Koech, Kiplagat face unstoppable Kwizera in Madrid

Kenya's Shadrack Koech and Africa U18 3000m champion Emmanuel Kiplagat face an uphill task in their quest to end the year on a high at the 57th San Silvestre Vallecana, a World Athletics Elite Label Road Race set for Friday 31 December. 

The former holds a 27:21 10km lifetime best set in 2019 at the Birell Prague Grand Prix, Praha on 7 November. He has won silver Gold Gala Fernanda Ribeiro, Estádio José Vieira de Carvalho, Maia, clocking 27:59.19 in May this year. In 2020 he finished fifth in the 10K Valencia Ibercaja, Valencia, timing 27:32. 

Obiri headlines San Silvestre Road race

On his part, 19-year old Kiplagat, holds a 28:28.02 personal best in 10,000m set during the Athletics Kenya Olympics Pre-Trials at Nyayo National Stadium in May this year where he finished third. The time was an improvement from his 29:28.05 set in 2019 qhen he competed in the African Games trials in Nairobi finishing 11th. 

The race, possibly the most prestigious of the myriad of New Year's Eve races around the world, will return to its usual circuit after a change last year because of the pandemic.

The Kenyan duo have their work cut out as they face among others, favourite, the in-form Burundian Rodrigue Kwizera. The 22-year-old is enjoying a fantastic cross country season on Spanish soil, having taken victories at several prestigious events such as Soria, San Sebastian, Atapuerca, Italica and Venta de Banos. 

While the race record of 26:41 set by Jacob Kiplimo in 2018 seems unreachable, Kwizera has been tipped to run well under the 28-minute barrier for the first time in his career.

Trying to deny Kwizera top spot will be Spain’s 2021 sensation Mohamed Katir, who broke three long-standing national records in the short space of 33 days. The rising Spaniard began his tally by clocking 12:50.79 for 5000m in Florence on 10 June, continued with a 3:28.76 1500m performance in Monaco on 9 July and concluded in style by taking the win over 3000m in Gateshead four days later, timed at 7:27.64.

In his first appearance at a major championships, Katir finished eighth at the Tokyo Olympics over 5000m. He more recently took the spoils at the Jean Bouin, a 10km road race held in Barcelona on 28 November, when he outsprinted Eritrea’s Merhawi Mebrahtu after a one-month stint at the altitude of Font Romeu. The 23-year-old’s next primary goal is the indoors, where he will try to excel over 3000m.

The Kenyans will also have to deal with Uganda’s Boniface Sikowo, a 8:25.91 3000m steeplechase athlete who is tackling the road events and ran a 1:01:44 half marathon debut in Barcelona in October. He is also in the hunt for a podium place on Friday. 

In addition to Katir, Spanish hopes rest on Nassim Hassaous and Abdessamad Oukhelfen as they finished seventh and 12th respectively at the European Cross Country Championships in Dublin to lead Spain to team silver, while marathon runners Ayad Lamdassem (2:06:35) and Yago Rojo (2:08:56) will be aiming for a top 10 spot. The Tokyo Olympics 1500m 13th-placed Ignacio Fontes will also be in contention.

Additional information by World Athletics