Athletics Superstars, World-Ranked Runners, confirmed for Brașov Running Festival

• Brașov Running Festival is hosting, for the first time, the European Road Mile race, which will take place on Saturday, September 9th, bringing together some of the best middle-distance runners in Europe;
• Agnes Ngetich (KEN), the 6th-place finisher in the World Athletics Championships Budapest 23 10,000m, will compete at the tRUNsylvania 10K;
• In the elite-focused 10K race, Kenyan runner Weldon Langat aims to break the record of 26:51, set by his compatriot Nicolas Kipkorir Kimeli, the winner of the 2022 edition;
• Samantha Harrison (GBR) and Joan Chelimo Melly (ROU), who are second and fourth on the European 10km list for 2023, will participate in the 10 km women's race;

The gaze of athletics fans around the world will turn towards Brasov

In just under a month’s time as world-class distance running returns to the picturesque Romanian city for the Brașov Running Festival over the weekend of 9-10 September 2023.

The Trunsylvania 10km  

a World Athletics Elite Label Race and the only road race of this status in Romania – made headlines in 2022 among the running community around the world with super-fast times in its 10km races.

One of the athletes who will participate in this competition is Weldon Langat from Kenya, determined to improve upon his performance from last year when he finished in second place.

who is determined to go one better than his second-place finish last year.

The 25-year-old Tokyo 2020 Olympian in the 10,000m went on to win the high-quality Valencia 10km race in January in 26:55, which equalled his personal best from Brasov last September.

Langat has as his target the Trunsylvania 10km course record of 26:51 set by his compatriot Nicolas Kimeli when winning in 2022.

“We are in the process of establishing the Brasov Running Festival as one of the leading road race events in Europe with the ultimate aim of seeing world records set here. Due to our specially chosen route, organized as a 3.3 km loop in the Coresi neighborhood, spectators attending the competition will have a fantastic experience”

, commented Race Director Daniel Santa.

Also, in the men’s 10km elite field are a quartet of Langat’s Kenyan compatriots, among whom we nominate:

• World Athletics Championships Budapest 23 5000m contender Cornelius Kemboi
• 2018 World Athletics U20 Championships 5000m gold medallist Edward Zakayo 
• Emanuel Kiprop, who has a 10km best of 27:13‍
• Laban Kiplimo, who has a 10km best of 27:15

Agnes Ngetich (KEN) finished sixth in the World Athletics Championships Budapest 23 10,000m on Saturday night in a personal best of 31:34.83 and heads the women’s contenders for the Trunsylvania 10km. 

Ngetich also participated in the Brașov Running Festival last year, securing the second place in the 10 km race. Her sporting achievements also include winning the bronze medal at the 2023 World Cross Country Championships and an impressive personal record in the 10 km road race, of 30:27.

Other leading names in women’s 10km race include:

• Esther Borura (KEN), third on the 2023 world 10km list after her 30:15 for third place in Valencia
• Catherine Relin (KEN), fifth on the 2023 half marathon list with her impressive 1:05:39 best in Barcelona
• Joy Cheptoyek (UGA) who ran a 10km best of 30:47 to win the Castellon 10km in Spain
• Samantha Harrison (GBR) and Joan Chelimo Melly (ROU), who are second and fourth on the European 10km list for 2023

Further elite runners for the Trunsylvania 10km – part of the Brasov Running Festival – will be announced closer to the race.

The Brasov Running Festival will also feature a European Road Mile on Saturday, 9 September which will bring together many of the continent’s top middle-distance runners, specialists in the 1,500-meter track events.

“With the Road Mile becoming a recognised record event, many of Europe’s top middle-distance runners will be bidding to write their name in the history books. The European Road Mile is the perfect end-of-season opportunity to showcase this talent on the roads in the wake of the exploits of these runners on the track at the World Athletics Championships and remaining Diamond League meetings”

, commented Santa. 

Daniel Santa also added:

“Many highly skilled runners have already expressed their interest in participating in the European Road Mile, but we’ll wait until the World Athletics Championships in Budapest are over before announcing the names of those who will be competing. We are in discussions with many athletes involved in the races at this competition”.

In addition to the Trunsylvania 10km and European Road Mile, The Brasov Running Festival is also designed to engage and involve non-elite runners of all age-groups and abilities.

On Saturday 9 September there are 800m, 1200m and 3000m children’s races while Sunday 10 September sees mass participation 5km and 10km races.

Further details of the Brasov Running Festival, including the Trunsylvania 10km and European Road Mile, can be found on the event website: www.brasovrun.ro

About Brasov Running Festival

The Brașov Running Festival is a running event held in Brașov, starting from 2021. It includes an annual 10 km road race, accredited with the World Athletics Elite Label, named the 'tRUNsylvania International 10K'. Beyond this, the competition comprises a multitude of other races designed for both amateurs and professionals.

The races take place on a loop of 3,494 meters in length, utilizing the same finish line but with starting points varying according to the length of the stage.

The 2022 edition of the race, held on September 25th, was marked by a series of spectacular records. Never before had Romania witnessed such fast running times. Kenyan runners Nicholas Kimeli and Sheila Chepkirui won the 10KM event, with times of 26:51 and 30:07, respectively. Kimeli's time established him as the fifth-fastest 10KM runner of all time, while Chepkirui narrowly missed breaking the women's 10KM world record by only a few seconds

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The Brașov Running Festival is an event organized by Comparty and the Clubul Cetatea Brașovia, and is co-funded by the Municipality of Brașov.

The content of this material does not represent the position of the Municipality of Brașov and does not imply any responsibility on its part.