Trieste – Ethiopian runner Baneta Gemechu Godana and Italian runner Joyce Mattagliano won the tenth edition of the Corsa dei Castelli in Trieste on Sunday, October 18, 2026. Godana set a new course record of 27:47 minutes on the 10-kilometer route from Miramare Castle to Piazza Unità. According to the organizer, ASD Promorun, a total of over 5,000 runners participated in the various races held that day.
The men’s race was marked by a thrilling duel at the front. Baneta Gemechu Godana was locked in a neck-and-neck race with the young Ugandan Thomas Cheptoyek. In the final sprint, Godana prevailed by just one second and improved the previous course record by three seconds. Cheptoyek finished his debut at this distance in 27:48 minutes. Kenyan Andrew Kiptoo rounded out the podium, finishing well behind in 28:40 minutes.
The top local runner was Marco Burello from the Atletica Monfalcone club. He crossed the finish line in sixth place overall with a time of 31:37 minutes. The winner, Godana—who had previously won the Friuli Doc Run, organized by the same event organizer, in 2025—expressed great satisfaction after the race. He described the race as beautiful and very fast and said he was delighted with his new personal best.
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