Running News Daily

Kipkorir and Kebeda win a record Madrid Half Marathon

The Kenyan and the Ethiopian claimed victory in the 23rd edition of the event, marked by the record number of participants with 21,000 runners

Kipkorir and Ethiopian Aberash Shilima Kebeda were awarded victory at the twenty-third edition of the Madrid Movistar Half Marathon, marked by the participant record with 21,000 runners and the presence as godparents of Portuguese Rosa Mota and Ethiopian Haile Gebrselassie

The Kenyan Mike Kipkorir and the Ethiopian Kikkorir took the victory in the men's category after a final attack that found no response from their pursuers, reaching the finish line in 1h01:07, thirteen seconds less than the Ugandan Ezekiel Mutai.

The first Spaniard at the finish line was Ayad Lamdassem, tenth at the finish line, with 1h06:45.

In the women's category, the Ethiopian Aberash Shilima Kebeda dominated the test quite well to take the victory with 1h08:31, almost a minute and a half ahead of her pursuers, the Kenyans Beatrice Nyaboke Begi and Vivian Jerotich Kosgei, second and third, respectively.

Clara Simal from Madrid, from the Marathon Sports Group, organizer of the event, was once again the first Spanish finisher, also repeating the ninth place overall that she already achieved in 2023.

ProFuturo Career

The ProFuturo 5km Race was also held parallel to the Movistar Madrid Half Marathon. This solidarity test was born in 2016 with a clear objective: running for education.

The victory went to Claudia Moreno (20:15) in the women's category and to Sergio Salinero (17:20) in the men's category

The Paralympic athlete Lorenzo Albaladejo, considered the best athlete with cerebral palsy in the history of Spain in speed events, also completed the test, as did Rosa Mota, the Portuguese marathon runner, holder of the triple crown with an Olympic, World Cup and European marathon.

The 2020 edition of Medio Marathon de Madrid has been cancelled because of coronavirus

The 2020 edition of the Movistar Medio Maraton de Madrid has been cancelled due to coronavirus-related health and safety concerns for the athletes, spectators, volunteers and staff.

After being postponed from March 29th to October 4th, finally the organisation made the decision due to the current situation worldwide and the uncertainty about a massive event with almost 20,000 participants.

The Carrera ProFuturo 5K, the Expo and other side events have also been cancelled.

“Safety is the main concern and we look forward to hosting the 20th edition on April 11 2021,” said the organisers.

World Athletics awards the Silver Label to the Madrid Half Marathon

World Athletics has awarded the Madrid Half Marathon the distinction of 'Silver Label', for which it recognizes the Madrid race as one of the best road races in the world.This distinction increases the international positioning of the traditional half marathon that will meet 20 years on March 29, 2020.

The 'Silver Label' comes to improve the bronze category achieved in the last edition and places the Madrid Half Marathon at the level of 26 other asphalt races that share this distinction.

In the world there are only nine half marathons with the gold label, the highest distinction, and one of them is Spanish: the eDreams Mitja Marató from Barcelona.

To achieve the new cataloging, the Madrid event has managed to overcome all the necessary parameters and requirements regarding its organizational quality, safety, elite sports level, number of registered, international promotion, media impact and exposure of the test.

In the last edition there were 20,000 participants.

Course record fill at the Madrid Half Marathon Sunday

Kenya’s Kipkemoi Kiprono and Tigist Teshome of Ethiopia secured their respective victories at the Movistar Madrid Half Marathon, an IAAF Bronze Label road race, on Sunday April 7. 

While the men’s victor managed to lower the previous race record by seven seconds thanks to a 1:01:47 performance, Teshome’s clocking came 28 seconds outside the women’s best.

The men’s race opened at a cautious rhythm as the first half of the race was uphill. The leading group reached five kilometres in 15:07, composed of 12 men including the favourites Kiprono, Ronald Kiptotich, Bernard Kiprop Kipyego, Ethiopia’s Tesfaye Abera and South Africa’s Desmond Mokgobu.

Kenya’s Langat Kipkurui went through the 10km checkpoint in 30:10 closely followed by Kiprono and the Ethiopian tandem of Abera and Erkihum Jenberie as the main group had whittled down to nine.

Once the race entered in the downhill section the pace increased dramatically. It was the eventual winner Kiprono who took charge of the race to clock a 14:32 split for the next five kilometres (44:43 overall), a pace that only Abera, Kiprotich and Erkihum could mustre.

Shortly before the 18th kilometre, Kiprono shook off his rivals and began to cushion his lead and turning his attention, successfully, to breaking the 1:01:54 course record.

In the fight for the runner-up spot Abera, a 2:04:24 marathoner, got the better of Kiprotich, 1:01:59 and 1:02:02 their respective times. The Ethiopian was making his first outing in 18 months while the unheralded Kenyan set a new career best.

Paced by Spain’s Francisco Javier de León, the women’s contest kicked off at a steady 3:20/km clip with five Ethiopian runners at the front: Teshome, Hawi Magersa, Abebech Mulugeta, Obse Abdeta and Aberu Ayana. Mulugeta was the first to drop while the remaining four clocked 33:32 for the opening 10km.

Around the 12th kilometre, Teshome and Magersa broke away, reaching 15 kilometres in 50:03. Teshome’s relentless pace paid off shortly afterwards when she forged on alone, eventually reaching the line in 1:10:08, a new personal best.

Magersa was second in 1:10:55 while Mulugeta regrouped to finish third in 1:11:08.

Several runners set for the Madrid Half Marathon are capable of breaking the course Record

Ethiopia’s Tesfaye Abera, who boasts an impressive 2:04:24 marathon PB set in Dubai in 2016, has a best of 1:00:32 for the 13.1-mile distance but hasn’t raced since October 2017.

He will face stiff opposition from Kenya’s Emmanuel Kipsang, Kipkemoi Kiprono and Bernard Kiprop Kipyego. Kipsang and Kiprono have sub-1:01 PBs, but managed 1:02:24 and 1:03:38 at the Rome-Ostia Half Marathon four weeks ago. Kipyego is the 2009 world half marathon silver medallist and has a best of 59:10 but hasn’t bettered 1:01 since 2014.

Uganda’s Daniel Rotich set his 1:00:59 PB in 2016 and should be in contention for a podium place, as will South Africa’s Desmond Mokgobu. Spanish hopes rest with Javier Guerra, a 1:01:18 athlete who will use Sunday’s event as a build-up for the Madrid Marathon later this month.

The men’s race record of 1:01:54 was set by Uganda’s Moses Kibet in 2017, while the women’s record of 1:09:40 has stood to Cynthia Jerotich since 2014 and looks similarly vulnerable.

Ethiopia’s Muliye Dekebo, who produced a huge career best of 1:07:57 in Rome last month, leads a large Ethiopian contingent which also includes Tigist Teshome, Hawi Magersa, Abebech Mulugeta Aynalem Kassahun Teferi, Aberu Ayana and Adawork Sadura.

Italy’s Sara Dossena, who set a big PB of 2:24:00 at the Nagoya Marathon four weeks ago, will be trying to prevent an Ethiopian victory and looks capable of breaking her PB of 1:10:10. Morocco’s Soukaina Atanane and Burundi’s Elvanie Nimbona should also feature among the lead pack.

More than 20,000 runners will take part in the event.