Woldu and Kimaiyo Triumph in Hot Conditions at Cluj 10km

French marathon record holder Mekdes Woldu and Kenyan surprise package Cyrus Kimaiyo prevailed in hot conditions at the tRUNsylvania International 10K Cluj, powered by Joma, winning in 32:21 and 28:22 respectively on Sunday.

Woldu prevailed in a thrilling three-way duel over the final kilometre of the four-lap race close to the centre of Cluj, outsprinting Uganda’s 2026 World Cross Country Championships silver medallist Joy Cheptoyek and Ethiopia’s near-unknown Meselech Alemayehu.

Cheptoyek was credited with the same time of 32:21, official timing showing she was just under half a second in arrears, while Alemayehu, making her European race debut, was one second further back.

‘I knew I was in good shape after running 30:56 two weeks ago (on home soil in Langueux, France), but I soon realised that fast times were not going to be possible because it was so hot at the start,’ said Woldu, who reflected on the fact that the thermometer read 24 degrees Celsius as the gun went in Romania’s second city.

‘However, the heat came as no surprise, it’s been hot everywhere in Europe this week and I just wanted another good race, so I’m pleased,’ added the Frenchwoman, who wisely wore sunglasses throughout the race and had initially come to Cluj to attack the French 10km record of 30:52 set by Cassandre Beaugrand in April, which Woldu had just missed earlier this month.

By contrast, Kimaiyo was secure in the knowledge that the win was his over the final two kilometres.

Kimaiyo, his fellow Kenyan Moses Cheruiyot and France’s Mehdi Frere went through the halfway point together in 14:04, but shortly afterwards the Frenchman, who had clocked a personal best of 27:44 in Langueux two weeks earlier, went through a bad patch and the race at the front became a head-to-head battle between the two Kenyans.

Just before 8km, Cheruiyot visibly started to tire and Kimaiyo responded with a decisive surge and was never headed for the most important victory of his career.

Cheruiyot came home a distant second in 28:51, while Frere closed the gap between himself and the man in front by 10 seconds over the final two kilometres but left himself just a little too much to do in the closing stages of the race and had to settle for third in 28:55.