive at stake for a world record, there was no lack of excitement at the finish.
Ngetich raced down the home straight past the towering Parken Stadium, but it looked as if she might just miss the 1:05:16 mark, set by fellow Kenyan, Peres Jepchirchir at the last World Championships in Riga in 2023. But a final surge took her over the line just one second inside Jepchirchir’s time, winning in 1:05:15.
“I thought I might miss it,” acknowledged Ngetich. “But the thought of the $50 000 gave me extra energy and I gave a last push. I’m so happy to have won the title and gained the record.”
Ngetich runs with a loping gait, evocative of that of the brilliant South African Matthews Motswarateu, whose lolling style earned him the nickname ‘Loop en Val’ (Walk and Fall).
Like Motswaratweu, who set a world 10km record of 27:59,3 in New York in 1980, the lack of a classic running gait proves no impediment to Ngetich, who now holds three road world records, including the 10km marks for both mixed (28:46) and women’s only (29:27) races.
“I just felt it was a great day for running and a chance of the record, so didn’t want to wait around after the start,” Ngetich explained her race tactics. “I felt good most of the way although started to tire towards the end before picking up the pace in the final 100m.
“It’s not so easy to be a front-runner – you have to be strong in body and mind to keep up the pace on your own. And today with the gusts of wind I had to be extra strong.”
Ngetich was 11 seconds ahead of a group of ten runners at 5km, a group which included her compatriots Veronica Loleo and Desilah Jerono, Ethiopians Tsigie Gebreselama and Ftaw Zeray, Americans Grace Hurley, Weini Kelati and Jessica McLain and Rwandan Florence Niyonkuru.
The lead had grown to 26 seconds as Ngetich led through 10km in 30:39 and 53 seconds through 15km (46:17), with just six pursuers left in contention for podium honours after Gebreselama and McLain had fallen off the pace.
With 4km to go, the race for line honours was over as Ngetich raced clear to a record-breaking victory, but four were left fighting for two medals. Loleo, Niyonkuru, Jerono and Hurley matched strides in close combat, with the American first to concede 2km from home.
Last month Jerono, a senior private in the Kenyan Airforce, ran a 10km PB in stormy weather in Cape Town and expressed her determination to challenge for the podium in Copenhagen. Just a kilometre from the finish her dream was in sight, but she ran short on fuel when poised for take-off, leaving Loleo and Niyonkuru to fight for silver and bronze.
The Rwandan was the surprise package of the race, taking bronze in 1:06:08, three seconds back of Loleo – a huge 1:14 improvement on her previous best, set in Berlin in March this year.
A gold medal in the team competition proved compensation for Jerono, with the USA and Ethiopia taking the team silver and bronze respectively.
Unlike the women’s race, the result of the men’s contest was in doubt till the last and yielded the fifth ‘last gasp’ finish out of six championship races, with Almgren and race favourite, Nicholas Kipkorir, dishing up a finish for the ages.
Demonstrating the new-found confidence which currently typifies American distance running, Connor Mantz went to the front from the start and was still in the vanguard 3km into the race, reached in a brisk 8:27. Almgren and Japanese athlete Tomoya Ogikubo were at his shoulder.
But soon it was business as usual with a phalanx of red-vested Kenyan athletes leading the charge, with the red and green of Ethiopia and yellow of Uganda adding colour to the ‘lead bus’ of some twenty-five athletes.
Kipkorir, who had the fastest time going into the race, had been biding his time behind his teammates, but the Kenyan was soon out in front, dictating the destiny of the race and racing through 5km with teammates Daniel Ebenyo and Rono at his shoulder in 13:57.
The three Kenyans were still out in front through 10km in 27:53, with a larger group, which included Almgren, Mantz, Olympian and World Championship gold medalist Joshua Cheptegei of Uganda, Ethiopian Tadese Worku and Italian Yemaneberhan Crippa, strung out behind them.
