Athletics
Robbie Rorich races to dramatic victory at the Otter
Sculptor, engineer and elite trail runner, Robbie Rorich, finally made it to the top of the Otter podium in a dramatic finish to the 18th Otter TERREX Trail, presented by Easy Equities, this morning (Saturday 26 Sept) while ‘Otter Queen’ Bianca Tarboton became the first athlete to win five Otter titles with a hard-run victory.
It was Rorich’s 8th appearance on the iconic 42km stretch through the Tsitsikama Forest, this morning, and he crossed the finish line at Storms River in 4 hrs 08 min 11 sec – his fastest to date – finishing just over a minute clear of Otter debutant, Philani Sengce, to win the 2026 ‘Retto’ (the Otter in reverse).
Otter legend, Kane Reilly was a further 2:45 back in third, making it the closest podium in the history of the race, with 3min 49 sec separating first and third, 5 seconds inside the previous tightest top three in 2024.
Tarboton had, by her own admission, a tough day at the office, and fast-improving Mila Geldenhuys one of her best, but the result was never in doubt with world-class Tarboton winning in 4:55:24, 18:48 ahead of Geldenhuys, with Nadia Booyens a further two minutes back in third.
“The course was difficult today,” Rorich admitted. “At the Otter you are never going to feel good throughout. I had a big breakfast so felt a bit slow in the first half, but had energy in the second.
“I had a few small falls and one bigger one when I fell onto my hip when trying to clamber up a rock face. It was super-nice to run with Philani – we pretty much ran with each other the whole way.”
While the anticipated heavy rain stayed away, affording cool conditions to the elite field of 250, the wettest and muddiest course in years exacted a heavy price with most of the title hopefuls suffering heavy falls along the way.
Kenyan Simon Ngumbau, who set a record time for the 4km Friday Prologue and who was part of the lead group at halfway through Oakhurst, was unable to continue, a severe ankle strain ending his race at Scott Hut, 30km into the race. South African athlete, Tsielo Tsanyane, was another casualty whose race ended at Scott, while regular top five finisher, Mvuyisi Gcogco, and Lovemo Nyaude were forced to walk the final stages after suffering ankle injuries.
“I twisted my ankle quite badly at 8km,” Nyaude explained. “I ran / walked from there with just one shoe. It was tempting to quit but I was determined to finish.”
Spare a thought for Cape Town Trail Marathon double champion, Sengce, running his Otter debut. Sengce was 37 seconds ahead of Rorich at the final checkpoint at the Waterfall, 2,6km from the finish, with multiple Otter podium finisher, Kane Reilly still in contention 1min 48 sec back, before a missed turn spelt ended of his hopes for victory.
Blessed with a remarkable ability to race over wet rocks at high speed, Rorich was closing fast on Sengce on the most technical section of the course, the outcome still in doubt, when Sengce ran off course, losing distance, momentum and ultimately the race as Rorich raced home to a fine victory.
“I was closing on Philani and then saw he ran off course,” related Rorich. “I also took the same wrong turn, but quickly realised the mistake and corrected. I called Philani back and saw he had regained the route, just behind me at that point.
“It’s hard to say what would have happened had he not taken the wrong turn,” Rorich admitted.
And to ponder what might have been had Reilly, running his 14th Otter, avoided the sharp stick which penetrated the sole of his shoe, cutting his foot. The leading TERREX athlete was forced to change his gait, favouring his injured foot which led to hip strain on the opposite side.
“I think in many ways this was my best race, certainly my most strategic,” said Reilly, who ran just 53 seconds off his best ever in 2020 in his fourth sub-4:13 Otter. “I felt I was in with a shout, but the injury may have affected the outcome. There are just so many factors in the Otter and one small incident can cost you the race.
“Perhaps the Otter is not really suited to my strengths. There’s no long, steep climb like Platteklip,” he remarked. “But I guess I’ll keep trying. And it’s so difficult beating a guy like Robbie Rorich – he has no weaknesses and is just such a strong trail athlete.”
Sengce has transitioned from a solid road runner into an exceptional trail athlete and will challenge strongly for a place in the South African team at next year’s World Championships in Cape Town.
Fortunate to have enjoyed guidance from top coaches, Jacques van Rensburg and James Montgomery, Sengce came into his own by defending his title in an upset victory over top Kenyan Simon Ngumbau at the Cape Town Trail Marathon in May. And it was so close to a debut win at Otter.
“I received good advice along the way from the legend Kane Reilly – we ran together from about 15km to near the finish. To run with Kane, wow – he’s such an amazing guy and good example for me. Coach James told me that the Otter is not won with strong running in the first half, but with patience before a strong second half.
“With about 4km from the finish I felt I still had some more gears in me and started to open a gap and felt I could win, but it was not to be this year.”
After an exceptional 2025 when she won trail races on three continents, Tarboton has struggled this year, but remains motivated to recapture he best form. “This was certainly the hardest of all my Otter races,” Tarboton reflected. I fell repeatedly and just could not get into a relaxed running style. Last year’s run felt much easier (when Tarboton ran to a record of 4:30:55 for the Classic Otter).
