Sebastian Sawe and Megertu Alemu Shine with Spectacular Wins at Valencia Marathon 2024
.jpg)
Kenya’s Sebastian Sawe and Ethiopia’s Megertu Alemu delivered extraordinary performances to claim victories at the 2024 Valencia Marathon Trinidad Alfonso. Sawe’s stunning debut marathon of 2:02:05 set a world-leading time, while Alemu’s commanding 2:16:49 earned her the biggest win of her career. The event showcased historic achievements, with numerous personal bests, national records, and world all-time rankings rewritten.
The 22-year-old moved to the top of the world seasonal list ahead of Benson Kipruto, who won the Tokyo Marathon in 2:02:16 last March. Last year, he won the world half marathon gold medal in Riga.
The Kenyan athlete also climbed to fifth on the world all-time list behind Kelvin Kiptum (2:00:35), Eliud Kipchoge (2:01:09), Kenenisa Bekele (2:01:41), and Sisay Lemma (2:01:48). Sawe became the second-fastest debutant ever.
Men's Race:
A front group led by three Kenyan pacemakers, Samwel Mailu, Erick Sang, and Vincent Nyageo, went through the 5 km in 14:31.
Nine athletes, including course record-holder Sisay Lemma, three-time Olympic gold medallist Kenenisa Bekele, Deresa Geleta, Sebastian Sawe, and Hillary Kipkoech, ran together in the first half of the race, going through the 10 km in 29:04, the 15 km in 43:39, and the 21 km in 1:01:17, 42 seconds slower than last year’s split when Lemma improved the course record of 2:01:48.
Bekele was one of the first casualties at 23 km. The leading pack whittled down to just five athletes as they reached the 30 km mark in 1:27:21: Mateiko, Lemma, Legese, Sawe, and Geleta. Lemma lost ground as Mateiko went to the front. Once the last pacemaker dropped out with 1:33 on the clock, Lemma continued to lose ground.
The race intensified as Mateiko surged ahead, creating a five-second gap over Sawe and Geleta at the 32 km mark, while Legese struggled to keep up. However, by 36 km, Sawe and Geleta had closed the gap, rejoining Mateiko at the front.
Sawe found another gear with six km to go and broke away from his rivals, taking a commanding lead of 20 seconds over Geleta and 55 seconds over Mateiko by 40 km (1:55:42), before crossing the finish line in 2:02:05. Sawe’s time was just 12 seconds short of the course record of 2:01:53 set by Kelvin Kiptum in 2022. He ran the final 5 km in 14:06 and clocked 1:01:18 in the first half and 1:00:47 in the second half.
Sawe has won seven of his nine half marathon races. He clocked his personal best of 58:02 at the Roma-Ostia Half Marathon in 2022.
Sebastian Sawe: “I am so happy to win the race today on my debut. It is a great moment for me. I had built up very well for this debut. I was quite confident of doing well. It’s an amazing day. I am so happy to be here and win in Valencia, which is so beautiful. I was used to running the half marathon event. I was comfortable during the first half. I was close to the helm of the race and I thought that I could go faster, and I just did it. I dedicate this win to the victims of the Valencia floods. I pray for them. I am so excited.”
Fascinating Stats from the Men’s Race:
The top ten finishers in the men's race broke the 2:05 barrier for the first time in a single men’s marathon race. Ethiopia’s Deresa Geleta, winner at the Seville Marathon last February, crossed the finish line setting a PB of 2:02:38, moving into seventh on the world all-time list. Kenyan half marathon specialist Daniel Mateiko finished third in 2:04:24, holding off Alphonce Simbu from Tanzania, who took fourth place in 2:04:38. Abraham Tadese from Switzerland finished fifth, improving his national record to 2:04:40 in the final marathon of his career at the age of 42 (the fourth-fastest European time in history). Chimdessa Debele crossed the finish line in 2:04:44, holding off world silver medallist Maru Teferi from Israel and Hillary Kipkoech, who clocked the same time of 2:04:45. Samwel Fitwi ran 2:04:56, taking two seconds off the previous German record set by Amanal Petros in Berlin with 2:04:58 in 2023. Pre-race favourite Sisay Lemma took tenth place in 2:04:59. Yohannes Chiappinelli, European bronze medallist in the 3000 metres steeplechase in Berlin 2018, finished 13th, improving Yeman Crippa’s Italian record to 2:05:24 and becoming the first Italian athlete in history to break the 2:06 barrier. Former Italian record holder Iliass Aouani improved his PB by more than one minute, equalling Crippa’s best time with 2:06:06. Pietro Riva ran the fastest time by an Italian runner on a marathon debut with 2:07:37. The top 30 athletes ran under the 2:10 barrier. Kenenisa Bekele dropped out of the race after 31 km.
