2024-04-30 21:32:04
For the third year in a row, the renewed “Around Cēsīm” race was held in Cēsis, which is organized by SK “Ashais” with the support of the Cēsis county municipality, led by Austri Āboliņa, who pointed out that the organizers tried very hard so that the runners could achieve their goals. Co-organizer Kristīne Vilcāne emphasized that the tradition has returned to stay, but long-time supporter of the run Ansis Kuplis pointed out that activity and involvement are a positive prerequisite for the people of Cēsis and others to be happy, and that the run “Around Cēsīm” is an event where it can be confirmed and where you can enjoy positive emotions, accumulating energy for your daily run.
As in previous years, this popular race, where the number of participants exceeded four hundred, was attended by several of the strongest Latvian runners, who were joined this time by Estonian champions, gradually making this race international and strengthening the lineup even more. Thanks to “Specific”, a producer of quality animal feed, a cash prize fund was provided not only for the first six women and men in 10km, but also for the first three in several age groups in the 5km distance.
Dmitrijs Seryogins celebrated a convincing victory in the men’s 10km with an advantage of more than a minute, who could afford to do ten push-ups before the finish line. The Latvian record holder in the half-marathon, who remained unbeaten in Cēsis in 2022 during the renewal of the race, also set a record for this terrain course with a result of 31:09. Ollavi Allase, multiple Estonian indoor and stadium champion, finished second, while Emīls Matiass Reinfelds, who achieved the Latvian U18 10,000m record two weeks ago in Germany, won two gold medals at the Latvian U18 indoor championship in February. 17 seconds separated Reinfeld from the Estonian.
Renārs Roze, the current vice-champion of Latvia in the marathon, finished fourth, 20 seconds behind the three, and also faster than 33 minutes. Just like last May, Kristaps Vējš-Āboliņš, the bronze medalist in the marathon and the winner of several stages in the “Stirnu buka”, including the first stage of this season in March in Saulkrasti, finished behind Roza in the “Rimi Rīga marathon”, while the sixth place was completed by the Estonian U23 champion Johannes Laurs.
For women, however, the fight for victory turned out to be more equal. In 2022, she took the second place in 5km, last year finishing second behind the track record holder and Latvian record holder Agates Caunes (33:10), this year Alise Petrova finally celebrated her victory, who also showed her good form on March 23 and April 20 in the “Stirnu buka” stages, where he won the school championship distances. Alice, with a personal record of 10 km – 37:55, was the only one who ran faster than 38 minutes and was 16 seconds ahead of the 2003 world vice-champion for young women and multiple Latvian champion Jeļena Ābeli, who is the owner of the season’s best result in the half-marathon. One and a half minutes behind the winner was Kitija Valtere, the owner of all the gold medals in the Latvian running championships, who has been second behind Inna Žolnerovičas twice this year in “Stirnu buka”.
Last year’s 5km winner Marta Luīze Pētersone, who won two gold medals at the Latvian indoor championship in the U18 group, also ran faster than 40 minutes and took the fourth place. The fifth place in a similar battle was taken by Giulietta Jäkabson from Valmiëria, who presented herself well in runners’ circles with two third places in the “Stirnu buka” stages of this season and who was 11 seconds short of running out of 40 minutes. Two-time marathon champion Amanda Krūmiņa finished seven seconds behind Juliet, who two years ago also won the prestigious Vilk distance in the Latvian trail running championship held as part of “Stirnu buka”.
5km for men was the most interesting, because in the last few hundred meters, the long-time leader of the race, Mārtiņas Babkina, was overtaken by the medalist of the Latvian championship in cross-country skiing, Jānis Žagars from Alūksne, setting a record for this competition at this distance – 16:31, and seven seconds ahead of Babkina, who won several awards in national races. This year’s gold and bronze medal winner at the Latvian Indoor Championships in the U16 group, Adrians, the son of Oskars Vaisjūnas, who won more than 20 times in Latvian championships in the throwing disciplines, finished third, who also entered in 17 minutes.
For women, Latvia’s leading youth triathlete and swimming medalist Marta Gustiņa was the only one who ran faster than 20 minutes (19:42), winning. Second place winner Una Pērkone, who took 4th place in the U14 group at the Latvian indoor championship in both 1000m and 2000m, needed a second over twenty minutes to complete the distance. The trio was completed by Charlotte Gredzenas, the eighth runner of the U18 group from Valmiera.
For the teams, where the result was made up of the total number of places won by two men and one woman, SK “Bulta” with Seryogin, Dmitrija Vecgaili and Valteri won.
2024-04-30 21:32:04