Geldenhuys ran a controlled race, holding back in the first half before a strong second which ensured second place ahead of Nadia Booyens, back to form Liljan Burger and Julika Pahl in a close contest for the runners-up berths behind Tarboton.
“I raced Otter in 2023 when I finished an hour slower than today, so I’m really pleased with my race, Geldenhuys reflected. “ It may have been the war paint Rob Rorich painted on us at the start! I’m looking forward to running the Dryland Traverse in a team and then the 55km at Ultra-trail Cape Town in November.”
The ‘Magoeboeskloof Maestro’, Ramaketse Lekaka, used his climbing prowess on the first sharp ascent after a 2km beach run at Nature’s Valley, to forge a lead and he crested the top of the climb 30 seconds clear of Stellenbosch athlete, Jacques du Plessis.
Collin Kanyimo, Bradley Weiss, Kenyan Simon Ngumbau and Kane Reilly were running in close formation a few seconds down with Jacques Buys, who placed second in 2024, Otter legend Mvuyisi Gcogco and top French athlete, Bastien Perez close behind.
Bianca Tarboton, the only athlete to have won the Otter on four occasions, was running in 18th place overall, and already well clear of her rivals, with Mila Geldenhuys a minute back 20 seconds clear of Samantha Pringle and Julia Hunter.
Ramaketse stepped up the pace and was almost three minutes clear of the chasing pack through Andre Hut in 41:40, 10km into the race. Reilly was 87 seconds back with Ngumbau, Kanyimo Du Plessis, Buys and Perez close behind in close formation . Rorich and Sengce were running conservatively 2 min 20 sec off the lead.
“We caught up with the leaders at Bloukrans,” Rorich recalled. “But they ran ahead again and we only caught them again at the Munchie Point (at halfway Rorich and Sengce were 50 seconds behind a group of four including Reilly, Lekaka, Jacques Buys and Jacques du Plessis ).
“There were five of us together for much of the second half till Philani, Kane and I broke away after Scott Hut,” Rorich continued. “Philani was running strongly and he opened a gap before the Waterfall and the final kilometres.”
A feature of the race was the return of three-time winner, and the fastest South African on the Otter to date, Johardt van Heerden for the first time in three years.
“The course was tough today,” reflected the three-time Otter winner. “I was quite surprised when I saw how fast the first runners finished, although the cool weather would have helped.
“It was not my day today, but I’m just happy to be back (after health issues and the birth of his children). Let’s see what the future holds but I think there is at least one more win in the body!”
Van Heerden, who was well-pleased with the performance of 4th placed finisher Du Plessis, whom he coaches, had encouraging words for his long-time rival Reilly.
“If you put yourself there for long enough, one day you will certainly get it. I think of Alexander Zverev who tried for years to win a grand slam in tennis. Then he won this year and soon after won his second. Kane has raced almost 600km on Otter over the years – he is a true legend of the Otter. And he’s a dad of two kids, and that’s also a major responsibility. He’ll get it one day, for sure.”
Results
Men
1 Robbie Rorich 4:08:11; 2 Philani Sengce 4:09:16; 3 Kane Reilly 4:12:00; 4 Jacques du Plessis 4:18:07 ; 5 Jacques Buys 4:21:01 ; 6 Ramaketse Lekaka 4:28:07 ; 7 Kelton Miller 4:53:08 ; 8 Brenden Lombard 4:54:13 ; 9 Andreas van Heerden 4:54:39; 10 Sinovuyo Ngobo 4:57:26
Women
1 Bianca Tarboton 4:55:24; 2 Mila Geldenhuys 5:14:12; 3 Nadia Booyens 5:16:05; 4 Lijan Burger 5 :19 :29 ; 5 Julika Paul 5:27:18; 6 Julia Hunter 5:29:43; 7 Emilie Vidal 5:33:38; 8 Samantha Kruger 5:41:43; 9 Samantha Pringle 5:43:06; 10 Maryke van Zyl 5:44:14
The post Robbie Rorich races to dramatic victory at the Otter appeared first on Sports Network Africa.
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
The post Agnes and Andreas light up Copenhagen at the climax of the World Road Running Championships appeared first on Sports Network Africa.
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
The post Farken triumphs at Parken – a gold medal for Germany appeared first on Sports Network Africa.
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.
-
DLSU7 months agoShan Nunag shows composure beyond year in La Salle debut
-
News7 months agoCamilla Lamina shows calm leadership even off the bench
-
Football7 months ago
2026 Uganda Cup: The confirmed fixtures, venues & kick off times at round of 32
-
Basketball5 months agoPBA slaps ₱20k fine on Calvin Abueva for F2 upgrade vs Magnolia
-
Foreign Pros8 months ago
‘Eric Chelle must pay compensation to quit Super Eagles post’
-
Football7 months ago
Divine Mukasa plays full time as Leicester City bows out of FA Cup to Southampton
-
Cricket News8 months agoT20 World Cup 2026: 'We've got to stay positive' – Afghanistan coach Jonathan Trott remains hopeful of reaching Super 8 despite back-to-back losses
-
Featured1 month ago
Bet9ja Foundation Ex-Internationals Cup: Babington Lift Giant Trophy, Pocket ₦2.5m After 3–1 Final Win