BEJIGA AND ABREHA DELIVER AN ETHIOPIAN DOUBLE VICTORY AT THE 2026 TRUNSYLVANIA 10K

All-Ethiopian podiums at the tRUNsylvania International 10K, national records for athletes from Djibouti and South Africa, and a new European U18 record set by France’s Meziane Benhammou

• Khairi Bejiga becomes the first athlete to win back-to-back editions of the tRUNsylvania International 10K, clocking 27:01 and finishing just one second ahead of Nibret Kinde;
• Asefu Abreha wins the women’s race in 30:16, with just five seconds separating the top three finishers;
• Hani Idriss Hersi, Samia Hassan Nour and Tayla Kavanagh set national records for Djibouti and South Africa;
• Meziane Benhammou runs 28:39 at just 17 years old, setting a new European U18 record and a French national U20 record;
• Joan Chelimo Melly and Nicolae Soare are the highest-placed Romanian representatives, in the women’s and men’s races respectively.

Brașov, 5 October 2026

Khairi Bejiga became the first athlete to win back-to-back editions of the tRUNsylvania International 10K, while Asefu Abreha claimed victory in the women’s race. The elite race, part of the World Athletics Elite Label-certified Brașov Running Festival, delivered all-Ethiopian podiums, national records and standout performances from a new generation of runners on Sunday, 4 October. Joan Chelimo Melly and Nicolae Soare were the highest-placed athletes representing Romania.

Now in its sixth edition, Brașov Running Festival brought together elite racing and events for amateur runners, children and the wider community over the weekend of 3–4 October. Following a 2025 edition marked by national records and a victory for Khairi Bejiga on his debut over the distance, Brașov delivered another historic first for the Ethiopian champion this year, alongside performances that put the next generation of athletes firmly in the spotlight.

Bejiga wins again, just one second ahead of second place

In 2025, Khairi Bejiga won in Brașov in 26:54 at just 19 years old. One year later, the Ethiopian successfully defended his title in 27:01, becoming the first athlete to win two consecutive editions of the tRUNsylvania International 10K. As in the previous year, only one second separated him from the runner-up, this time his compatriot Nibret Kinde.

Bejiga led the 12-strong front group through halfway in 13:32 and continued to push the pace, covering kilometres six and seven in 2:42 and 2:40 respectively. Shortly after the 8km mark, five athletes remained in contention for the win: Bejiga, Kinde, Ayele Tadesse, Amos Bett and Kenneth Kiprop. Soon afterwards, Kiprop, one of the pre-race favourites, tripped and fell, eventually finishing 11th.

Bejiga only made the decisive move in the final 200 metres, when a powerful acceleration opened a gap over Kinde. The pair crossed the finish line in 27:01 and 27:02 respectively, with Kinde setting a new personal best.

“I was hoping the first half of the race would be faster, but nobody wanted to push the pace. I was targeting the course record and a personal best, which happen to be exactly the same time: 26:51,” Bejiga said.

The men’s course record of 26:51, set by Nicolas Kipkorir Kimeli in 2022, therefore stands for another year. Bejiga will now turn his attention to the Valencia Half Marathon on 25 October 2026, where he will aim to significantly improve on the 1:02:04 he recorded in his only previous outing over the distance.

Abreha takes the women’s title as Ethiopia sweeps the podium

Ethiopia claimed all three podium places in the women’s race, with victory going to 20-year-old Asefu Abreha. Despite having relatively limited international experience, Abreha had already won bronze over 10,000m at this year’s African Championships. Before racing in Brașov, she had completed just one 10km road race, running 31:32 in Bengaluru, India, in April.

In Brașov, the Ethiopian won in 30:16, significantly improving her personal best and finishing ahead of several more internationally experienced rivals.

After a relatively cautious first half, with the temperature at just 8°C, Abreha gradually broke away together with compatriots Aynadis Mebratu and 19-year-old Yenenesh Shimket. In the final kilometre, Shimket lost contact, before Abreha decided the race with an acceleration in the final 200 metres.

Mebratu finished second in 30:19, while Shimket took third in 30:21, setting a world U20 best for 10km. Immediately behind the podium finishers, Samia Hassan Nour of Djibouti and Tayla Kavanagh of South Africa set national records of 30:37 and 30:50 respectively.

Meziane Benhammou sets a new European U18 record

France’s Meziane Benhammou produced one of the standout performances of the edition. At just 17 years old, he covered the 10km in 28:39, setting a new European U18 record over the distance. His time was 14 seconds faster than the previous European mark for the age group, while organisers also announced the performance as a French national U20 record.

Joan Chelimo Melly and Nicolae Soare lead the Romanian contingent

For the Romanian crowd, one of the key moments of the edition was the return to competition of Joan Chelimo Melly. The 2024 European half marathon silver medallist completed her first race of the 2026 season in an encouraging 31:46 and was the highest-placed female athlete representing Romania.

In the men’s race, Nicolae Soare was once again the highest-placed Romanian representative, finishing in 29:14. The result was almost ten seconds faster than his 29:24 performance at the 2025 edition.

A course that continues to deliver world-class performances

The results of the 2026 edition further strengthen Brașov’s reputation as a destination for high-performance running and confirm the tRUNsylvania International 10K as one of the fastest courses in the world. The event is currently ranked sixth worldwide by World Athletics based on result scores.

“What makes us happiest is seeing that, year after year, Brașov is becoming a place where athletes arrive with very ambitious goals and leave with personal bests or results that matter for their careers. That says a great deal about the level the event has reached. At the same time, Brașov Running Festival is not only about elite racing. It is about children, amateur runners, people racing for the first time, whether on the trails or on the road; it is about community and a city that lives and breathes running for an entire weekend. I believe this combination is exactly what defines us, and we want to continue developing it,” said Daniel Santa, Race Director of Brașov Running Festival.

From the trails of Tâmpa Mountain to one of the world’s fastest road courses

Beyond the performances of the elite athletes, Brașov Running Festival brought running into the city through a programme designed for participants of all ages and abilities. One of this year’s special events was the Trail to Road 12K, bringing together two sides of running in a single race: approximately 8km of trail and 4km of road running, starting in Council Square, continuing along the trails of Tâmpa Mountain and finishing in the Coresi area.

The programme also included children’s races over 800m, 1,200m and 3km, the Fun Race 3K, the Open 5K and 10K events, and a 5km wheelchair race.

In total, the festival brought together more than 3,000 runners – elite athletes, amateur runners and children – reinforcing the format that has defined the event since its early editions: a weekend in which spectators can watch some of the fastest runners in the world from just a few metres away while also taking part in a race suited to their own level.

About Brașov Running Festival

Launched in 2021, Brașov Running Festival is currently the leading athletics event in South-Eastern Europe included in the World Athletics calendar and one of the world’s most highly regarded road-running competitions. The event includes the elite tRUNsylvania International 10K, certified as a World Athletics Elite Label road race, and brings together leading athletes from around the world alongside thousands of amateur runners each year.

The 2026 edition took place on 3–4 October.

The 2027 edition will take place on 2–3 October, and registration is already open. More information is available at brasovrun.ro.