Dutch super-talent Niels Laros ran the fastest ever road 5km by a European U20 in Monaco on Sunday (11).
The 18-year-old double European U20 champion finished third in 13:26 - also an outright Dutch record - behind reigning European cross country champion Yann Schrub from France in 13:22 with Norway’s Abdullahi Dahir Rabi returning to form after illness and injury in second in 13:24.
Reigning European U23 10,000m champion Rory Leonard from Great Britain was fourth in 13:31.
Ethiopia’s Likina Amebaw, who lives and trains in Spain and is in the process of securing Spanish citizenship, won the women’s 5km in a solo 14:35.
Fastest ever European debut for Almgren in Barcelona
Andreas Almgren continued his ascent through the distances with a brilliantly fast half marathon debut in the Barcelona Half Marathon on Sunday (11) morning.
The former 800m specialist finished second behind Kenya’s former world record-holder Kibiwott Kandie in a Swedish record of 59:23 to move to second on the European all-time list behind Julien Wanders’ continental record of 59:13.
"Maybe I didn't think that I would lower the [Swedish] record by almost two minutes, but I felt that I am in very good shape, so I wanted to go under 60 minutes. I started even a little faster and felt strong, so I thought I'll continue and we'll see how it goes," said Almgren as quoted by Svensk Friidrott.
Almgren came to note a decade ago when he won a bronze medal in the 800m at the 2014 World U20 Championships before finishing fourth at the 2015 European Athletics Indoor Championships in Prague when he was still a teenager before injuries stalled his nascent career.
In recent years, Almgren has focused on the longer distances and has set Swedish records in the 1500m (3:32.00) and 5000m (13:01.70) as well as on the roads 10km (27:20) and now the half marathon (59:23).
Another former two lap specialist, Great Britain's Jessica Warner-Judd finished fourth in the women’s race in a lifetime best of 67:07 with European cross country bronze medallist Abbie Donnelly fifth, also in a lifetime best of 69:10.
Camilla Richardsson finished seventh in a Finnish record of 69:55, eclipsing the former mark of 70:04 set by former European cross country champion Annemari Sandell in 1998.
Steven Mills for European Athletics