Simiu, Kasait fire warning shots ahead of World Road Running Championships

World 10,000metres silver medallist Daniel Simiu is ready for the World Athletics Road Running Championships after striking sub 27 minutes in 10,000m at Brussels Diamond League on Friday.

Simiu, the Commonwealth Games 10,000m silver medallist, said he is ready to shade off the “Mr. Silver Medallist” tag at the inaugural World Athletics Road Running Championships scheduled from September 30 to October 1 in Latvia.

Simiu will compete in the men's half marathon (21km) where he will team up with Bernard Kibet, who finished fifth in 27:56.27 in 10,000m at the Budapest World Championships and Hamburg Half Marathon champion Samwel Nyamai.

Also in Simiu’s team are 2023 Berlin Half Marathon champion Sabastian Sawe and 2023 Barcelona Half Marathon champion Charles Langat.

Simiu blew away the field in Brussels, clocking 26 minutes and 57.80, breaking the 27 minutes barrier for the first time, to triumph and shatter his previous personal best of 27:11.26 from his Commonwealth Games exploits last year.

Simiu edged out Jimmy Gressier from France to second place in a season’s best 27:25.48 as 2022 world 10,000m silver medallist, Kenya’s Stanley Waithaka, settled third in season’s best 27:30.36.

“That time tells you I am ready for Latvia,” said Simiu. “It feels so good to win here tonight and the crowd was very good tonight.”

Simiu said the roaring crowd powered him to victory. “It was very hot and a lot of athletes suffered but I felt very good and this is what I train for. I am so thankful to God that I finally ran such a good time,” said Simiu.

Waithaka, who was making a return from injury that saw him miss the trials for the just concluded World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary, will also compete in 5km at the World Athletics Road Running Championships.

African Games 5,000m champion Lilian Kasait claimed her second ever Diamond league victory with her exploits of 14:26.46 in the women's 5,000m race. Her last victory was in the 3,000m at 2018 London.

“I´m just happy it felt good and I hope to get the win in Eugene,” said Kasait, who is among the Kenyans who will be competing at the Prefontaine Classic, the Diamond League final on September 16 to 17 in Eugene, Oregon, United States of America.

Kasait will also compete in 5km at the World Athletics Road Running Championships.

World under-20 1,500m champion Reynold Kipkorir shattered the national record in 2,000m despite finishing second behind world 5,000m champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen, who won in a world record time.

Kipkorir clocked 4:48.14 to beat the previous national record time of 4:48.74 set by John Kibowen on August 1, 1998 in Hechtel, Belgium.

“It was a good race running my PB and a NR. It was a tough race and I tried to follow the best,” said Kipkorir, who is in the One Mile team for the World Athletics Road Running Championships.

The 22-year-old Norwegian won his battle with the clock over the final 600 metres to set a new mark of 4:43.13, a first outdoor world record for the Olympic 1,500m champion, who set a world indoor 1,500m record of 3:30.60 last year.