Kipkorir’s pace increase led to casualties and only Almgren, Cheptegei and Worku were left with the Kenyan through 15km in 41:47. Worku was next to go as the remaining trio hit 20km in 55:20. Cheptegei, struggling with a foot injury, fell off the pace and as the athletes turned into the home straight, 600m from the finish, it was down to just two.
Kipkorir attempted a final surge but in the end the race-smart tactics of Almgren paid dividends. He had stayed behind the leading runners throughout and now took the lead 150 metres from home to win by 5 seconds in a European record time of 58:06. Cheptegei clinched bronze 15 seconds further back in 58:26.
With all four of their runners in the top ten, Kenya had no rival for the team gold, making it a half marathon golden double and crowing a top championship for the East African team.
But the hour belonged to Stockholm-based Almgren. “I felt so good today,” Almgren said. “My plan was to do as little work as possible, just to stay behind the leaders and only take the lead at the end. And with 200m to go and feeling strong, I hammered and got a gap.
“Nicholas was so strong – I feel a little bit bad (about his tactics), but in a championship race you have to do what is best for you to win. At the European 10km champs I needed a fast time, so did the work that day. Today was all about the win and I knew I had a fast kick. My tactics paid off.
“Early in my career I regarded it as an impossible task to beat the top African runners. And I was always getting injured trying for extra speed. Then I found the Norwegian style of higher mileage and lower intensity suited me and that has made all the difference. But athletes like Joshua (Cheptegei) and others from Africa have been truly inspiring.”
Many half-marathoners at the championships are on the cusp of moving up to the marathon, with Almgren preparing to race the New York Marathon in November. “I’ll be moving out to Flagstaff, Arizona, to complete my preparation at altitude and hope to join (South African) Adriaan Wildschutt in some training runs, although he is racing Chicago Marathon in October and is at a slightly different phase in his training,” explained Almgren.
Kipkorir is also looking at a Marathon Major for a debut, admitting he would love to do so on his home continent. “I would love to race Cape Town Marathon in May,” he said.
World Road Running Championships
Men’s Half Marathon results
1 Agnes Ngetich (KEN) 1:05:15
2 Veronica Loleo (KEN) 1:06:05
3 Florence Niyonkuru (RWA) 1:06:08
4 Daisilah Jerono (KEN) 1:06:13
5 Emma Grace Hurley (USA) 1:06:23
6 Weini Kelati Frezghi (USA) 1:06:35
7 Jessica McClain (USA) 1:06:53
8 Ftaw Zeray (ETH) 1:07:07
9 Fatima Ezzahra Birdaha (MAR) 1:07:33
10 Esther Chebet (UGA) 1:07:38
Team medallists
1 Kenya 3:17:33
2 United States 3:19:51
3 Ethiopia 3:22:40
World Road Running Championships
Men’s Half Marathon results
1 Andreas Almgren (SWE) 58:06
2 Nicholas Kipkorir (KEN) 58:11
3 Joshua Cheptegei (UGA) 58:26
4 Tadese Worku (ETH) 58:35
5 Gideon Rono (KEN) 58:57
6 Hani Idriss Hersi (DJI) 59:09
7 Yemaneberhan Crippa (ITA) 59:18
8 Alex Nzioka Matata (KEN) 59:22
9 Daniel Ebenyo (KEN) 59:42
10 Othmane El Goumri (MAR) 59:53
Team medallists
1 Kenya 2:56:30
2 Ethiopia 2:59:47
3 United States 3:01:34
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They expected an athlete from the Boulder Training Group in the USA to triumph in the Men’s One Mile Race at the World Road Running Championships in Copenhagen this morning (Saturday 19 Sept) but it was German Robert Farken, training partner to race favourite, Yared Nugushe of the USA, who stole gold.
Farken, who recently moved his training base from Leipzig to Boulder to link up with athletes of the calibre of Nugushe and Australian Oliver Hoare, timed his challenge to perfection, charging past Yared Nuguse in the closing stages to triumph by 0,53 sec in a world-leading German record of 3:51.80.
