Running News Daily

Records smashed in Malaga Half Marathon

Kenyan runners Geofry Toroitich and Boniface Kibiwott set new records in the men's category and Caroline Nyaguthii and Veronica Loleo in the women's during a windy day in the city.

The 32nd edition of the TotalEnergies Malaga Half Marathon saw records smashed left, right and center. In fact, four records were broken, exclusively by Kenyan athletes, as the race unraveled on the streets of Malaga city on Sunday morning.

In the men's category, Geofry Toroitich, with a time of 59:13, and Boniface Kibiwott (59:23) shattered the race record, beating Josphat Kiptoo Chumo's 2022 time by one minute and 22 seconds.

An early lead

Despite the headwinds in the first section, the race started well for both, with the five-kilometer mark reached in 13:52, and the 10-kilometer point at 27:58. By the 15-kilometer mark (at 2:48 per kilometer), the leading duo was already firmly established.

In the women's race, compatriots Caroline Nyaguthii (1h.07:36) and Veronica Loleo (1h.08:03) also set new records for the event. Both athlete's times far surpassed the previous mark of 1h.10:20.

Long straights and few curves

As evidenced by the new times, the Malaga Half Marathon features an ideal course - starting and finishing at the city's athletics stadium - for setting records, with long straights, only six curves and minimal elevation changes.

The route was mostly flat, along the Malaga coast and around the port, with just one steep incline at the end of Paseo de los Curas.

With some six thousand athletes participating in the race, the event has become one of Spain's top half marathons and the 22nd fastest in the world.