Monaco Run Gramaglia: Faith Kipyegon makes sensational 10K debut
© Monaco RunThe 16th Monaco Run Gramaglia once again brought together a stellar field and thousands of amateur runners, who took over the streets of the Principality on Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 February. Kenyan three-time Olympic champion Faith Kipyegon made a stunning 10K debut, clocking 29:46.
At 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, the first headlamps set off towards the heights for the second edition of the Mont Agel Trail. Thirty kilometres winding around the Principality, between steep trails and wide-open views over the Riviera: a spectacular setting to get the weekend under way. Half an hour later, at 9 a.m., the City Trail took over in the heart of Monaco. Twelve kilometres through narrow streets, gardens and iconic landmarks, blending heritage and modernity in an accessible tour of the principality. Across Saturday’s events, nearly 3,000 runners of all ages took part.
The following day belonged to speed under brilliant sunshine. The 10K got Sunday under way at 9:15 a.m. on a fast, performance-focused course, with a double loop between Port Hercule and Monte-Carlo Bay. At 10:50 a.m., the 5K, billed as one of the fastest in the world, brought the programme to a close. From the quays of Port Hercule to the broad avenues leading to Monte-Carlo Bay, runners raced across the Principality at full speed, carried along by the energy of the weekend.
Beyond the headline names, the event once again showed its broad appeal, with around 4,500 participants spread across the various formats on offer: 5K, 10K and trails of varying difficulty. For one weekend, the Rock was buzzing as it is every year.
Faith Kipyegon under 30 minutes in the 10K
Track star Faith Kipyegon made her first foray into the 10K with a stunning 29:46. Given a privileged introduction to the distance, the three-time Olympic 1,500m champion set off with pacemakers at 8:40 a.m., 35 minutes before the mass start at 9:15 a.m. Britain’s Maddie Jordan-Lee and France’s Augustine Emeraux-Lombard (Nancy Athlétisme) also stood out, finishing in 34:24 and 34:50 respectively. In the elite men’s 10K, Kenya’s Bernard Soi laid down the winning mark in 29:48, ahead of Dutchman Yonah Mateiko, who was also timed in 29:48, and French trail runner Théo Le Boudec (Vésubie Trail), third in 31:57.
Diane Van Es misses European 5K record by one second
The 5K turned into a Dutch masterclass. Tim Verbaandert took the win in 13:24, ahead of compatriot Juan Zijderlaan (13:28). France’s Valentin Gondouin completed the podium in 13:29, a personal best, just ahead of another Dutchman, Stefan Nillessen (13:38). Behind that quartet, Maël Gouyette finished 10th in 13:45, with Luc Le Baron right behind in 13:46.
The women’s race came within a whisker of another continental record on the Rock. Dutchwoman Diane Van Es, the 10,000m European silver medallist in Rome in 2024, dominated the race in 14:33. It was a national record, one second off the European record held by Nadia Battocletti (set in Tokyo in 2025 and still awaiting ratification), and six seconds faster than Van Es’s time in Monaco last year (14:39, the ratified European record). She was paced by Frenchman Arthur Gervais (30th in 14:34).
Belgian Jana Van Lent finished second in 14:48, setting a new national road 5K record. Already the European 10K record-holder after running 30:10 in Nice in January, a mark since improved by Eilish McColgan to 30:08, the Excelsior athlete is continuing to make strides over the distance. She took down the previous national record of 15:21, held by Juliette Thomas.
Slovenia’s Klara Lukan completed the podium in 15:04, just ahead of Britain’s Laura Muir, one of Europe’s leading middle-distance runners, who covered the distance in 15:12. French specialist Alessia Zarbo, the national record-holder over the half marathon and 10K, finished seventh in 15:26, an impressive performance in her first 5K, just ahead of the leading U23 runner, Deborah Chemutai (15:28). France’s Mélanie Allier (16:05) and Ambre Grasset (16:08) also had reason to be pleased.
The other Monaco Run podiums
In the Mont Agel Trail, Sébastien Poesy took the win in 2:23:36, ahead of Théo Le Boudet and Sylvain Camus. In the women’s race, Amandine Ferrato claimed first place in 2:48:33, ahead of Eva Lorusso and Spain’s Noemi Gonzalez Gil. In the City Trail, Maxime Vallienne (S/L EA Creil) won in 50:28, ahead of Adrien Janin and Florent Malbec. In the women’s race, master 2 runner Isabelle Kujawski took the honours in 58:45, ahead of Bertille Neut and Jennifer Dicristo-Labbé.
This weekend, the Monaco Run brought together 4,500 endurance fans, combining world-class performances with hard-earned personal achievements. Once again, the event underlined its place on the winter running calendar.