Nugushe, who had led for most of the race, finished a close second in 3:52,33 with Ruben Querinjean winning a rare medal for Luxembourg taking third in 3:52,77.
“I’ve been staying with Yared in Copenhagen leading up to the race,” Farken remarked. “So I knew he planned to go out hard from the start. I chose to start more cautiously and kept just behind the chasing pack.
“I’m delighted that our training group got first and second, and Olly (Australian Oliver Hoare) got 6th, and also proud to have clinched gold for Germany. I’m just disappointed that there are no other German athletes at the event.”
Farken produced his decisive move with little more than 100m to the finish line, overhauling Nuguse before powering towards the finish near Parken Stadium.
Farken’s 3:51.80 moved him to second on the world all-time list for the road mile, behind only Elliot Giles’ world record of 3:51.3.
Nuguse had spoken before the race of challenging Giles’ world record and made his intentions clear from the gun. The Olympic 1500m bronze medallist immediately went to the front and quickly opened a small gap. Jake Heyward was the closest pursuer, a stride or so back, with Farken settled in third, biding his time for his explosive finish to take the title by the smallest of margins.
Farken finished sixth over 1500m at last year’s World Championships in Tokyo and has rewritten his national record books in 2026, clocking 3:30.09 for 1500m en route to a 3:46.82 mile in London in July.
Better known as a steeplechaser, the 24-year-old from Luxembourg, Querinjean, has enjoyed an outstanding 2026 campaign. He took European steeplechase silver in Birmingham last month and later lowered his Luxembourg record to 8:05.36.
His bronze was also historic. It was the first global senior athletics medal won by a Luxembourg man since Josy Barthel’s 1952 Olympic 1500m gold.
Morocco’s Anass Essayi was first athlete from Africa across the finish line at the Parken Stadium, finishing fourth in a PB of 3:53.28, with South African Tshepo Tshite second in 10th place in a national record of 3:55.66.
French favourite in the Women’s Mile, Agathe Guillemot, has had a busy two weeks in major World Athletics meetings. She finished sixth in the 1500m at the Wanda Diamond League Final in Brussels before placing eighth at the World Athletics Ultimate Championship Budapest last weekend.
But she kept the best for last at Copenhagen, timing her finish to perfection to race to victory over Ethiopia’s Freweyni Hailu, who retained her silver medal in a season’s best of 4:24,35 after finishing second at the inaugural World Road Running Championships in Riga, Latvia in 2023.
Kenyan Mirriam Cherop made it a strong African podium presence with a solid third in 4:25,71, while Annemarie Nissen gave the sizeable Danish crowd something to cheer by finishing an impressive fourth in a PB of 4:26.78.
South Africa’s Karebo More raced to a national record, with an impressive PB in 4:33,27 in 15th place with the second Moroccan, Fatima Birdana, 22nd in 4:36,74.
The French 27-year-old, Guillemot, remained patient as a large lead group stayed together for much of the V-shaped course through Copenhagen, before moving to the front with little more than 20 seconds of racing remaining and kicking decisively for the first individual global title of her career.
Guillemot’s winning time took almost half a second off the previous European record of 4:23.25 set by Jemma Reekie in Dusseldorf earlier this month and moved the Frenchwoman to fourth on the world all-time list.
Hailu, one of the most experienced athletes in the field, was prominent from the outset alongside USA’s Addison Wiley. Behind them, Ethiopia’s Birke Haylom and Guillemot were content to tuck into a tightly packed group as the athletes headed along Østerbrogade.
Guillemot raised her arms after crossing in 4:22.74, bringing to a close a season that has taken her across track, short track, cross country and now road racing.
Behind her, Hailu showed once again how well suited she is to the road mile. The Ethiopian had run 4:23.06 when finishing second to Diribe Welteji at the 2023 championships in Riga and returned to the same step of the podium in Copenhagen.
