Mohamed Katir leads the notable Spanish representation in the traditional Madrid end-of-year test
MADRID, 30 Dic. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Burundian athlete Rodrigue Kwizera and the Kenyan Hellen Obiri start this Friday as favorites in the Nationale-Nederlanden San Silvestre Vallecana Internacional, the traditional end-of-year race that takes place in the ‘heart’ of Madrid and which will be marked by the measures of prevention against the COVID-19 pandemic.
Rodrigue Kwizera will try to fulfill the forecast after having dominated the cross season, with victories in Itálica, Soria, Venta de Baños, Alcobendas and Lasarte, and a second place in Atapuerca, and improve the record of the test, held by the Ugandan Jacob Kiplimo, with 26 minutes and 41 seconds.
In front of him, he will have a ‘Spanish Armada’ headed by Mohamed Katir, an Olympic diploma in 5,000 at the Tokyo 2020 Games. Along with Katir, the Spaniards Ayad Lamdassem, Dani Mateo, Yago Rojo and Abdessamad Oukhelfen, the athletes of the NN Running Team Shadrack, also stand out. Koech and Abel Sikowo and the very young Kenyan Emmanuel Kiplagat, with a best time of 10,000 meters in the open air 28 minutes and 28 seconds.
In a dreamy summer, Katir, a Murcian of Moroccan origin, broke three national records that seemed eternal – 1,500, 3,000 and 5,000 meters -, achieved two victories in the Diamond League against the best in the world, and was an Olympic diploma at Tokyo 2020. Now, Katir will seek to climb to the top of the podium at the Vallecas Stadium, a victory that would be historic, since a Spaniard has not won since Chema Martínez was crowned in the 2003 edition.
Along with Katir, the Nationale-Nederlanden San Silvestre Vallecana will have the best Spanish athletes of the moment. Ayad Lamdassem, fifth in the marathon at Tokyo 2020, has been second three times; and Dani Mateo shattered Mariano Haro’s national hour record this year.
The Spanish Navy is completed by Yago Rojo, Abdessamad Oukhelfen, current national cross champion, the canary by birth Nassim Hassaous; Ignacio Fontes, Olympic finalist in 1,500 meters in Tokyo 2020; Jesús Ramos, runner-up in Spain in 10,000 meters and with a personal best of 27:49; or Jesús Gómez, double European runner-up of 1,500 meters on the indoor track in 2019 and 2021, among others.
OBIRI CONTRA EL NN RUNNING TEAM
Kenyan athlete Hellen Obiri, double Olympic runner-up and 5,000-meter outdoor world champion, is the great candidate for victory in the women’s race. In 2018, in a record race, she was second to her compatriot Brigid Kosgei, the current marathon world record holder.
Therefore, for this 2021 his goal is to climb to the top of the podium at the Vallecas Stadium, and snatch the record of the event from Kosgei, with 29:54.
Her big rivals for victory will be the trio of African athletes from the NN Running Team, Ethiopians Degitu Azimeraw and Haven Hailu, and Israel’s Lonah Salpeter.
Among the favorite Spanish, the Cantabrian Irene Pelayo is postulated as the best positioned after achieving the best time of the season in the Valencia Marathon, with 2:29:16. In addition, you already know what it is to be the best national on December 31, with a seventh place and personal best in 10K in 2019 (32:46).
Laura Méndez, Azucena Díaz and Clara Viñarás, who last year fell below 33 minutes in the Alcobendas 10K, complete the Spanish representation.