Khairi Bejiga shines in historic 10k debut at Brasov Running Festival

Ethiopian rising star Khairi Bejiga delivered a sensational performance at the tRUNsylvania 10km, clocking an astonishing 26:54 in his debut over the distance.

At just 19 years old, Bejiga matched the fastest ever debut time, previously held solely by Kenya’s Sebastian Sawe, and recorded the second fastest U20 time in history.

Bejiga’s blistering run also came within three seconds of the Brasov course record (26:51), set by Kenya’s Nicolas Kipkorir in 2022.

From the gun, Bejiga ran assertively, staying with the lead pack before unleashing a 2:38 split between kilometers 4 and 5, reaching halfway in 13:34.

With South Africa’s Maxime Chaumeton sharing the pace duties, the duo broke away from the pack by the 8km mark. Bejiga surged again with a 2:37 penultimate kilometer, leaving Chaumeton trailing.

Bejiga collapsed at the finish in triumph, while Chaumeton followed just one second behind in a South African record of 26:55. Kenya’s Cornelius Kemboi rounded out the podium with a personal best of 27:12.

In the women’s race, another Ethiopian, Medina Eisa, the world leader in 2025 with her 29:25 run in Castellon, claimed victory in 30:28.

A tightly packed lead group passed halfway in 15:14, slightly off sub-30 pace. With 2km to go, five contenders remained, including Kenya’s Brenda Jepchumba Kenei, Mariam Lufti Njoki, Joyciline Jepkosgei, and Turkey’s Yasemin Can.

Eisa responded to every surge and made her decisive move with 300 meters left, sprinting past Kenei and Njoki to seal the win with a 2:58 final kilometer.

Kenei edged Njoki for second (30:29 vs. 30:31), while Can finished fourth in a Turkish national record of 30:36.