Joyciline Jepkosgei wins the Valencia Marathon Trinidad Alfonso (© Getty Images)
Kenya’s Joyciline Jepkosgei set a world lead of 2:14:00 to move to fourth on the world all-time list at the Valencia Marathon Trinidad Alfonso – a World Athletics Elite Platinum Label event – on Sunday (7).
The 31-year-old improved the course record by almost a minute and finished 43 seconds ahead of her compatriot Peres Jepchirchir, who became the sixth-fastest women’s marathon runner in history with her runner-up performance of 2:14:43.
In the men’s race, Kenya’s John Korir claimed a dominant win in 2:02:24, improving his PB by 20 seconds to record the third-quickest time of the year and move to eighth on the world all-time list.
The women’s contest had been billed as a thrilling clash between the two Kenyan aces Jepchirchir and Jepkosgei, their respective lifetime bests just eight seconds apart (2:16:16 and 2:16:24).
Perfectly paced by Julius Bwambok (Jepchirchir) and Felix Kibiwott Ruto (Jepkosgei), both reached the 5km mark in 16:16 in the company of the Ethiopian pair of 2023 world champion Amane Beriso and Fikrte Wereta. First Wereta was dropped and then Beriso lost touch as they approached 10km, resulting in the anticipated Jepchirchir versus Jepkosgei showdown.
The pair went through 10km in 32:00 and their cadence began to increase as the following 10km section was covered in a frantic 31:06. They reached the half-marathon mark in 1:06:34, putting them on track for a big improvement on the targeted world-leading performance of 2:14:57. They were followed some way back by Wereta (1:08:27) and Beriso (1:09:08).
Another powerful 31:41 10km split saw them reach 30km in 1:34:47 and the race entered its most thrilling phase as Jepchirchir’s pacemaker dropped out. Even so, the world champion managed to create a slight gap on Jepkosgei, but the latter responded.
The key movement came with around three kilometres remaining, when Jepkosgei maintained her 3:10/3:11 kilometre rhythm but Jepchirchir, competing just 12 weeks after claiming the world title in Tokyo, began to gradually lose ground and she was 15 seconds back by the 40km mark.
Jepkosgei was rewarded with a prestigious win and big PB of 2:14:00, while 2020 winner Jepchirchir held on for the runner-up spot in 2:14:43 – the second-fastest time in the world this year and another huge PB.
In the fight for the remaining place on the podium, the fading Wereta and Beriso were easily overtaken by several athletes and third place was secured by Chloe Herbiet who ran a four-minute PB of 2:20:38 to break the long-standing Belgian record of 2:23:06. She ran a perfectly-judged race, completed with a negative split (1:10:51 and 1:09:47). Finland’s Alisa Vainio and Australia’s Jessica Stenson finished fourth and fifth in respective national records of 2:20:48 and 2:21:24.
Jepkosgei, who set the second of her world half marathon records in Valencia in 2017, said: “I’m so excited. I can’t believe I have won here. Definitely Valencia brings me good luck, as I set a world half marathon record here some years ago. I’m delighted to have bettered my PB by such a large amount.”
The men’s event promised an assault on the world lead of 2:02:16 set by Sebastian Sawe in Berlin. Perfectly guided by a trio of pacemakers – Benson Tunyo, Francis Abong and Mako Ako – a large leading men’s group went through the opening 5km in 14:37, slightly slower than scheduled.
That pace was maintained until the leading pack reached the 10km checkpoint in 29:17. The group had whittled down to five athletes by then: Ethiopia’s course record-holder Sisay Lemma and debutant Gemechu Dida, plus Kenyans Korir, Hillary Kipkoech and Justus Kangogo. Korir was always to the fore, running closest to the pacemakers.
Another 5km split of 14:33 meant they reached 15km in 43:50 as Lemma led the quintet and Korir ran at the back of the pack at that point. The pace settled at 2:56 per kilometre and they reached the half-marathon mark in 1:01:46.
It was Dida who took charge of the pacing duties once the pacemakers dropped out at around 25km (1:13:17), but he was soon overtaken by Korir. The 2024 Chicago and 2025 Boston marathon winner then upped the pace to quickly open a sizeable margin over his four chasers, although Lemma soon began to lose ground
Korir was a lonesome leader by the 30km checkpoint, which he reached in 1:27:31 – 35 seconds ahead of the trio of Kangogo, Kipkoech and Dida. Meanwhile, a charging Amanal Petros travelled another 45 seconds back alongside Norwegian debutant Awet Kibrab.
Korir covered the 30-40km section in 28:39 to widen his lead and threaten the world lead, finally crossing the finish line in a lifetime best of 2:02:24 after respective halves of 1:01:47 and 1:00:37.
Germany’s world silver medallist Petros finished like a train to secure the runner-up place and regain the German record thanks to a 2:04:03 effort (1:02:41 and 1:01:22) and Kibrab took a surprise third place in a national record of 2:04:24. Japan’s Suguru Osako also dipped under the 2:05 barrier thanks to a national record of 2:04:55. Olympic triathlon champion Alex Yee finished seventh in 2:06:38.
“I’m over the moon as I got the win and also a career best,” said Korir. “After my DNF in Chicago I believed in myself and soon set the goal of building up for Valencia. My main target today was the win but I knew that would likely lead me to a very fast time, so I can’t ask for more.”
Emeterio Valiente for World Athletics
Leading results
Women
1 Joyciline Jepkosgei (KEN) 2:14:00
2 Peres Jepchirchir (KEN) 2:14:43
3 Chloe Herbiet (BEL) 2:20:38
4 Alisa Vainio (FIN) 2:20:48
5 Jessica Stenson (AUS) 2:21:24
6 Glenrose Xaba (RSA) 2:23:22
7 Isobel Batt-Doyle (AUS) 2:23:35
8 Lonah Salpeter (ISR) 2:23:45
9 Meritxell Soler (ESP) 2:23:49
10 Natasha Wilson (GBR) 2:24:21
Men
1 John Korir (KEN) 2:02:24
2 Amanal Petros (GER) 2:04:03
3 Awet Kibrab (NOR) 2:04:24
4 Suguru Osako (JPN) 2:04:55
5 Gashau Ayale (ISR) 2:05:29
6 Justus Kangogo (KEN) 2:06:11
7 Alex Yee (GBR) 2:06:38
8 Felix Bour (FRA) 2:06:41
9 Filmon Tesfu (NED) 2:06:42
10 Gemechu Dida (ETH) 2:06:45
