Cursa dels Nassos: A Historic Bid for Women's 5k World Record with Global Elite Athlete Lineup
The Cursa dels Nassos road race in Barcelona, scheduled for December 31, will witness an attempt to break the women's 5k world record. This event holds special significance as it will feature the entire podium from the inaugural World Road Running Championships held in Riga in October.
Prominent Kenyan runners Beatrice Chebet and Lilian Kasait, along with Ethiopian athlete Ejgayehu Taye, all world medalists from the championship in Riga, are set to participate. Their presence is a major highlight of the Cursa dels Nassos 2023, with the ambitious goal of breaking the women's world record for the five-kilometer race during the event.
"We have made a very clear commitment to top-tier female representation. Having the podium from the last world championship in road athletics will establish us as a global reference in women's sports," stated David Escudé, the Sports Councilor of Barcelona City Council, during the race presentation press conference held at the Joan Antoni Samaranch Olympic and Sports Museum in Barcelona.
Escudé emphasized the primary objective of the competition: breaking the world record for a five-kilometer exclusively female race, currently set at 14:29. The Cursa dels Nassos, entering its 25th edition and having organized an international five-kilometer race for four consecutive years, currently holds the men's and women's world records in the mixed race.
The men's category will see the participation of refugee athlete Dominic Lobalu from South Sudan, residing in Switzerland, with an impressive 5,000-meter record of 12:52. Noteworthy runners, including 18 athletes clocking less than 14:00, will compete in the event, among them Spanish athletes Ilias Fifa and Abdessamad Oukhelfen.
The elite athletes' race, the highlight of the day, will start at 4:00 p.m. for men and 4:25 p.m. for women, allowing participants of the popular ten-kilometer race and other spectators to enjoy the spectacle. The 10k race will maintain its circular route, commencing at 5:15 p.m. on Selva de Mar street near Ramon Calsina square.
The event has seen strong registration numbers, with approximately 9,000 runners already signed up. Notably, there is a historic 33% female participation and 30% beginners, highlighting the growing appeal and inclusivity of the competition.
