Sheila Chepkirui wins the Valencia Half Marathon (© Sergio Mateo María for Sportmedia)
Sheila Chepkirui and Rodrigue Kwizera stormed up the world half marathon all-time lists with respective wins in 1:03:51 and 58:03 at the Medio Marathon Valencia Trinidad Alfonso Zurich, a World Athletics Gold Label road race, on Sunday (25).
Chepkirui’s world-leading performance saw her become the equal fifth-fastest women’s half marathon runner in history, while Kwizera’s Spanish record moved him to eighth on the men’s world all-time list.
Kenya’s Chepkirui broke away with her Kenyan compatriots Diana Wanza and Daisilah Jerono and the trio reached the 15-kilometre mark in 45:31, 24 seconds ahead of their rivals.
Jerono was dropped before Chepkirui and Wanza reached 20km in 1:00:30, seven seconds ahead of their compatriot.
Chepkirui kicked but Wanza chased hard and they were separated by a single second at the finish line, Chepkirui winning in 1:03:51 and Wanza securing the runner-up spot in 1:03:52, both PBs that move them to fifth and sixth on the world all-time list.
In a race of record depth, Jerono was third in a PB of 1:04:11 as the top six all finished inside 65 minutes, the first time that has ever been achieved. Ethiopia’s Mizan Alem was fourth in 1:04:54 and Senayet Getachew was fifth in 1:04:57, while Kenya’s Caroline Gitonga was sixth in 1:04:59.
In her first race since becoming a mother earlier this year, Ethiopia’s former world 10km record-holder Yalemzerf Yehualaw finished 16th in 1:07:21, while Laura Luengo set a Spanish record of 1:08:28.
Kwizera controlled the men’s race and he led a breakaway group of seven through the 15-kilometre checkpoint in 41:32. The race was down to Kwizera, his training partner Thierry Ndikumwenayo and Victor Kipruto by 20km, reached in 55:13.
Rodrigue Kwizera celebrates his Valencia Half Marathon win (© Sergio Mateo María for Sportmedia)
Then Kwizera kicked and despite looking over his shoulder, he couldn’t be caught, clinching victory in 58:03. Spain’s Ndikumwenayo was second in 58:09 and Kenya’s Kipruto third in 58:12. Tadese Worku (58:33) and Owen Kapkama (58:42) also finished inside 59 minutes.
Kwizera’s 58:03 is faster than the European record although the mark by the 27-year-old, who gained Spanish citizenship earlier this year, will not be recognised as a European record as his transfer from Burundi to Spain has not yet been formalised.
Yimer and Dinki win in Frankfurt
Ethiopia's Zeineba Yimer and Jirata Dinki won at the Mainova Frankfurt Marathon, respectively clocking 2:19:45 and 2:05:26 at the World Athletics Elite Label road race on Sunday (25).
Germany’s Blanka Dörfel impressed on her marathon debut, finishing runner-up in 2:20:46 to move to eighth on the European all-time list despite wet and windy conditions for large parts of the race. Ethiopia’s 20-year-old Beriha Gebreslasie took third with 2:22:46.
Germany’s European champion Amanal Petros was second in the men's race with 2:05:46. Benard Biwott of Kenya, the winner from 2024, finished third in 2:06:23.
