Jana Van Lent has already broken one European record in 2026 and it is far from inconceivable she could rewrite the record books again over 5km in the Monaco Run on Sunday (15) morning.
Van Lent began her year by smashing the European 10km record with 30:10 in Nice, a mark which was revised by Eilish McColgan the following week in Valencia with 30:08.
Van Lent passed through the 5km mark in Nice in a fast 14:42 which suggests the Belgian could challenge Nadia Battocletti’s European record of 14:32 which was set in Tokyo last May. But even if that mark proves beyond Van Lent’s reach, she should revise the Belgian record which stands at 15:21.
The line-up also features last year’s second-placer Diane Van Es from the Netherlands who set a European record of 14:39 before Battocletti revised it a few months later in Tokyo.
Another European record-holder who is due to make a rare appearance on the roads is Great Britain’s Laura Muir who still holds the European indoor 3000m record with 8:26.49. Muir has a lifetime best of 15:20 for 5km on the roads from 2024.
Also watch out for Slovenia’s Klara Lukan who races for the first time in 2026. Lukan finished third last year in a sizeable national record of 14:45 which puts her equal fifth on the European all-time 5km list.
Other notable entrants in a super-strong continental field include French 10km and half marathon record-holder Alessia Zarbo, European U23 3000m steeplechase champion Ilona Mononen from Finland and Germany’s former two-time European 3000m steeplechase champion Gesa Felicitas Krause.
The men’s 5km line-up features training partners Joel Ibler Lillesø from Denmark and the Netherlands’ Stefan Nillessen, the European U23 champions in the 10,000m and 1500m respectively, as well as European half marathon bronze medallist Valentin Gondouin from France.
Last year’s race was won by world 5000m silver medallist Isaac Kimeli in a Belgian record of 13:15.
Vainio and Ouhaddou in action in Seville
The indefatigable Alisa Vainio will be contesting her third marathon since an excellent fifth-place finish in oppressive conditions at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.
Three weeks after Tokyo, Vainio set a Finnish record of 2:23:07 at the Finnish Championships in Vainio before improving to 2:20:48 in the Valencia Marathon to move into the European all-time top-10 and break Ingrid Kristiansen’s long-standing Nordic record of 2:21:06.
Vainio is the third fastest entrant for the senior women’s race behind Ethiopia’s Buzunesh Getachew (2:19:27). and Kenya’s Jackline Chelal (2:20:29).
Reigning European marathon champion Fatima Ouhaddou is also due to start in the women’s race. Ouhaddou took a memorable victory at the inaugural European Running Championships in Brussels-Leuven last April, recovering from a mid-race fall to win the title and lead Spain to team gold.
European interest in the men’s race will be provided by Sweden’s Ebba Tulu Chala (2:07:36), North Macedonia’s Dario Ivanovski (2:08:26) and Spain’s Andreu Blanes (2:09:14).