Copenhagen
Kenya's Mirriam Cherop secured a hard-fought bronze medal as France’s Agathe Guillemot produced a perfectly timed finish to claim the women’s road mile title at the World Athletics Road Running Championships Copenhagen 26, clocking a world-leading European record of 4:22.74 on Saturday (September 19).
In a tactical battle that saw two Kenyans finish in the top five, Cherop delivered a stellar, season's best performance of 4:25.71 to land herself on the global podium. Her compatriot, Naomi Korir, also ran a brilliant race to finish fifth in a personal best time of 4:29.15, ensuring a strong team presence for Kenya at the front of the pack.
The French 27-year-old winner remained patient as a large lead group, including the Kenyan contenders, stayed together for much of the V-shaped course through Copenhagen.
Mirriam Cherop (right) celebrates on the Copenhagen podium after winning the world road mile bronze medal alongside gold medalist Agathe Guillemot of France (centre) and silver medalist Freweyni Hailu of Ethiopia (left). (Photo / World Athletics)
Guillemot then moved to the front with little more than 20 seconds of racing remaining and kicked decisively for the first individual global title of her career.
Three years after taking silver at the inaugural World Road Running Championships in Riga, Ethiopia’s Freweyni Hailu again finished second, this time in a season’s best of 4:24.35, just holding off the hard-charging Cherop.
Meanwhile, home favourite Annemarie Nissen delighted the Danish crowd by finishing fourth in a PB of 4:26.78, slotting right between the two-star Kenyans.
“I am very happy for the bronze medal. In the last part of the race, with about 300 metres to go, I was so confident. I think the race was flowing. I think the girls were flowing. Everyone was strong. I was strong too. So, I was waiting for the last 100 metres, then I would see what would happen. This year I am waiting for the cross country in October. I will be preparing for that. I am looking forward to the next World Championships, which is next year in Beijing. It will not be easy, so I will be focused on it,” said Cherop.
Guillemot’s winning time took almost half a second off the previous European record of 4:23.25 set by Jemma Reekie in Dusseldorf earlier this month and moved the Frenchwoman to fourth on the world all-time list.
“Can you repeat. World Champion you say, oh my God. I felt great during the race. In the first part, I did not like to do extra effort. Just to follow the girl. There was no wind. When we turned for the last part I kept pushing. My coach said, when you are French, you keep pushing and pushing and pushing. And I believed in it. It is nice to finish with a medal,” a delighted Guillemot reacted, happy to start her vacation on a golden note.
Agathe Guillemot: My coach said, when you are French, you keep pushing and pushing and pushing. And I believed in it. (Photo / World Athletics)
“My vacation will be good after winning the gold. It has been a very long season with a lot of races. And a lot of trouble. My body felt good during the season. But it has not been easy. I learned a lot. It was not a perfect season, but it had a perfect end. Plan for 2027 is training, training, training. I love running. I love cross country. Indoor, outdoor. So maybe I will do European Cross Country in December. It is good for my shape to do long distances. I love to a lot of different things.”
Hailu, one of the most experienced athletes in the field, was prominent from the outset alongside USA’s Addison Wiley. Behind them, Ethiopia’s Birke Haylom, Guillemot, Cherop, and Korir were content to tuck into a tightly packed group as the athletes headed along Østerbrogade.
“It was a little bit windy but it was OK for my run. I'm still happy about my second place. Even if I was leading most of the race I still feel that my run went well and it was a good experience. Now I am going to have some rest - my next goal is to focus on the track,” Hailu said.
The Copenhagen course sent the athletes out along Østerbrogade before turning them back towards the finish near Parken Stadium. With nobody willing to force the issue early, the pack remained largely intact through 800m in 2:18.
The turn was reached with about 2:44 on the clock and still there was no decisive move. Hailu and Wiley remained among the leading figures, while the Kenyan duo and Guillemot stayed close enough to react without committing too soon.
The European's patience proved crucial. With 3:57 on the clock and the finish line in sight, Guillemot swept into the lead and accelerated hard, leaving Hailu, Cherop, and the rest of the field chasing. She quickly created daylight between herself and the chasing pack and maintained the advantage all the way to the line.
She raised her arms after crossing in 4:22.74, bringing to a close a season that has taken her across track, short track, cross country, and now road racing.
Copenhagen was the third major meeting in as many weekends for Guillemot, who had finished sixth over 1500m at the Wanda Diamond League Final in Brussels before placing eighth at the World Athletics Ultimate Championship Budapest 26 seven days later.
Her year had already included mixed relay silver at the World Cross Country Championships in Tallahassee, fourth place over 1500m at the World Indoor Championships, and a French 1500m record of 3:56.24 in Paris in June.
Behind her, Hailu showed once again how well suited she is to the road mile, repeating her second-place finish from the 2023 championships in Riga.
France’s Agathe Guillemot produced a perfectly timed finish to claim the women’s road mile title at the World Athletics Road Running Championships Copenhagen on Saturday. (Photo / World Athletics)
While Nissen took fourth to the roar of the home crowd, the depth of Kenyan middle-distance running was well represented by Korir's fifth-place milestone.
“I feel like I won. I would never complain about being fourth. A fourth place is the best that I have ever done. It was amazing to be running in the streets here. I live just around the corner and I felt so much at home. It was the best experience ever and my best time ever. I'm so happy about my race and there is nothing I would do differently. It was just amazing,” Nissen said.
Jamaica’s Adelle Tracey followed Korir in a PB of 4:29.30 for sixth, Australia’s Linden Hall was seventh in an area record of 4:29.36, and Canada’s Lucia Stafford finished eighth in a PB of 4:29.51.
Leading Women's Mile Results:
1. Agathe Guillemot (FRA) 4:22.74
2. Freweyni Hailu (ETH) 4:24.35
3. Mirriam Cherop (KEN) 4:25.71
4. Annemarie Nissen (DEN) 4:26.78
5. Naomi Korir (KEN) 4:29.15
6. Adelle Tracey (JAM) 4:29.30
7. Linden Hall (AUS) 4:29.36
8. Lucia Stafford (CAN) 4:29.51
9. Gabriela DeBues-Stafford (CAN) 4:30.59
10. Addison Wiley (USA) 4:31.02
(World Athletics and Agencies)
Timetable at the World Athletics Road Running Championships Copenhagen 26. Add one hour for Kenyan time.
BELOW: Pictorial from Women’s Mile at the World Athletics Road Running Championships Copenhagen on Saturday (September 19, 2016). (All Photos / World Athletics)
