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Karoline Bjerkeli Grovdal, the European 3000m steeplechase bronze medallist broke Ingrid Kristiansen’s Norwegian 10K record. Kristiansen’s record was 30:59, Grovdal ran 30:32 at the Hytteplanmila in Hole, Norway on Saturday.
Grovdal was coming off of a summer injury due to a stress fracture. Two weeks prior, she ran the Norweigan 5K with a 15:04 performance in Spikkestad.
“It is probably the very best race I have ever done regardless of track, road or cross-country,” Grovdal told NRK after the race.
The performance was the third fastest European 10K all-time behind only Lonah Chemtai Salpeter 30:05 and Paula Radcliffe 30:21.
The 30-year-old won a bronze medal in the 3000m steeplechase at the 2018 European Championships and in the 10,000m at the 2016 edition. Her 5000m best is an impressive 14:51.66.
SHOESTRINGS: Ultrarunner Kilian Jornet made his 10K debut at Hytteplanmila to go head-to-head against the Ingebrigsten brothers, Jakob and Filip. Jornet ran 29:59, while Filip finished in sixth place in 29:03. Jakob ran a ridiculously slow 35:05. It turns out that he was using the race as a workout. Jakob has run as fast as 27:54.