Results
One Mile Men
1 Robert Farken (GER) 3:51.80
2 Yared Nuguse (USA) 3:52.33
3 Ruben Querinjean (LUX) 3:52.77
4 Anass Essayi (MAR) 3:53.28
5 Flavien Szot (FRA) 3:53.44
6 Oliver Hoare (AUS) 3:53.65
7 Pietro Arese (ITA) 3:54.37
8 Vincent Ciattei (USA) 3:54.62
9 Jude Thomas (AUS) 3:54.92
10 Tshepo Tshite (RSA) 3:55.66
One Mile Women
1 Agathe Guillemot (FRA) 4:22.74
2 Freweyni Hailu (ETH) 4:24.35
3 Mirriam Cherop (KEN) 4:25.71
4 Annemarie Nissen (DEN) 4:26.78
5 Naomi Korir (KEN) 4:29.15
6 Adelle Tracey (JAM) 4:29.30
7 Linden Hall (AUS) 4:29.36
8 Lucia Stafford (CAN) 4:29.51
9 Gabriela DeBues-Stafford (CAN) 4:30.59
10 Addison Wiley (USA) 4:31.02
Mixed team medallists
1 United States (Addison Wiley, Gracie Hyde, Yared Nuguse, Vincent Ciattei) 16:49.89
2 Australia (Linden Hall, Sarah Billings, Oliver Hoare, Jude Thomas) 16:50.61
3 Kenya (Mirriam Cherop, Naomi Korir, Brian Komen, Kyumbe Munguti) 16:51.36
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Ethiopean Likina Amebaw and Eritrean Dawit Seare delivered Africa’s first titles at the World Road Running Championships which took place in a cold Copenhagen today (Saturday 19 Sept), holding off strong fields to clinch gold medals in the respective Men’s and Women’s 5km Races.
The event proved a triumph for Africa as the continent placed eight athletes (from six countries) in the top ten in the men’s race and five out of ten in the women’s.
It took the mercurial talent of Norwegian Jakob Ingebrigtsen to prevent an African clean sweep of the podium. In a thrilling finish it appeared that the Norwegian was set to take the title to add to his 5000m track victory at the Ultimate Championship in Budepest last weekend, when he took the lead 250 metres from home.
But Seare, 22, who finished 4th at the inaugural World Road Running Championships in 2023, was determined not to miss out on this occasion, producing a final burst which took him to victory.
The Eritrean – who won the African 5000m title earlier this year – crossed the line in a national record of 12:56. Ingebrigtsen followed three seconds later in a Norwegian record of 12:59, while Seare’s teenage teammate Saymon Amanuel completed the podium in a PB of 13:00.
“In the end it was a matter of timing,” said Ingebrigtsen. “I was a little surprised that the leaders were going full on with 1200m to run. But I guess I produced my final surge too early. You need a bit of luck in these close contests and in the end I was unlucky. But Seare was running very strongly and I was completely spend before the finish.”
Ingebrigtsen was racing on his 26th birthday in only his second road 5km – and his first in six years – and his third consecutive weekend of major championship racing.
The early stages belonged to France with Mediterranean Games 1500m champion Flavien Szot darting to the front shortly after the start and immediately injected pace into the race. His teammate Jimmy Gressier, who had run a European record of 12:51 in Lille earlier this year, positioned himself just behind alongside Ethiopia’s Addisu Yihune and Kenyan youngster Charles Kiboino.
Gressier then assumed control, with Yihune and Amanuel closest behind. By 3km Ingebrigtsen had moved steadily through the field and was now about seventh, while Gressier surrendered the lead to Amanuel. Kiboino remained prominent, as did Seare, who had kept himself within striking distance throughout.
Amanuel, still only 19, capped an excellent day for Eritrea by taking bronze behind Ingebrigtsen in 13:00.
Australia’s Ky Robinson and winner of the Commonweath 10 000m, finished just outside the medals, clocking an Oceanian record of 13:04.
Uganda’s Keneth Kiprop matched Robinson’s 13:04 with a PB in fifth, followed by Yihune in 13:07 and Sime in a season’s best of 13:08.
