ADIDAS TO HOST ELITE ROAD RACE FESTIVAL BURSTING WITH TALENT
By David Monti, @d9monti
(c) 2021 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved - Used with permission.

(08-Sep) -- adidas officials announced today that they will host a talent-packed road race festival at their headquarters in Herzogenaurach, Germany, this Sunday. Dubbed ADIZERO: ROAD TO RECORDS after their signature racing shoe, 74 adidas-sponsored athletes (43 men and 31 women) will compete over three distances: 5 km, 10 km and the half-marathon (21.0975 km).  No specific time goals were announced, but adidas officials said that the race was "a bid to set new personal bests."

The top athletes include:

5-K:
Men -
Oscar Chelimo (UGA), 13:06.79 5000m PB; 16th 2021 Olympic 5000m
Muktar Edris (ETH), 12:54.83 PB; 2017 and 2019 world 5000m champion
Leonard Bett (KEN), 8:08.61 steeplechase PB
Mathew Kimeli (KEN), 27:14.43 10,000m PB
Jacob Krop (KEN), 13:03.08 PB
Yomif Kejelcha (ETH), 12:46.79 PB; 8th 2021 Olympic 10,000m

Women -
Dawit Seyaum (ETH), 3000m PB 8:37.65
Rosemary Wanjiru (KEN), 15:03.49 PB; 4th 2019 World Championships 10,000m
Senbere Teferi (ETH), 14:15.24; 6th 2021 Olympic 10,000m
Yasemin Can (TUR), 14:36.82 PB; 8th 2021 Olympic 5000m (11th 10,000m)

10-K:
Men -
Birhanu Balew (BRN), 12:56.26 PB; 6th 2021 Olympic 5000m
Rhonex Kipruto (KEN), world record holder for 10-K: 26:24
Nicholas Kimeli (KEN), 12:51.78 PB; 4th 2021 Olympic 5000m
Eyob Faniel (ITA), Italian record holder for half (60:07) and full (2:07:19) marathon
Weldon Langat (KEN), 27:24.73 PB; 20th, 2021 Olympic 10,000m

Women -
Sheila Chepkirui (KEN), 29:46 road PB
Gloria Kite (KEN), 30:26 road PB
Alina Reh (GER), 31:23 road PB
Agnes Jebet Tirop (KEN), 30:25.20 PB; 4th 2021 Olympic 5000m

Half-Marathon:
Men -
Alfred Barkach (KEN), 59:46 PB
Girma Bekele Gebre (ETH), 3rd 2019 NYC Marathon
Teklemariam Medhin (ERI), 61:47 PB

Women -
Brillian Kipkoech (KEN), 1:06:56 PB
Viola Cheptoo (KEN), 1:06:47 PB
Besu Sado (ETH), 1:10:34 PB
Irene Kimais (KEN), 1:09:01 PB; 2019 Kenyan 10,000m champion

In addition, Olympic Marathon champion Peres Jepchirchir will be a special guest.

The races will begin at 07:00 CET on Sunday, September 12 (01:00 EDT in the USA).  There will be a live webcast at https://www.youtube.com/c/adidasrunning.


PHOTO: Rhonex Kipruto winning the 2018 UAE Healthy Kidney 10-K in New York City (photo by Jane Monti for Race Results Weekly)