The best group of half-marathoners that the Trinidad Alfonso Valencia Half Marathon has ever had

Some of the fastest runners in the world will take part in the Trinidad Alfonso Valencia Half Marathon, which was awarded IAAF Road Race Gold Label and it was also the fastest half marathon both for men and women in 2014 and 2015. Ten athletes whose times are under one hour will compete in Valencia, among them Abraham Cheroben, who won the past two editions. The Kenyan runner who holds the actual race record (58:48) will try to win his third consecutive crown in the Trinidad Alfonso Valencia Half Marathon.

However, it will be more difficult for Cheroben to win this time. There are other favourites in this edition: the Kenyan Solomon Kirwa Yego with 58:44 in the 2016 Rome-Ostia Half Marathon (world record of the season) and Stephen Kosgei Kibet, whose time was 58:54 in the 2014 The Hague Half Marathon. All the men who will compete in Valencia are great, among them the Ethiopian Guye Adola (59:06 in New Delhi), the winner in Usti Barselius Kypyego (59:15) and the record holder in 10K and 15K, Leonard Patrick Komon.

The best group of women ever seen in Valencia

Valencia will not only host the best male runners but it will also be the place where the best female athletes compete. The current winner of the race, Netsanet Gudeta Kebede, will have to try her best to repeat last year’s victory. The favourite runner of this edition is Violah Jepchumba, a Kenyan athlete who holds the world record this year with 1:05:51 in the Prague Half Marathon 2016 and who has not been beaten yet this season.

Expectiations are even greater since the World Half Marathon Champion, Peres Jepchirchir, who won the gold medal in Cardiff last March, will also compete in Valencia. The silver medal of the 2015 Valencia Half Marathon, Worknesh Degefa Debele, who is one of the favourites, will also run with them. The current gold medal of the Trinidad Alfonos Valencia Marathon, Beata Naigambo, will compete in the Half Marathon too.

The Trinidad Alfonso Valencia Half Marathon is organized by SD Correcaminos with the support of the Trinidad Alfonso Foundation.