There has only ever been one Ethiopian double in the 25-year history of the Corrida de Langueux
but history could repeat itself at the IAAF Bronze Label Road Race over 10km on Saturday (18)
In light of his victory in Casablanca last month in a PB of 27:56
Ethiopia’s Dawit Fikadu appears to be the favourite in the men’s race
but heads to this year’s race with the third-fastest PB of the field and the quickest season’s best
Compatriot Agato Yashin also stands a good chance of securing victory for Ethiopia
This will be the 30-year-old’s first race since setting a 10,000m PB of 27:46.21 last November
Khalil Lemciyeh could be one of the biggest threats to the Ethiopian duo
One week after winning this year’s Nantes Marathon in 2:16:43
he placed seventh behind Fikadu in Casablanca with a PB of 28:25
Olivier Irabaruta will also be in contention
The Burundian has set numerous PBs on the track this year
including times of 13:17.98 for 5000m and 27:55.92 for 10,000m
His 10km personal best of 29:15 could be due for revision on Saturday
Mark Korir’s last competitive appearance in France was a triumphant one as the Kenyan won the 2015 Paris Marathon in a PB of 2:05:49
He went on to compete in the marathon at the IAAF World Championships Beijing 2015 and has clocked 1:03:41 for the half marathon this year
Compatriot Alfred Cherop is familiar with the Corrida de Langueux
having finished fourth in 2013 and fifth in 2014
The 30-year-old has a best this year of 28:42
43 seconds shy of the personal best he set in 2012
Timothy Kiptoo’s PB of 27:45 makes him the fastest in the field
His only race so far this year was a 13:50.5 clocking over 5000m at the Kenyan Prisons Championships
who has a PB of 28:39 set last year in Rennes
who placed third at this year’s Casablanca Half Marathon in 1:02:35
will incorporate the French 10km Championships
the 2012 European cross-country silver medallist
will defend his title and will face another road-running specialist in the form of Yohan Durand
The 31-year-old finished eighth at last year’s European Cross Country Championships and then clocked a 10km PB of 28:56 in Nice in January
Ethiopian teenager Buzunesh Getachew was denied a potential 10km PB of 31:21 in Casablanca back in March when it emerged that the course was short
her second-place finish there behind Kenya’s Pascalia Kipkoech – and her recent 5000m PB of 15:16.98 – underlines her current form
The 19-year-old will start as the slight favourite for the women’s race on Saturday and the course record of 31:40
Compatriot Meskerem Amare could also be a threat and adds strength to Ethiopia’s chances of a double victory on Saturday
The 19-year-old finished fourth at the Corrida de Houilles last December in a PB of 32:16
Atsede Habtamu is the most experienced of the Ethiopians in the women’s race
The 28-year-old set her 10km PB of 31:54 back in 2011 and has since moved up to the marathon
She clocked a marathon PB of 2:24:25 five years ago and won the 2012 Tokyo Marathon
She also finished 11th at this year’s Osaka Marathon
Christelle Daunay leads the French challenge
The 41-year-old European marathon champion has fond memories of competing in Langueux as it is where she set her 31:48 personal best over the distance in 2011
who finished sixth in Manchester last month in 32:23
is using this weekend’s race as part of her preparation for the Olympic Games in Rio
Daunay will take on defending champion Jacqueline Gandar and Laurane Picoche
who finished 26th at this year’s IAAF World Half Marathon Championships
Kenyan double for Cheprot and Yator at Corrid..
Jepchirchir and Geremew reign supreme in Beng..
Dibaba begins comeback with a third victory i..
Jepchirchir and Ziani beat the heat to prevai..
winner of the Corrida de Langueux (© Organisers)
Kenya’s Gladys Yator won the 25th edition of the Corrida de Langueux
covering the two-lap 10km course around the Breton town in a course record of 31:40 on Saturday (13)
Compatriot Simon Cheprot won the men's race in 28:05
meaning a Kenyan double was achieved for the second year in a row
Yator won in a course record and personal best of 31:40
taking eight seconds off Christelle Daunay’s three-year-old mark
the 2007 world 5000m bronze medallist who was competing in her first race for two years
having to settle for third this time with 32:10
Cheprot took control of the race after the leading pack went through the first 5km in 13:55
He was out on his own for most of the second lap before clocking the third-fastest winning time in the history of the race and the quickest time since Ethiopia’s Atsedu Tsegay set the current course record of 27:46 in 2011
“I’m really happy to have won the race," said Cheprot
"I felt great today so I made sure I gave the race everything from start to finish and it paid off."
the Strasbourg Half Marathon winner last month
just holding off Kenya’s Peter Lemuya who was one second in arrears
Denis Mayaud was the first French runner to cross the line
“This is a somewhat surprising result
but nevertheless I’m delighted with it," said Mayaud
and although I slowed down in the second part of the race
I still managed to hold on to my position until the end of the race
Much to the disappointment of the 15,000 local spectators – twice the population of the town – lining the route
two-time European cross-country medallist Hassan Chahdi again struggled and finished outside the top 20
another poor race in the wake of his two most recent outings which have seen him drop out of the IAAF World Cross Country Championships and the French 10,000m Championships
Tsegay and Wangari take Langueux 10Km titles
Abera and Eticha secure Ethiopian double in L..
