World record holder Joyciline Jepkosgei to headline elite women’s field at 2025 tRUNsylvania 10k

The fifth edition of the tRUNsylvania 10K, set to take place on Sunday, 5 October in Brasov, Romania, will feature one of the most formidable women’s fields ever assembled for a road race in Southeast Europe.

Leading the charge is Kenya’s Joyciline Jepkosgei, a multiple world record-breaker and the first woman in history to run under 30 minutes for 10 kilometers on the road.

Jepkosgei, 31, returns to the 10K distance for the first time in six years, bringing with her a legacy of excellence and a renewed vigor following a standout 2025 season.

Earlier this year, she lowered her half marathon personal best to 1:04:13, faster than her previous world record—and secured a second-place finish at the 2025 TCS London Marathon with a time of 2:18:44. Her personal best over 10 kilometers remains the former world record of 29:43, set in Prague in 2017.

Joining Jepkosgei in Brasov will be four other women who have also broken the 30-minute barrier for 10 kilometers, underscoring the exceptional depth of this year’s field.

Ethiopia’s Medina Eisa, the reigning world U20 5000m champion, leads the global rankings in 2025 with a blistering 29:25 performance in Castellon, Spain.

Her compatriots Likina Amebaw and Asayech Ayichew have also posted world-class times this year, clocking 29:40 and 29:43 respectively.

Kenya’s Janeth Chepngetich, the 2024 All African Games 10,000m gold medallist and runner-up in Brasov last year, completes the sub-30 contingent with a personal best of 29:55.

In addition to these five, several other athletes will be vying for top honors, including Kenya’s Mariam Lufti Njoki, who improved her best to 30:14 in Durban last month, and Ethiopia’s Asmarech Anley, the 2023 African U20 3000m champion, who has run 30:23.

Faith Cherono of Kenya and Germany’s Konstanze Klosterhalfen, the 2022 European 5000m champion, will also be in contention, with personal bests of 30:30 and 30:46 respectively.

Great Britain’s Megan Keith, the 2023 European U23 5000m champion and 10,000m bronze medallist at last year’s European Athletics Championships, will be looking to break the 31-minute barrier on the roads for the first time. Keith is scheduled to compete at the upcoming World Athletics Championships in Tokyo before heading to Brasov.

Race Director Daniel Santa expressed his excitement about the caliber of the field.

‘Joyciline is a world-record breaker on the roads and continues to be one of the world’s top distance runners. It’s a privilege and an honor to welcome her to Brasov for the tRUNsylvania 10K.

‘Nevertheless, with a field of outstanding depth, she will face strong challengers for the title, not least from the three Ethiopian women who have all run under 30 minutes this year.

‘I’m eagerly looking forward to seeing some very fast times and, quite possibly, the first women’s 10K under 30 minutes in Romania, a feat that has occurred in only five other countries,’ said Santa.