Andreas Almgren returned to familiar territory on Sunday morning, breaking his own European 10K record at the Valencia 10K Ibercaja with a time of 26:45, eight seconds faster than the mark he set on the same course last year.
The Swedish runner, a world 10,000m bronze medallist, won the race for the second year in a row, producing one of the fastest road 10K performances in history despite having to run much of the race without any pacer. The time moves Almgren to sixth on the world all-time list for the distance.
Valencia, as usual, had been set up as a fast, record-focused race, but Almgren was forced to take control early after the sole pacemaker stepped aside around the fourth kilometre. From there, he led almost uninterrupted, setting the àce through the middle bits of the race as the field continued to thin.
Only Ethiopia’s 19-year-old Khairi Bejiga and Kenya’s Victor Kipruto were able to stay with him beyond the halfway point, which Almgren passed in 13:29. Kipruto dropped back before hitting six kilometres, leaving Almgren and Bejiga to duke it out for the win. Bejiga briefly moved ahead around the eighth kilometre, but Almgren responded calmly and reasserted control before the final stretch.
The decisive move came just after nine kilometres. Almgren accelerated sharply, opening an immediate gap and closing with a final kilometre of approximately 2:32 to secure the record and his second consecutive win.
“It’s the best conditions I’ve had here in Valencia,” Almgren said. “But once I had to take the front early, it became tough. There was also some headwind in the final straight.”
Bejiga finished second in 26:51, a personal best, while Kipruto took third in 27:16.
Sunday’s performance continues an extraordinary run of form for Almgren, who has now broken four European records across road and track distances in the past year. In addition to his two 10K records in Valencia, he set a European 5,000m record at the Stockholm Diamond League last summer and became the first European to break 59 minutes for the half marathon, also in Valencia, in October.
Almgren is next scheduled to race over 10K in Drammen, Norway, on April 11, where he is expected to continue his early-season road campaign.
Valencia 10K Men’s Top 10
- Andreas Almgren (SWE) 26:45
- Kahiri Bejiga (ETHI) 26:51
- Victor Kipruto (KEN) 27:16
- Valentin Soca (URU) 27:21
- Mohamed Abdillaahi (GER) 27:22
- Magnus Tuv Myhre (NOR) 27:22
- Said Mechaal (ESP) 27:25
- Isaac Kimeli (BEL) 27:29
- Jose Carlos Pinto (PORI) 27:37
- Kipkandie Mkulia (KEN) 27:38