Kenyan double in Langueux as Chumo and Tanui ..
Tesfaye Abera is set to defend his crown at the 24th edition of the ‘Corrida Internationale de Langueux’
Abera is aiming to become just the second man to win back-to-back titles in Langueux
Ethiopia’s 22-year-old Abera managed to win on that occasion thanks to a very fast last kilometre
there are plenty of Kenyan eager for victory in Brittany after a draught since the last win by one of their compatriots in 2005
two of the Kenyans that challenged Abera in 2013 are back: Milton Kiplagat Rotich
who was second just two seconds in arrears
a 27:59 performer who placed fourth last year
were part of that thrilling finish in 2013
a marathon specialist and author of an impressive 2:05:25 time in Frankfurt two years ago
Abera will be accompanied on his task by his fellow countrymen Muhajir Hiredin and Dawit Fikadu
and the latter is currently in shape with a 28:33 time over 10km last week in Melun
The surprise could come from a trio of Moroccan runners as Jawad Laariss
Samir Jouher and Hamed Beday could all challenge the East Africans
The pacemaker Siraw Kebede has been asked to lead through the first half of the race in 13:30 – 13:35
Fantu Eticha will not defend her title but there is still a strong Ethiopian presence
and 2012 IAAF World Junior Championships 3000m steeplechase silver medallist Gebremaryam Hiwot Gebrekidan
held by France's Christelle Dauney since 2012
might even be under threat but a number of slight slopes makes this race a technical and difficult one
who has run 33:35 for the distance at high altitude in Eldoret
and Eunice Mumba Kioko represent Kenyan interests
The 10km race is a double-loop course around the centre of a Breton village usually attracting about 15,000 spectators
dry and sunny weather might be the main difficulty for the runners on Saturday with temperature expected to be as high as 19 degrees the by late afternoon
Bekele and Wangary take Langueux 10Km titl..
Tesfaye Abera and Fantu Eticha achieved an Ethiopian sweep in Langueux on Saturday (22) evening for the 23rd “Corrida internationale de Langueux” – an IAAF Bronze Label Road Race
190 runners took part in the 10km elite race in front of a huge crowd of 15,000 spectators around the streets of Langueux
The outcome of the men’s race remained undecided until the Hotel de Ville finish area
Nine runners were still in contention with 2km to go with the tallest of those
Kenya’s Milton Rotich made an attempt to accelerate
but it only seemed to fuel Abera’s motivation to remain in front
and produced a thrilling sprint kick in the last section of the race
the 21-year-old smashed his previous personal best of 28:55 with the first significant race of his career
a few months after showing up on the international scene with his 14th place at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships
just one second ahead of Ethiopia’s Tola Aderatamirat
Defending champion Daunay beaten in close race
pre-race favourite Christelle Daunay led for 9.5km before surrendering her lead in the final stages
“I felt good and I wanted to find some rhythm
so I decided to run in front,” said the French athlete who had some doubts about her current form after a couple of races run in abysmal conditions
the chilly temperature and violent bursts of wind didn’t help
The lead pack of women dropped away from the men after a few kilometres
and Daunay was clocked in 16:10 at half way
Selam Abere and Kenya’s Leonidah Mosop remained hidden in the pack and
At 8km Daunay still had Eticha and Etalemahu on her back
“I knew that they would pass me at one point and sprint away,” she said afterwards
And she was right – it happened with 500m to go
Eticha’s acceleration was too strong and she won in 32:22
It was a PB for the 2:28:03 marathon runner
but well outside the course record of 31:48 set by Daunay last year
The title defender managed to hold on to second place in 32:25 from Mosop
given that there were no men around to pace us,” said Daunay
“The wind prevented us from running faster
but the atmosphere was great with all the public joined around the loop.”
Men1 Tesfaye Abera (ETH) 28:212 Milton Rotich (KEN) 28:233 Tola Aderatamirat (ETH) 28:244 Samson Gebreyohannes (ERI) 28:265 Alfred Cherop (KEN) 28:306 Abraham Niyonkuru (BDI) 28:387 Abdellatif Meftah (FRA) 28:448 Yetwale Kende (ETH) 28:459 Timothy Kiptoo (KEN) 28:4610 Yonas Habtemicael (ERI) 28:51
Women1 Fantu Eticha (ETH) 32:222 Christelle Daunay (FRA) 32:243 Leonidah Mosop (KEN) 32:284 Zeleke Etalemahu (FRA) 32:305 Khadija Sammah (MAR) 33:276 Selam Abere (ETH) 33:497 Kateryna Karmanenko (UKR) 34:008 Fatiha Klilech Fauvel (FRA) 34:099 Olena Serdiuk (UKR) 34:4010 Godelievre Nizigiyiamana (BDI) 35:10