Looked to me like Gobena got it. Tbh, it's just a road race, not a championship, I'd give it as a tied winner. Amazing run for Mantz, I didn't hink he'd have the speed for it but he hung with that lead pack so well.
Klecker will get criticised because he talked big, but 61 on his debut isn't bad. It's not great, but not a disaster. I've seen a lot worse.
I was pleasantly surprised to see Paddy Dever run 60:11. That's a good run and hopefully we can see him push for the 10k standard in the next few months. He's the best hope for GB to have a man in the 10k in Tokyo
Mantzs best performance ever.
A) A hair off beating a guy with a 2:05:01 PB having an A day
B) 59:17 in windy, cold conditions
C) Blowing out all but the very credentialed top 3
I think Clayton Young ran well and he completely smoked him. Now it’s really exciting to imagine in a World Road Running Champs half/World XC how competitive he could be. And we could see both, though the former is off the table if he does Chicago.
It would be good to see him try and mix it with the East Africans at World XC. I could see him in the top-10, maybe pushing for the top-6. At this point, I think it's likely that Mantz would beak Jakob in XC. I think he could grind the life out of Jakob.
A) A hair off beating a guy with a 2:05:01 PB having an A day
B) 59:17 in windy, cold conditions
C) Blowing out all but the very credentialed top 3
I think Clayton Young ran well and he completely smoked him. Now it’s really exciting to imagine in a World Road Running Champs half/World XC how competitive he could be. And we could see both, though the former is off the table if he does Chicago.
It would be good to see him try and mix it with the East Africans at World XC. I could see him in the top-10, maybe pushing for the top-6. At this point, I think it's likely that Mantz would beak Jakob in XC. I think he could grind the life out of Jakob.
Great to see New Zealander Jake Robertson competing in the full. Through the half way in 1:04:18. Let’s hope he can finish strong.
Amanda Vestri at 1:07:35 ! Looks like she was running solo for most of it as well as the closest people to her in front and back were 1:00 off of her.
Natosha Rogers also PRed by a minute. Great race from a runner who just keeps getting better just when you think it is time for her to call it a career.
It would be good to see him try and mix it with the East Africans at World XC. I could see him in the top-10, maybe pushing for the top-6. At this point, I think it's likely that Mantz would beak Jakob in XC. I think he could grind the life out of Jakob.
He certainly would try…Fun prospect to imagine. Guys like Aregawi, Kiplimo, Fisher, Ebenyo, Kandie et al. know their only chance of beating Jakob is to make it relentless for at least 8K. Based on today, Mantz wouldn’t budge an inch in going with that. I’m not convinced Jakob gets dropped, but it’s fun to picture them turning the screws.
Kelati and Vestri, the future of distance running. Put Vestri with a coach and a group she can train with at altitude and the sky is the limit. She should give Eyestone a call.
Looked to me like Gobena got it. Tbh, it's just a road race, not a championship, I'd give it as a tied winner. Amazing run for Mantz, I didn't hink he'd have the speed for it but he hung with that lead pack so well.
Klecker will get criticised because he talked big, but 61 on his debut isn't bad. It's not great, but not a disaster. I've seen a lot worse.
I was pleasantly surprised to see Paddy Dever run 60:11. That's a good run and hopefully we can see him push for the 10k standard in the next few months. He's the best hope for GB to have a man in the 10k in Tokyo
Great run by Dever. Wouldn’t Sam Atkin be the guy? I understand you’d worry he’d drop out.
Maybe. I just can't root for that guy. He turns up for a few early indoor races in the US and then, nothing, not even British champs. Dever ran 27:08 last year, which was by far the best by a Brit. I think Rory Leonard has a chance of at least closing in on the standard but it would be a minor miracle if he hit it.
Citrus Mag all the hype for Klecker didn’t even end up the top OAC finish
Really happy for Morgan McDonald though! He’s has a rough few years of repeated injuries and sees like the forgotten on OAC. Happy to see a solid result for him at the start of the year leading into the track season.
It would be good to see him try and mix it with the East Africans at World XC. I could see him in the top-10, maybe pushing for the top-6. At this point, I think it's likely that Mantz would beak Jakob in XC. I think he could grind the life out of Jakob.
He certainly would try…Fun prospect to imagine. Guys like Aregawi, Kiplimo, Fisher, Ebenyo, Kandie et al. know their only chance of beating Jakob is to make it relentless for at least 8K. Based on today, Mantz wouldn’t budge an inch in going with that. I’m not convinced Jakob gets dropped, but it’s fun to picture them turning the screws.
With Kiplimo and Aregawi leading, I could see them setting a pace that is so hot that it would actually test Jakob. And given what we saw from Jakob in Aarhus, and at the Copenhagen HM, I can definitely see him under a lot pressure and dropping off. World XC could easily be the best race of 2026
Kelati and Vestri, the future of distance running. Put Vestri with a coach and a group she can train with at altitude and the sky is the limit. She should give Eyestone a call.
Considering Vestri's upward trajectory as a pro since she joined ZAP and started being coached by Pete Rea, I say if it ain't broke don't fix it.