Valencia Half Marathon announces the names of the first athletes taking part in its ambitious ‘Elite Edition’
The Valencia Marathon Trinidad Alfonso EDP is organising an Elite Edition marathon and half marathon to be held on 6 December 2020 and it can now confirm the names of the first male and female athletes who will seek to achieve the most ambitious sporting goal possible by trying to set new race records.
in the Valencia Half Marathon Elite Edition, which will also be held on 6 December but without overlapping on the course with the marathon, will include a team of athletes who will seek, in the fast streets of Valencia Ciudad del Running, to approach the world record for both men (58:01) and women (1h04:21).
The Kenyan Rhonex Kipruto, who achieved the world record at 10K (26:24) in the Ibercaja Valencia 10K, is the big favourite to fight for a world-beating time at 21,097.5 metres, along with another runner who has not yet premiered in the half marathon, the Ugandan Jacob Kiplimo (26:41 at 10K). And up to ten more runners with times below 60 minutes augur well for a very fast race. Stephen Kiprop (58:42), Bedan Karoki (58:42), Bernard Ngeno (59:07), Alexander Mutiso (59:09), Julien Wanders (59:13 and European record), Philemon Kiplimo (59:28), Geoffrey Koech (59:36), Gabriel Geay (59:42), Alfred Barkach (59:46) and Kelvin Kiptum (59:53) will be running to beat their best times.
And in the women’s race, distance debutante Ethiopian Letensenbet Gidey, with the world’s best time over 15K (44:20) along with Kenyan Sheila Chepkirui, winner of the 10K in Valencia and Prague, will fight for the best women’s time in history alongside the experience of 2019 winner Senbere Teferi (1h05:32).
For Marc Roig, International Elite Coach for the Valencia Marathon and Half Marathon “we have worked hard in recent months to put together two lists that include the highest-level elite athletes, to break our own records and get as close as possible to the world records for the two distances. Along with these names, there are others to be confirmed that will, without a doubt, make Valencia the biggest race of 2020”.
The Valencia Marathon Elite Edition will also look forward to achieve this ambitious goals.
Thanks to the Trinidad Alfonso Foundation and the sponsors for their support
This Elite Edition, which is organised by SD Correcaminos and Valencia City Council, will be possible thanks to the financial support of the entrepreneur Juan Roig through the Trinidad Alfonso Foundation, which he presides over. The foundation, which is the main partner for both races, is promoting this high-level double event as one of the strategic events included in the #EActíVateSport programme that it has launched to promote the reactivation of sports events in Valencia. In addition, the loyalty shown by the sponsors and collaborators in the Valencia Marathon and Half-Marathon in 2020 will also help to ensure that this event takes place. The organisers will create a health bubble around the race and take stringent safety measures to ensure a great sports event with minimal health risk. The race will have its own medical app, which will be supported by an external consultant to collect all the data and ensure, if necessary, the traceability of the movements made by the athletes and other people involved in organising the race.
