Kenya’s Kimeli facing tough opposition as three of the fastest 5km runners clash in Riga

Three of the four fastest men in history clash in the 5km at the World Athletics Road Running Championships Riga 23.

Not only does Berihu Aregawi have the superior road personal Best (PB) having broken the world record with his 12:49 run at the Cursa dels Nassos in Barcelona in 2021, but he also has the quickest track PB among the entries, his 12:40.45 from Lausanne in June placing him fifth on the world 5000m all-time list.

Fast times are only half of the story, however, and making this contest even more compelling is the rematches it offers.

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Yomif Kejelcha is the world leader and he was just one second off his Ethiopian compatriot’s world 5km record when he clocked 12:50 in Lille in March. He’s also just one place below Aregawi on the world 5000m all-time list thanks to his 12:41.73 performance from Oslo.

When it comes to their career head-to-head, the tally stands 6-5 in Kejelcha’s favour, considering performances achieved from 3000m up to 10,000m.

Aregawi is the world cross country silver medalist, who finished fourth in the world and Olympic 10,000m finals, while Kejelcha is a two-time world indoor 3000m gold medalist and world indoor mile record-holder, who secured 10,000m silver at the 2019 World Championships in Doha.

Then there’s Kenya’s Nicholas Kimeli, the fourth fastest 5km runner of all time. He ran 12:55 in Herzogenaurach last year, finishing second in a race won by Kejelcha in 12:53, and now they prepare to battle again.

Of the 11 5km performances in history that have been 13 minutes or faster, that trio, Aregawi, Kejelcha and Kimeli, have recorded seven of them: three by Aregawi and two each the duo.

When it comes to track PBs, however, one athlete splits those three at the top of the entry list: Ethiopia’s Olympic and world medalist Hagos Gebrhiwet.

The 29-year-old won the world U20 cross country title in 2013 and claimed his first senior medal that same year, securing 5000m silver in Moscow. He then gained world bronze in 2015 and an Olympic medal of the same colour in 2016.

While he finished sixth in the world final this year, he proved he’s top form by running a 12:42.18 lifetime best to win in Monaco. He also recorded a half marathon PB of 58:55 to win what was his third career half marathon in Granollers in February.

On the Kenyan squad, 2022 world 10,000m silver medalist Stanley Waithaka Mburu and Cornelius Kemboi are entered along with Kimeli.

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Burundi’s Egide Ntakarutimana ran 13:03.61 in a 5000m in Vienna in June and makes his 5km debut after improving his 10km best to 27:45 in Brasov last year.

Spanish record-holder Ouassim Oumaiz, who ran 13:19 in 2020, will also want to make an impact, as will USA’s 2022 NCAA champion Olin Hacker, Norway's Magnus Tuv Myhre and Canadian 5km and 10km record-holder Ben Flanagan.

Oceanian 3000m record-holder Stewart McSweyn forms part of the Australian team in Riga and as well as a high placing, he’ll also be looking for an improvement on his 13:53 PB as he returns to race the distance on the roads for the first time since 2017. Since then, he has taken his 5000m best to 12:56.50.