3 national records and 20 personal bests broken at ASICS 'Festival of Running'

Over 100 elite athletes ignite the city of Paris during ASICS ‘Festival of Running’

6th April 2024 – ASICS is today sharing the record breaking race results from the elite race at its first-of-its-kind Festival of Running in Paris, which saw runners and athletes converge to demonstrate the power of running to uplift all who run. 

Likina Amebaw, Ethiopia, was the winner in the mixed 10km with a staggering winning time of 29:56 beating her current Personal Best by over a minute, while Jemal Yimer, Ethiopia, took victory in the men’s 10km by matching his Personal Best of 27:43. Hagos Gebrhiwet, Ethiopia, won the men’s 5km with 13:24 while Caroline Nyaga, Kenya, won the mixed 5km at 14:40.

In total, an incredible 3 national records and 20 Personal Bests were recorded by athletes at the brand’s World Athletics ratified speed race. Mohamed Ismael, Djibouti, beat his own national record in the 5km by 2 seconds, achieving a stunning result of 13:32, while Nadia Battocletti set the new Italian record in the 10km at 31:19. Julia Mayer beat the Austrian 10km record with a time of 32:28. Cam Levins equalled the Canadian men’s 10km record with a fantastic run of 28:11.

Over 100 athletes, including Adel Mechaal and Nadia Battocletti, came together for 5km and 10km races, starting and finishing at Palais Royal. The 2.5km racecourse saw the elite runners take to the streets of Paris, finding their speed and igniting the city of lights as the kick off to the three-day running festival.

The races attracted crowds of running fans and local run crews, gathered in the city for the annual marathon weekend. All PBs were achieved by athletes wearing ASICS’ new METASPEED™ PARIS series, which include the METASPEED™ SKY PARIS and the METASPEED™ EDGE PARIS shoes. The shoes combine ASICS’ advanced technologies to support runners who want to feel and perform at their best when chasing down new personal bests. The shoes are the result of a rigorous design and testing process, led by ASICS Institute of Sport Science, involving a number of third-party testers and over one hundred elite athletes around the world.

The full list of race winners is below:

10km Men – Jemal Yimer, 27:43

10km Mixed – Likina Amebaw, 29:56

5km Men – Hagos Gebrhiwet, 13:24

5km Mixed – Caroline Nyaga, 14:40

Lord Sebastian Coe, President of World Athletics, said: “It was a thrilling evening of racing and our ongoing partnership with ASICS brought an array of exceptional athletes – from youth to elite – to the streets of Paris. ASICS created a true milestones event, demonstrating the power of running, their commitment to the sport and the running community ahead of a huge year for the city.”

Olivier Mignon, Director of Sports Marketing, ASICS Global, said: “Our first-of-its-kind Festival of Running showcases what running can do – uniting runners of all abilities and levels, projecting positivity and lifting spirits. Our athletes have achieved amazing results to kick off the weekend, including the standout performances by Julia Mayer who beat her own national record for Austria by a staggering 21 seconds. We’re proud of our team’s accomplishments demonstrating how running moves your mind.”

Full event results can be found attached with top 5 times below. To see a full recap of ASICS’ elite race, re-watch the live stream asics.tv/paris or via https://www.youtube.com/@WorldAthletics.

Men’s 10km

Women’s 10km

Men’s 5km

Women’s 5km

-ENDS-