Running stars will attack world or national records. The 25th edition of the Birell 10K Race will be absolutely spectacular, with 30 African runners on the start list. “I love the atmosphere here which makes me want to run even faster,” the Kenyan Rhonex Kipruto said at the Press conference. Apart from him, the best domestic and European runners will also be part of the amazing race. “It is quite possible that a world record will be set here,” a Czech elite athlete Jiri Homolac added. The prestigious sporting event, boasting the World Athletics Label Road Race, is to kick off at the Náměstí Republiky in Prague at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday. However, the event starts already at 6 p.m. when the adidas Women´s Race 5km will take place as a part of the Birell Prague Grand Prix.
A total of 43 elite athletes and 14 female competitors will take part in the evening Birell Prague Grand Prix. Eleven of them have run a city ten kilometers distance faster than in 28 minutes. “This year, the time of 26:49 minutes is the best performance on this course, set by a pro-athlete from Uganda in Cannes, France. We would like to beat it,” Matouš Pail stated, a RunCzech member who takes care of professional athletes. The world record is held by the Kenyan Kipruto with a time of 26:24 minutes. “I am ready for the Saturday’s race, I competed in Prague in 2017 already, it was my first race here. I am happy to be back. I will try to run my best time. It’s important that it’s not windy,” Kipruto added.
Kenya’s Irine Chepet Cheptai is the favourite of the women’s 10 km. “My goal is to run at a time of around 30 minutes or less. In 2017 I reached the fourth place here, now I hope for a better one,” Cheptai said, who also took part in the Sportisimo Prague Half Marathon earlier this year, and added: “That race was very tough because of the freezing conditions. I expect completely different temperatures on Saturday.” The women’s best 10 km time of this year is the one of 29:14 minutes. Unfortunately, the Czech experienced Eva Vrabcová Nývltová has been struggling with Covid-19 and had to withdraw from the Birell Prague Grand Prix and therefore will not be able to strive for a great result.
Tereza Hrochová could be the best domestic female runner with her best time of 34:37 minutes. Czech star Jiri Homoláč, with his best of 29:37 minutes, wants to follow up his great performance in the spring.
In addition to the African and Czech pro athletes, other great European runners will also be present at the Birell Prague Grand Prix. Portugal’s Samuel Vila Barata is hoping to set a national record. “It is possible that the Portuguese best time, done 37 years ago, will fall on Saturday. Or maybe another European record. There are also fast elite athletes coming from Belgium, Denmark or Australia to Prague,” Matouš Pail from RunCzech said.
Birell Prague Grand Prix adidas Women´s 5 km Race is on the programme already at 6 p.m. The last free registrations are still available for both races which are returning after a three-year hiatus caused by Covid-19 (more at www.runczech.com).
