Valencia, the marathon that everyone wants to run, crowned the Kenyans John Korir and Joyciline Jepkosgei in two indisputable victories that confirm the capital of Turia as one of the fastest and most delicious events on the calendar. Korir, also winner this year in Boston, … and the previous one in Chicago, he completely dominated the men’s event until reaching the finish line in 2:02:24, the eighth world record of all time. It was a very long sprint of over 15 kilometers after waiting until kilometer 25 and the hares retreated. Along the way, he left his compatriots Hillary Kipkoech and Justus Kangogo, as well as the Ethiopian Gemechu Dida. Shortly before, the Ethiopian Sisay Lemma had also declined, who maintains the record for the event that he achieved during his victory in 2023 (2h01:48). These were different times for him.
Jepkosgei won the women’s event after a long and demanding face-to-face with her compatriot Peres Jepchirchir, current world champion and winner in Valencia in 2020. The duel was only resolved in the last kilometers. Jepkosgei, who minutes before seemed to be throwing in the towel, rallied for a final attack that Jepchirchir was unable to respond to. The winner crossed the finish line in 2:14.00, an event record, the best world record of the year and the fourth all-time record. Jepkosgei adds Valencia to his two most iconic marathon victories: New York 2019 and London 2021.
The duel between Spaniards was won by Ibrahim Chakir, eighteenth in the general classification, with a time of 2:07:18. Jorge González, Carlos Mayo, Jorge Blanco and debutants Nassim Hassaous and Fernando Carro also ran under 2:10, all below the minimum required for the European Championship in Birmingham. Not there was national record holder Tariku Novales, who dropped out after just half an hour of racing due to muscular problems.
Among the women, Meritxell Soler finished in tenth position, in 2h23:49. Esther Navarrete left at 2:24.31. Both men improved their personal bests and also reached the minimum for the European Championship.
No one could overshadow Korir, who made a last-minute commitment to Valencia after that near-suicidal attempt in Chicago, where he ran 30 kilometers at a world record pace with Jacob Kiplimo before collapsing. In the capital of Turia, the strategy has completely changed. He obediently endured the pace imposed on him by the hares, even if his body sometimes demanded that he pass them by his movements. Next to him stood Lemma, visibly forced, plus Kipkoech, Kangogo and Dida. None of them seemed to be able to overshadow Korir, a 29-year-old athlete about whom almost nothing was known until three years ago, when he landed his first podium in a “major”, also in Chicago.
The change happened after kilometer 25, when the hares moved away and left a clear path for Korir to fly. No one even tried to follow him. Straight in his pace and with a very long stride, Korir quickly gained a few meters of distance and began a long journey towards the goal alone. If he achieved the first average in 1h01:46, the second was in 1h00:38, more than a minute faster. It seems like the world is upside down, but this is becoming more and more common.
From behind, the effort had harmful consequences on the pursuing group. Not only Lemma fell, but everyone else. The German Amanal Petros (2h:02:24) and the Norwegian Awet Kibrab (2h04:24) took the opportunity to complete the podium coming from the back.
Korir’s efforts were not enough to improve the test record or surpass the year’s best world record, which would ultimately be Sebastian Sawe’s 2:02:16 in Berlin.
This goal was achieved by Jepkosgei in the women’s event, and with ease. The Kenyan’s time in Valencia improves by almost a minute that achieved by the Ethiopian Hawi Feysa in Chicago (2h14:57). To achieve this, the Kenyan had to beat two heavyweights in the distance: her compatriot Jepchirchir and the Ethiopian Amane Beriso, world champion in 2023 and winner in Valencia in 2022. Beriso, who until now held the record for the event in 2h14:57, lost the rope before the half-marathon and found himself in a face-to-face between the two Kenyans, who supported by their hares imposed a dizzying pace from the start.
Jepkosgei, second in London this year, had a moment of crisis at kilometer 34. She overcame it. And then he took advantage of Jepchirchir’s slowdown to cross the finish line alone and win a prestigious marathon again after several years without good results.
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