The Ugandan Joshua Cheptegeithree-time outdoor 10,000 meter world champion, and the Ethiopian Yamif Kejelchatwo-time indoor 3,000 meter world champion, will be looking for the Olympic minimum and the world record in the 10 kilometers of Laredocurrently held by Kenyan Rhonex Kipruto with 26.24.
The Cantabrian town, which has one of the fastest circuits on the planet, will host one of the fastest rivalries in current athletics with Cheptegei and Kejelcha on their list of contestants. They both want to be sure minimum for the Paris Olympic Games in the 10,000 meter test, which is 27:00, and also try to beat the world record for the road distance.
Cheptegei, who already won the event in 2016, holds the world records on the track in the 5,000 m (12:35.36) and 10,000 m (26:11.00) and had a personal best of 26:38 in Valencia in 2019, the Ugandan national record on the road.
Kejelcha, who in 26 years debuts in Laredohas given a mark of 28:13 on the road, although it is possible that he can improve it, because he achieved it more than 10 years ago in Rennes.
The organization also wants to break the 30-minute barrier for women, where it will have the presence of Kenyan Purity Gitonga, who is expected to be able to clearly lower her personal record of 30:57 at the distance. The German Constance Klosterhalfencurrent European 5,000 champion and clocked 31:01 in the 10k, a German national record, will also be on the starting line.
national athletes
Spain will also have important representatives in the 10k in Laredo. Eduardo Menacho, European U23 10,000 m champion in 2021, will be the main national asset. The 24-year-old athlete smashed his personal best on the track with 28:07.37 and will be looking to continue his good time in the Cantabrian town.
Among the women, excitement is guaranteed at a high level of rivalry between the Asturians Isabel Barreiro and toledana Irene Sánchez-Escribano.
Barrereriro, national silver medalist in the 10,000 meters, has a personal best of exactly 32 minutes achieved last year on this same circuit and will be looking for a minimum for the Paris Games, which is found in a difficult 31:30.
Sánchez-Escribano, currently runner-up in the 3,000m hurdles and cross country, will try to improve on her personal best of 32:11 set last month in San Sebastián.
The event is celebrated in Saturday March 10 with two races: one for famous athletes starting at 4:15 pm and another for elite and athletes under 40 minutes starting at 6:00 p.m.
Source: La Verdad
I’m Jason Root, a professional writer working with Today Times Live, the premier news website. I specialize in sports writing, covering the biggest stories in the world of athletics. With an eye for detail and a passion for storytelling, I provide engaging and informative articles that capture the key elements of any event or issue. My work has been featured on numerous respected websites and publications around the world.
