dogscalder wrote:
troll under a bridge wrote:
Would like to know more about this guy. Previous best seems to be a 59:09 from Copenhagen a month ago. Got thing in 2017 Amsterdam Marathon, won Daegu this year, seems to have run a 27:44 road 10k in Kenya.
Not gonna lie, the improvement seems shady, nothing indicates this guy was capable of the half marathon world record.
The athlete is pretty legit (or as legit as he was a month ago). Check the course. I've heard from several sources, in race production and outside, that the folks who set this up and certify it have been known to favor fast times for their clients...just speculation and rumor at this point, but hopefully someone independent takes a look at the course.
His 2nd 10k would be tied for 11th on the all time road 10k list. Ridiculous.
Another factor to consider is a strong tail wind like they had at World Half Champs this year. Looking at the course map, I think it is the same course that produced the ridiculous final 5k splits at the World Half Champs. Maybe there was a similar tail wind today?
Also, how does one measure roundabouts for a road race? This course incorporates a lot of roundabouts. Could the the straightest line during a race be shorter than the official measurement at a roundabout? Is that a factor in the fast times at the Valencia half?