Major international results include world 5km records on New Year’s Eve

Barcelona, Spain, December 31

The 2021 athletics year ended in style when Berihu Aregawi and Ejegayehu Taye set world records for 5km on the roads at the Cursa dels Nassos event.

Aregawi, who won the Diamond League 5000m in Zurich in September, ran 12:49 to beat Ugandan Joshua Cheptegei’s world mark of 12:51 which was set in Monaco in February, while fellow Ethiopian Taye clocked 14:19 for a women’s record.

Apart from the first kilometre, Aregawi ran much of the way by himself as he finished 41 seconds clear of runner-up Peter Maru of Uganda as Mike Foppen of Netherlands was third and Mehdi Belhadj and Yohan Durand of France fourth and fifth.

Taye ran an Ethiopian 3000m record of 8:19.52 this year and in Barcelona on Friday the 21-year-old was able to use some of the men as pacemakers as it was a mixed sex race. Sweden’s Meraf Bahta was second woman home in 15:04 with Carla Dominguez of Spain third in 15:51.

The previous women’s world 5km record in a mixed race was 14:43 set by Beatrice Chepkoech in Monaco in February whereas Senbere Tefere clocked 14:29 set in Germany in September in a women-only race.

Men: 5km:
1 Berihu Aregawi ETH 12:49 (world rec)
2 Peter Maru UGA 13:30
3 Mike Foppen NED 13:37
4 Mehdi Belhadj FRA 13:38
5 Yohan Durand FRA 13:39
6 Santiago Catrofe URU 13:39
7 Carlos Mayo 13:40

Women: 5km:
1 Ejgayehu Taye ETH 14:19 (world rec)
2 Meraf Bahta SWE 15:04 NR
3 Carla Dominguez 15:51
4 Meritxell Soler 16:02
5 Naima Ait Alibou 16:52

10km:
1 Marta Galimany 32:29
2 Cristina Silva 33:27
11 Chloe Price GBR 36:40

São Paulo, Brazil, December 31

Men: 15km:
1 Belay Tilahun ETH 44:54
2 Daniel do Nascimento 45:09
3 Héctor Garibay BOL 45:15
4 Elisha Kipchirchir KEN 46:26
5 José Márcio da Silva 46:35

Women: 15km:
1 Sandra Tuei KEN 50:06
2 Yenenesh Tilahun ETH 51:26
3 Jennifer Silva 53:32
4 Valdilene Silva 53:33
5 Franciane Moura 54:10.

Bolzano, Italy, December 31

Men: 10km:
1 Tadese Worku ETH 28:18
2 Tamirat Tola ETH 28:26
3 Tom Mortimer GBR 29:23
4 Dario De Caro 29:27

Women: 5km:
1 Dawit Seyaum ETH 15:22
2 Norah Tanui KEN 15:24
3 Nadia Battocletti 15:55
4 Diane van Es NED 16:16
5 Bojana Bjeljac CRO 16:17
6 Rebecca Lonedo 16:25
7 Clementine Mukandanga RWA 16:35
8 Elisa Bortoli 16:44
9 Rabea Schöneborn GER 16:44
10 Elena Bellò 16:51

Madrid, Spain, December 31

There were fast wins for Mohamed Katir (27:45) and Degitu Azimeraw (30:26).

Men: 10km:
1 Mohamed Katir 27:45
2 Rodrigue Kwizéra BDI 27:55
3 Nassim Hassaous 28:05
4 Shadrack Koech KEN 28:16
5 Ayad Lamdassem 28:19
6 Daniel Mateo 28:26
7 Yago Rojo 28:27
8 Yohanes Chiappinelli ITA 28:29
9 Raul Celada 28:33
10 Abdessamad Oukhelfen 28:45

Women 10km:
1 Degitu Azimeraw ETH 30:26
2 Edina Jebitok KEN 30:44
3 Lonah Chemtai Salpeter ISR 31:14
4 Ayel Likina ETH 31:30
5 Haven Hailu ETH 31:42
6 Laura Priego 32:59
7 Agueda Muńoz 33:00
8 Clara Viñaras 33:07
16 Angharad Davies GBR 35:09