Loice Chemnung led a dominant Kenyan top-six finish in the women's race at the tRUNsylvania International 10k in Brasov, clinching victory with an impressive time of 30:13.
Hot on her heels was 2023 African 10,000m champion Janeth Chepngetich who clocked 30:19 for second place with Judy Kemboi completing the podium in 30:29.
Lille 10km road race champion Grace Loibach (30:33), Nelvin Jepkemboi (30:34) and Christine Njoki (30:36) rounded off a strong Kenyan showing.
Chemnung, despite her win, revealed she had her sights set on Agnes Ngetich's 10k world record of 28:46, set at the Valencia Ibercaja earlier this year in January.
"I missed the world record. It's what I was targeting in today's race," she noted.
However.
"I’m really happy to have competed here in Brasov and I thank Brussels for the invitation."
This season has been fruitful for Chemnung. She clocked 30:08 for a sixth-place finish at the Valencia 10k, when Ngetich shattered the world record.
She followed that with a fourth-place finish (30:09) at the Castellon 10k in February before winning the Malaga Half Marathon in March in a time of 1:05:58.
April saw her set a personal best of 29:57 at the Paris 10k while finishing second.
Chemnung went on to claim victory at the Port Gentil 10k in June (30:40) and finished runner-up at the Condor Executive Antrim Coast Half Marathon (1:06:47) in August.
Nineteen-year-old Daniel Kinyanjui had a stunning 10K debut, winning the men's race in 27:08.
Morocco's Amghar Hicham was one micro-second slower in second place, beating defending champion Weldon Langat in a photo finish.
Daniel Kimaiyo came in fourth at 27:15 followed by Patrik Mosin (27:20), Benard Langat (27:24), Abraham Kipyatich (27:29) and Victor Mutai (27:30).
Amos Langat clocked 27:38 to round off the top 10 list. Kinyanjui's season includes a fourth-place finish at the Kenyan championships in May where he clocked 13:43.95 in the 5,000m.
He followed it up with another fourth-place finish at the World U20 trials in June, timing 7:52.57 in the 3,000m.
His most recent exploit was a sixth-place finish in the 5,000m in Hengelo, where he timed 13:24.53.
For their wins, Chemnung and Kinyanjui will walk home Sh643,163 richer.
Second and third-place finishers will pocket Sh321,581 and Sh257,265 repectively.