South Africa’s Maxime Chaumeton lost vital training with a torn hamstring eight weeks back, but had recovered to be able to contend strongly, rounding out the top ten with a 13:13 time, 7 seconds off his best. “I’m determined to return to the Championships next year to take a medal,” Chaumeton remarked.
Earlier Ethiopian Likina Amebaw lived up to her pre-race favourite billing, adding another global title to her collection just six days on from claiming the Ultimate 5000m crown, securing a convincing victory in the women’s race. “It’s my winning week,” Amebaw confessed. “So I had to make the most of it. I felt really good out there today.
“I’m coming straight from Budapest, but the shift from track to road was not really difficult as I have been training both at the same time,” she explained. “The track was a bit difficult for me so running the 5km today was better and I felt good – I had prepared for road racing.
“I knew I had to push from the very start and it worked as planned. There was a little bit of wind, but it was okay and I managed to find some good spots on the course.”
The 28-year-old Ethiopian took control of the race during the first kilometre and made her winning move as she reached the 4km mark, kicking away from Kenya’s Caroline Gitonga, who had led the race through the third kilometre.
The leaders, who covered the first kilometre down Østerbrogade in just outside three minutes, picked up the pace and by the time they reached the 2km marker in around 5:54, Amebaw led a breakaway group of three – ahead of her compatriot Aleshign Baweke and Gitonga, who was strong throughout the race.
But when it came to the business end there was no stopping Amebaw who crossed the line with her arms raised in 14:41.
Gitonga secured silver in 14:48, while Australia’s Rose Davies finished strongly to clinch bronze in an Oceanian record of 14:50 to clinch the final podium place just a second ahead of South Africa’s fast-finishing Tayla Kavanagh. Baweke was fifth in 14:53.
The Durban-based Kavanagh was a revelation, showing the form which took her to the national track titles over 5000m and 10 000m this year. “Tayla Kavanagh is running the race of her life,” screamed the commentator as she moved through the field in the final 600m to fall a fraction short of podium glory but fully 19 seconds inside Elana Meyer’s 32 year old best in a new national record.
“I ran that in Providence 5k in the USA in 1994,” recalled Meyer. “It was a great achievement back then. Well done to Tayla for taking on the leading women in the world !! A great day for SA women.”
World Road Running Championship
Results – Men 5km
1 Dawit Seare (ERI) 12:56
2 Jakob Ingebrigtsen (NOR) 12:59
3 Saymon Amanuel (ERI) 13:00
4 Ky Robinson (AUS) 13:04
5 Keneth Kiprop (UGA) 13:04
6 Addisu Yihune (ETH) 13:07
7 Mezgebu Sime (ETH) 13:08
8 Mathew Kipchumba Kipsang (KEN) 13:11
9 Egide Ntakarutimana (BDI) 13:12
10 Maxime Chaumeton (RSA) 13:13
Results – Women 5km
1 Likina Amebaw (ETH) 14:41
2 Caroline Gitonga (KEN) 14:48
3 Rose Davies (AUS) 14:50
4 Tayla Kavanagh (RSA) 14:51
5 Aleshign Baweke (ETH) 14:53
6 Marta García (ESP) 14:59
7 Georgia Griffith (AUS) 15:01
8 Samiya Hassan Nour (DJI) 15:04
9 Hannah Gapes (NZL) 15:06
10 Hannah Nuttall (GBR) 15:08
Mixed team medallists
1 United States (Addison Wiley, Gracie Hyde, Yared Nuguse, Vincent Ciattei) 16:49.89
2 Australia (Linden Hall, Sarah Billings, Oliver Hoare, Jude Thomas) 16:50.61
3 Kenya (Mirriam Cherop, Naomi Korir, Brian Komen, Kyumbe Munguti) 16:51.36
The post Titles for Ethiopia and Eritrea as Africa shines at World Road Running Championships appeared first on Sports Network Africa.
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