The best half marathon runners in the world come to Valencia in search of records
The Trinidad Alfonso Valencian Half Marathon, organized by SD Correcaminos, is not stopping in its aim of being the fastest half marathon in the world. This year Valencia celebrates its 25th anniversary and there is a high possibility of seeing the fastest time in 2015 and possibly a world record. The Kenyan Bedan Karoki finished the Copenhaguen Half Marathon in 59:14 this year, it is expected that Bedan will at least challenge Abraham Cheroben’s 2014 Valencian time of 58:48. With the cooler weather in Valencia in October this is a real possibility, the flat course also adds to the excitement of somebody breaking the world record of 58:23.
To ensure that records could be broken on the 18th of October the Valencian marathon team has worked all year to guarantee 10 Half marathon specialists, all of whom have finished accredited Half Marathons in less than 60 minutes. First we will highlight the top four finishers from last year: Abraham Cheroben (58:48), Kenneth Kipkemoi (59:01), Matthew Kisorio (59:51 in 2014 and 58:46 in 2011) and Titus Mbisheu (59:55). These runners know the course from last year so we should expect that they will all be pushing to shave some seconds off and create an amazingly close finish to the race. To put this ‘peloton’ under pressure we will see Leonard Patrick Komon running. Leonard is a 10k and 15k specialist, he has only ran 2 half marathons but he recorded a 59:14 in his last race.
More noteworthy mentions in the elite group of runners are Simon Cheprot (59:20 in 2013 and recent finishing time of 59:32), Daniel Chebii (59:49), Vicent Yator (59:56), Edwin Rotich (59:59) and Getu Feleke, a marathon runner who did the 21k in 59:56 and 2h04:50 in the full marathon.
All star female line up
The women’s group of elite runners will be very competitive and a key part of the day’s excitement. The Ethiopian Worknesh Debele (1h07:14) and the Kenyan Rose Chelimo (1h08:22) will be battling for the top spot. Another 5 african sub 1h10 runners will be hot on their heels pushing to win. The Africans, as always, will dominate the podium, but, this year the Japanese athlete Eri Makikawa (1h10:27) adds to the impressive international and elite nature of the Valencian Half Marathon.
The female Valencian track record is 1h08:01. Emily Chebet achieved this time in the 2014 edition of the Trinidad Alfonso Valencia Half Marathon.
