Kenenisa Bekele and Alemu Megertu lead Valencia line-ups
The Spanish city hosts star-studded fields, with athletes hoping to run extremely quick times on the traditionally fast course.
Some of the greatest marathon runners in the world will once again descend on Valencia on Sunday (December 1), just two months on from the horrific floods that devastated the region.
Given the severity of the damage on Valencia – it saw two months of rain in as many days at the end of October – there was uncertainty about whether the event would even take place.
Organisers decided that the Valencia Marathon would go ahead in the end, with a moment of remembrance occurring before the start of the elite races.
“It will be a hug to this wounded city and a promise of recovery, a moment in which sport becomes hope and help for those who need it most,” organisers said.
“This year, the record we want to beat is that of solidarity, the record of a marathon that will remind each one of us of the power of being together. The immense strength of the collective as a society, and of sport, as a vehicle for reconstruction and recovery.
“We want that Valencia Marathon, your race, be a symbol of support for every family that has suffered, for every street and every corner of Valencia that is in the process of reconstruction.”
People lining the streets can look forward to watching some scintillating action, with a myriad of stars taking to the streets of the Spanish city.
A stacked men’s field is led by Kenenisa Bekele and Sisay Lemma.
Bekele, a triple Olympic and five-time world track champion, is the third fastest marathon runner in history, with his personal best of 2:01:41 set back in Berlin five years ago.
The 42-year-old also created in history at last year’s Valencia Marathon, after he became the first athlete aged over 40 to run a sub-2:05 marathon, clocking 2:04:19.
At this year’s London Marathon, Bekele lowered that mark by four seconds, before going on to finish 39th for Ethiopia in the Olympic marathon in Paris.
On paper, Lemma – the reigning champion in Valencia – is the one to beat once again.
Last year, the 33-year-old clocked 2:01:48 in his victory, going fourth on the all-time list over 26.2 miles behind Bekele, Eliud Kipchoge and the late Kelvin Kiptum.
Lemma also secured the Boston marathon crown back in March and is a two-time major marathon champion, after his victory in London three years ago.
The athlete who might be most likely to challenge Lemma is Sabastian Sawe, who is the world half-marathon champion and making his debut over 26.2 miles in Valencia.
The Kenyan’s first ever marathon carries a lot of anticipation and expectation, given the 28-year-old’s personal best in the half-marathon is a blistering 58:05, which he set in Copenhagen back in September.
Double Tokyo Marathon champion Birhanu Legese and the 2021 Berlin Marathon winner Guye Adola will also be ones to watch.
The British challenge is led by Ross Braden, who boasts a personal best of 2:14:32 from London two years ago and has clocked 2:19:49 this season. Dan Nash and Norman Shreeve are also among the British men in action.
Expect a pulsating battle in the women’s field, with Ethiopian Megertu Alemu the stand-out name, following the withdrawal of her compatriot Amane Beriso through injury.
Alemu, who’s placed second and third at the London Marathon in the last two years respectively, has a best of 2:16:34, which has her 14th on the all-time list.
You should also be aware of Hiwot Gebrekidan and Tiruye Mesfin, who are the second and third quickest athletes in the women’s field, with respective bests of 2:17:59 and 2:18:47.
Sara Hall flies the flag for the US and goes into Valencia off the back of fifth and 15th place finishes at the US Olympic Marathon trials and Boston.
Clara Evans will be hoping to improve her PB of 2:25:01, which was set in Valencia last year, after finishing top British woman at the Olympics with 46th place in Paris.
Evans is fresh from setting a Welsh half-marathon record of 69:00 in Valencia too.
She is joined by fellow Brits Becky Briggs and Alice Wright among others.
Ireland’s Fionnuala McCormack finishes off a spectacular season in the Spanish City, with the 40-year-old having finished 28th in the Olympic marathon – her fourth Games – in Paris.
Another fascinating storyline is that of Alice Braham, who is aiming to get near her personal best of 2:35:20 from 2008.
The 48-year-old became the oldest British female to run a marathon in under 2:40 in Berlin, clocking an incredible 2:39:42 on the streets of the German capital.
Braham recently spoke exclusively with AW, opening up about how she got into running, overcoming adversity and her top tips for others over 26.2 miles.
posted Friday November 29th
by Tim Adams