Champs Return To 50K Trophy Race

A Kenyan and a Briton head to a scenic Italian village to defend their titles. 

On Saturday, some of the fastest 50K runners in the world will convene in Vallecrosia-Bordighera, Italy for the IAU World 50K Championships.

At the top of the pre-race favorites list are the men’s and women’s returning champions, Eliot Kiplagat Biwott of Kenya, and Emma Gooderham of Britain.

At stake is the 50K World Trophy. the final in a series of 19 races.

Those who met certain standards (3:20 for the men and 3:50 for the women) were invited to compete for the trophy.

Biwott’s time is impressive: 2:53:43. However, he is not the fastest in the field with Colleen Makaza earning the honors for the fastest qualification times (2:48:37).

Paul Martelletti of New Zealand has the third-fastest entry time.

On the women’s side, Gooderham has the fastest qualification time with 3:17:30. Japan’s Chiyuki Mochizuki and Britain’s Joanna Zakrzewski have the second and third quickest marks.

The race will be held on a 6.25K looped course with little elevation.

For More: IAAF