Strong international line-ups have been assembled for the tRUNsylvania International 10K Cluj, powered by Joma, which takes place in Cluj-Napoca, Romania on Sunday (28) morning.
The tRUNsylvania International 10K will be streamed live on the European Athletics YouTube channel from 8.00pm CEST (7.00pm local time) without any geoblocking restrictions and will be accompanied by expert English-language commentary.
Who's competing?
For the European contingent who will be competing, the race will provide one of the last opportunities to secure the qualifying times for the Birmingham 2026 European Athletics Championships from 10-16 August. The qualifying times stand at 27:50 and 32:00 respectively for men and women.
One of the most accomplished entrants in the men’s race is 40-year-old Norwegian Zerei Kbrom Mezngi who won 10,000m silver behind Yemaneberhan Crippa at the 2022 European Athletics Championships in Munich but is still seeking the qualifying time for Birmingham.
His road 10km lifetime best of 27:39 from 2021 makes him the second fastest in the field behind Morocco’s Hicham Amghar whose 27:09 PB was set on Romanian soil in Brasov two years ago.
The elite men’s field also includes France’s Mehdi Frere, the Netherlands’ Filmon Tesfu and former Italian marathon record-holder Eyob Faniel who was part of Italy’s gold medal-winning team in the half marathon at the 2024 European Athletics Championships in Rome.
The line-up in the women’s race includes French marathon record-holder Mekdes Woldu who recently broke the 31 minute-barrier on the roads for the first time with a 30:56 clocking in Langueux.
She will be joined on the start-line by Belgium's Julie Voet and Ireland’s Fiona Everard, both of whom also have the qualifying standard for Birmingham courtesy of recently set road PBs of 31:54 and 31:58 respectively.
However, the outstanding entrant in the women’s race is Uganda’s world cross country silver medallist Joy Cheptoyek whose road 10km PB of 30:03 is almost one minute faster than anyone else in the field.
She could face some opposition from Kenya’s former world U20 3000m steeplechase champion Jackline Chepkoech who makes her debut at the distance.
Romania’s Joan Chelimo Melly, who won half marathon silver at the 2024 European Athletics Championships in Rome, is a late withdrawal from the women's field.