Diane Van Es from the Netherlands stormed to a 14:33 clocking to win the Monaco Run 5km on Sunday (15) morning, the second fastest time in history by a European on the roads for this distance.
The European 10,000m silver medallist defeated a stellar European cast for victory with Belgium’s Jana Van Lent finishing second in a national record of 14:48 and Slovenia’s Klara Lukan taking third in 15:04.
Van Es ran six seconds faster than she did in last year’s race when she finished second in a European record of 14:39, a mark which was subsequently broken by Nadia Battocletti who clocked 14:32 - a mark which is yet to be ratified - in Tokyo last May.
Van Es fell an agonising one second adrift of Battocletti’s time in Monaco although her time could be added to the record books if Battocletti’s time isn’t officially ratified as a European record.
There was nearly a Dutch clean sweep in the men’s 5km with Tim Verbaandert outpacing his 20-year-old compatriot Juan Zijderlaan in the final kilometre for victory, 13:24 to 13:28.
European half marathon bronze medallist Valentin Gondouin finished third in 13:29 with European U23 1500m champion and Olympic finalist Stefan Nillessen fourth in 13:37.
European U23 10,000m champion Joel Ibler Lillesø from Denmark was seventh in 13:41.
In her first ever 10km, world 1500m record-holder and three-time Olympic 1500m champion Faith Kipyegon clocked 29:46 for victory.
Photo courtesy of Jorrit Ooyen / Monaco Run