Twice European 10,000m champion Yasemin Can set a new Turkish record on the roads, running to 30:36 as she placed fourth in the women’s race at the tRUNsylvania 10K in Brasov, Romania on Sunday (5).
The four-times gold medallist at the SPAR European Cross Country Championships between 2016-19 has shown more spasmodic form in recent injury-affected seasons. But she came back to some form when taking bronze on home turf at last year’s event at the Antalya 2024 SPAR European Cross Country Championships.
And her latest outing on the roads, which lopped 1:25 from her previous best from nearly six years ago, augurs well ahead of this year’s cross country season.
She was in the mix for victory into the closing kilometre and finished just eight seconds behind winner Medina Eisa of Ethiopia who crossed the line in 30:28 but five seconds ahead of former world record-holder Joyciline Jepkosgei of Kenya.
In the men's race won by 19-year-old Ethiopian Khairi Bejiga in 26:54 on his debut at the distance, Samuel Barata was the leading Portuguese finisher in 11th, setting a national record of 28:00. Baldvin Magnusson also set an Icelandic record of 28:37 in 19th.