Alemu Wins the Women’s Race
Megertu Alemu won the women’s race in 2:16:49, claiming the biggest win of her career. Stella Chesang crossed the finish line in second place, breaking the 2:19 barrier for the first time and improving her Ugandan record to 2:18:26. Tiruye Mesfin took third place, improving her PB by 12 seconds to 2:18:35.
The Ethiopian was just 15 seconds off her PB of 2:16:34, set in London last April.
Alemu, Mesfin, Chesang, and Evaline Chirchir went to the front in the early stages of the race, covering the 5 km in 16:02 and the 10 km in 32:02.
However, only Chesang and Alemu remained in the lead by 15 km, going through this mark in 47:56, as Mesfin and Chirchir were 18 seconds behind. Alemu and Chesang went through the 21 km mark in 67:50, under Amane Beriso’s course record, before Alemu opened up a gap over Chesang. Alemu increased her lead in the second half, although her chances of breaking the course record faded in the final stages of the race. Chesang was unable to keep Alemu’s pace 1:11 into the race. Alemu maintained her speed until 30 km, reaching this mark in 1:35:55. She dropped her pace, clocking 16:48 in the next two 5 km sections between the 30 and 40 km.
Alemu increased her lead on Chesang to 40 seconds by the 30 km and 1:21 at 40 km.
Impressively, the top 14 athletes ran inside the 2:25 barrier.
Moia Stewartova improved the Czech record to 2:23:44 to cross the finish line. US top runner Sara Hall ran 2:23:45 at the age of 41. Two-time European cross country champion Fionnuala McCormack from Ireland finished 11th, setting a PB of 2:23:46.
Megertu Alemu: “I am a bit disappointed that I did not run even faster. I know that I can do a better mark, but I am happy to win today. Between 35 and 40 kilometres, I decided to reduce the rhythm. At the finish line, all the people were clapping, and that was very special. I can feel it’s a different day for Valencia.”
Top Results Men Marathon:
1. SAWE, SEBASTIAN (KEN) - 2:02:05
2. GELETA, DERESA (ETH) - 2:02:38
3. MATEIKO, DANIEL (KEN) - 2:04:24
4. SIMBU, ALPHONCE (TZA) - 2:04:38
5. ABRAHAM, TADESSE (CHE) - 2:04:40
6. DEBELE, CHIMDESSA (ETH) - 2:04:44
7. TEFERI, MARU (ISR) - 2:04:44
8. KIPKOECH, HILLARY (KEN) - 2:04:45
9. FITWI, SAMWEL (DEU) - 2:04:56
10. LEMMA, SISAY (ETH) - 2:04:59
Top Results Women's Marathon
1. Megertu Alemu (ETH) - 2:16:49
2. Stella Chesang (UGA) - 2:18:26
3. Tiruye Mesfin (ETH) - 2:18:35
4. Evaline Chirchir (KEN) - 2:20:33
5. Majida Maayouf - 2:21:43
6. Chimdessa Kumsa - 2:21:54
7. Laura Luengo (ESP) - 2:22:31
8. Isobel Batt-Doyle - 2:22:59
9. Moira Stewartova - 2:23:44
10. Sara Hall (USA) - 2:23:45
