Burundian-born Spanish distance runner Rodrigue Kwizera is one of the most successful long-distance runners on the current global scene. An overall World Cross Country Tour winner and World Championships finalist over 10,000 m, his personal bests stand at 26:54 for the 10K and 58:16 for the half marathon. Two-time winner of the Prague Half Marathon and record holder of this race. This year in Madrid he achieved a time of 26:01 in an unofficial 10K race (the course profile does not comply with the regulations)
Kenyan distance runner Isaac Kibet Ndiema is one of the fastest 10K road specialists in the field. He set his personal best of 26:55 in Brasov in September 2022, finishing third in a race whose time placed him joint seventh on the world all-time list at that point. On the track his bests stand at 13:06.18 for 5,000 m and 27:45.65 for 10,000 m, and on the road he has continued to race the fastest European fields, running 27:16 in Lille in 2024.
Kenyan distance runner Victor Kipruto Kiprono is a rising star on the international road racing circuit. Known for his strong finishing pace, he has established himself among the elite with impressive performances in major European races. His personal bests stand at a swift 27:10 for the 10K road race in Castellón 2025.
Uruguayan distance runner Santiago Catrofe is one of South America’s most successful long-distance runners today, holding multiple national records on both the track and the road. A South American Champion and World Championships competitor, he regularly races against the elite global field. His personal bests stand at 27:16 for the 10K road race and 1:00:21 for the half marathon.
Dutch distance runner Filimon Tesfu is one of his country‘s top distance runners and holds several national titles on the road and in cross country. A regular contender at the European Championships, he consistently delivers strong performances in high-caliber international fields. His personal bests stand at 27:45 for the 10K road race, 1:00:38 for the half marathon and also an excellent marathon time from this year‘s Rotterdam 2:06:40.
Japanese distance runner Tomoya Ogikubo is among his country’s leading men over 10,000 m and the half marathon. His track best of 27:38.28 came at Hachioji in November 2024. In February 2026 he ran 1:00:22 at the Kagawa Marugame International Half Marathon, finishing fourth as the first Japanese athlete home with a time that ranks eighth on the Japanese all-time list. He set his 10K road personal best of 28:15 in Laredo in April 2026.
Czech distance runner Damián Vích is one of the leading figures on the domestic running scene, excelling on both track and road. He is an eight-time Czech national champion, holding four indoor and four outdoor titles. On the RunCzech circuit, he has dominated the Mattoni Karlovy Vary Half Marathon, taking consecutive overall victories in 2025 and 2026. His personal best from last year´s Valencia 10K (28:21) is the second fastest Czech time in history.
Czech distance runner Patrik Vebr has established himself as one of the country’s top road runners. He achieved an impressive hat-trick at the Prague Half Marathon, finishing as the top Czech runner three years in a row in 2023, 2024, and 2025. Across the RunCzech series, he consistently ranks among the highest-placed domestic athletes.
Kenyan distance runner Clare Chemtai Ndiwa is an emerging talent on the world road racing scene. She proved her elite potential in January 2026 at the prestigious 10K Valencia, claiming an impressive thirdplace finish. In a high-caliber field, she clocked a career-best 10K time of 29:49, firmly breaking the sub-30-minute barrier.
Ethiopian distance runner Chaltu Dida Diriba is a formidable contender on both the track and the road. In 2025, she set a 5,000 m PB of 14:27.11 at the Rome Diamond League and placed third over 10,000 m (30:33.86) in Oslo. She showcased her great road racing form in February 2026, setting a blistering 10K PB of 29:50 in Castellón.
Kenyan distance runner Purity Kajuju Gitonga is an exceptionally versatile athlete with success on the road, track, and in mountain running. A former team world champion in mountain running, she has gradually transitioned to the roads, where she regularly claims victories at prestigious European races. She set her 10K road personal best of 30:04 in Abbeville, France, in June 2026.
German distance runner Konstanze Klosterhalfen, known as Koko, is one of Europe’s most decorated track athletes of the past decade. The Bayer Leverkusen athlete won 5,000 m gold at the 2022 European Championships in Munich and took 5,000 m bronze at the 2019 World Championships in Doha, adding European Indoor silver medals over 1500 m and 3,000 m. She holds the German records from 1500 m to 10,000 m, including 14:26.76 for 5,000 m, and won the Valencia Half Marathon on her debut at the distance in 2022. In 2026 she improved her own German 10K road record to 30:37 in Laredo, where she finished second.
Czech national runner Tereza Hrochová is a top domestic endurance athlete across track, road, and trail. Recently she finished 9th at the European Athletic Championships Marathon. She is a two-time Olympic marathoner (Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024) and multi-time national champion. Also, she won the 2026 Mattoni Karlovy Vary Half Marathon and set the Czech and European course record at the Mattoni České Budějovice Half Marathon with a personal best of 1:10:52. She also holds the national road 10k record (31:05) set at the Valencia 10K race 2026.
Czech distance runner Bára Stýblová is a five-time national champion spanning track, road, and cross-country events. Internationally, she earned team world gold in mountain running in 2016 and placed 9th in the team event at the 2023 European Cross Country Championships. Holding a half marathon personal best of 1:13:57, she finished as the third fastest Czech runner at the 2026 Mattoni České Budějovice Half Marathon.
