Ethiopia’s Muktar Edris claimed a dominant victory at the Dam tot Damloop on Sunday, September 22, securing the win in the 10-mile road race between Amsterdam and Zaandam with a time of 44:51. Edris, a two-time world 5000m champion, surged ahead early, building a comfortable lead by the halfway mark and crossing the finish line 27 seconds ahead of Uganda’s Joshua Cheptegei, the three-time world 10,000m champion. Edris’ performance places him eighth on the world’s all-time list for the distance, further cementing his legacy in distance running.
Defending champion Mathew Kimeli from Kenya rounded out the podium, finishing third with a time of 45:44. Edris set a fast early pace, passing the 5km mark in 14:02 and reaching 10km in 27:49, just 11 seconds off his personal best. Although the pace slowed slightly in the final stretch, Edris continued to extend his lead, while Cheptegei finished second in 45:18, just shy of his 2018 winning time.
In the women’s race, Ethiopia celebrated a double victory, as Asayech Ayichew crossed the line in 51:15, outpacing Kenya’s Gladys Chepkurui (51:34) and fellow Ethiopian Mebrat Gidey (52:14). Ayichew and Chepkurui remained close for much of the race, hitting the 5km mark in 15:34 and 10km in 31:37, but Ayichew’s superior closing speed secured her the win in the final kilometers.
Kenya Shines in Brasov’s tRUNsylvania 10K
Meanwhile, in Brasov, Romania, Kenyan athletes dominated the tRUNsylvania International 10K, a World Athletics Elite Label road race. Loice Chemnung led a Kenyan sweep of the top six places in the women’s race, winning in 30:13. Chemnung, who set a personal best of 29:57 in Paris earlier this year, managed to shake off Janeth Chepngetich in the closing stages to secure victory. Chepngetich finished second in 30:19, followed by Judy Kemboi in 30:29. All three women achieved negative splits, increasing their speed in the second half of the race.
The men’s race saw an equally dramatic finish, with 19-year-old Daniel Kinyanjui outkicking Morocco’s Hicham Amghar and Kenya’s Weldon Lagat in a sprint to the line. Kinyanjui secured the win in 27:08, with both Amghar and Lagat crossing just one second behind, each clocking 27:09. The race started with a large pack of 12 men, but as the pace quickened after the halfway mark, the group gradually thinned, setting up a thrilling final sprint.
Both races showcased incredible depth and competitiveness, with East African athletes continuing to dominate the global road racing scene.
