Guillemot kicks to world road mile title in Copenhagen

Agathe Guillemot wins in Copenhagen (© World Athletics Gaelle Mobuchon)

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 (19).

The French 27-year-old remained patient as a large lead group stayed together for much of the V-shaped course through Copenhagen, before moving to the front with little more than 20 seconds of racing remaining and kicking 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. Kenya’s Mirriam Cherop earned bronze in 4:25.71, also a season’s best, while home favourite Annemarie Nissen delighted the Danish crowd by finishing fourth in a PB of 4:26.78.

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.

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 and Guillemot were content to tuck into a tightly packed group as the athletes headed along Østerbrogade.

The Copenhagen course sent the athletes out along Østerbrogade before turning them back towards the finish near Parken Stadium, and 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 Guillemot stayed close enough to react without committing too soon.

Her patience proved crucial. With 3:57 on the clock and the finish line in sight, Guillemot swept into the lead and accelerated hard. 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. She 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.

Speaking on the eve of the championships, Guillemot had made clear how much she wanted one final reward from a long season.

“I can’t wait for tomorrow,” she said. “I am hoping for a medal. That would be the perfect way to finish the season.” She duly got one, and of the brightest colour.

Behind her, Hailu showed once again how well suited she is to the road mile. The Ethiopian had run 4:23.06 when finishing second to Diribe Welteji at the 2023 championships in Riga and returned to the same step of the podium in Copenhagen.

One of the biggest cheers of the race, meanwhile, was reserved for Nissen. The Dane stayed with the leading contenders throughout and was rewarded with fourth place in 4:26.78.

Kenya’s Naomi Korir followed in a PB of 4:29.15, just ahead of Jamaica’s Adelle Tracey, who also set a PB with 4:29.30. Australia’s Linden Hall was seventh in an area record of 4:29.36, with Canada’s Lucia Stafford eighth in a PB of 4:29.51.

Jon Mulkeen for World Athletics

1 Agathe Guillemot (FRA) 4:22.742 Freweyni Hailu (ETH) 4:24.353 Mirriam Cherop (KEN) 4:25.714 Annemarie Nissen (DEN) 4:26.785 Naomi Korir (KEN) 4:29.156 Adelle Tracey (JAM) 4:29.307 Linden Hall (AUS) 4:29.368 Lucia Stafford (CAN) 4:29.519 Gabriela DeBues-Stafford (CAN) 4:30.5910 Addison Wiley (USA) 4:31.02