Valencia Marathon: Jepkosgei Runs 2:14:00 for #4 All-Time, Korir Wins Men’s Race in 2:02:24

The Valencia Marathon Trinidad Alfonso delivered another day of exceptional distance running, with record-breaking performances and world-class depth on one of the fastest courses in the sport. In ideal conditions, Kenya’s John Korir and Joyciline Jepkosgei produced outstanding victories, setting personal bests and rewriting the event’s history as the World Athletics Platinum Label race once again lived up to its reputation as a proving ground for the world’s best marathon runners.

Women's Race

Joyciline Jepkosgei delivered a commanding performance to win the women’s race in a new course record of 2:14:00, just one day before her 32nd birthday. The Kenyan also clocked the 4th fastest time in history and the fastest women’s marathon time in the world this year, improving her personal best of 2:16:24 set in London in 2024.

Jepkosgei erased the previous course record of 2:14:58, held by Amane Beriso Shankule, and moved up to fourth on the world all-time list behind Ruth Chepngetich, Tigist Assefa, and Sifan Hassan.

The victory marked Jepkosgei’s first World Athletics Platinum Label win since London in October 2021, where she triumphed in 2:17:43.

Jepkosgei and reigning world champion Peres Jepchirchir broke away early and ran side by side for much of the race. The decisive move came in the closing kilometres, when Jepkosgei pulled clear to win decisively. Jepchirchir finished second in 2:14:43, the seventh-fastest women’s marathon time in history.

National records fell for the athletes finishing third to fifth. Belgium’s Chloe Herbiet placed third in 2:20:38, ahead of Finland’s Alisia Vainio (2:20:48) and Australia’s Jessica Stenson (2:21:24). South Africa’s Glenrose Xaba was sixth in 2:23:22, followed by Australia’s Isobel Batt-Doyle (2:23:35), Israel’s Lonah Salpeter (2:23:45), and Spain’s Meritxell Soler (2:23:49). Natasha Wilson was the top British finisher in tenth place with 2:24:22.

“I am so excited — it’s amazing to win this race with a PB,” said Jepkosgei. “I am very grateful and happy to finish the season this way. The crowd was incredible and I felt strong throughout the race.”

Men's RACE

John Korir produced a superb comeback to win the men’s race at the Valencia Marathon Trinidad Alfonso, improving his personal best by 19 seconds to 2:02:25. The Kenyan bounced back from disappointment at last October’s Chicago Marathon, where he was forced to abandon the race.

Korir claimed the third marathon victory of his career and his second World Athletics Platinum Label win this season, following triumphs in Chicago in October 2024 (2:02:44, his former PB) and Boston in April 2025 (2:04:45). He followed in the footsteps of his older brother Wesley Korir, the 2012 Boston Marathon champion.

The decisive move came at 25 km when Korir surged clear of the lead pack and never looked back. He covered the second half of the race faster than the first, running a negative split after passing halfway in 1:01:47.

“People were saying that Korir was going down, but I came here and proved that Korir is still there,” said John Korir. “I closed my year with a PB. I really enjoyed Valencia. It’s not easy to say you are proud of yourself sometimes. The season was very long — I started training on December 3 last year — but I am so happy I made it. The main goal was to break my PB, and I achieved it.”

Germany’s Amanal Petros finished second in 2:04:03, improving his national record by 55 seconds in his third marathon of the year. Earlier in the season, Petros placed eighth in London (2:06:30) and won silver at the World Championships in Tokyo. He also finished third at the Berlin Half Marathon in 59:31 and now sits third on the European all-time list.

“I am very happy to have achieved my goal,” said Petros. “I had a long and difficult season and trained extremely hard in Kenya. There were bad days, but I recovered and never gave up. After 25 km, I even hoped to break the European record. Valencia is the best place to run a marathon — I love the course and the city.”

Norway’s Eritrean-born Awet Kibrab placed third in 2:04:24, setting a national record on his marathon debut. Japan’s Suguru Osako finished fourth in 2:04:55, lowering the Japanese record by one second. Eritrea’s Gashaw Ayale took fifth in 2:05:30, ahead of Kenya’s Justus Kangogo (2:06:11).

Olympic triathlon champion Alex Yee finished seventh in 2:06:38 in just his second marathon, becoming the second-fastest British marathoner in history behind four-time Olympic champion Mo Farah. He overtook Emile Cairess on the British all-time list.

Three additional runners dipped under the 2:07 barrier: France’s Felix Bour (eighth, 2:06:41), the Netherlands’ Filmon Tesfu (ninth, 2:06:42), and Ethiopia’s Gemechu Dida (tenth, 2:06:45). Hendrik Pfeiffer was the second-best German finisher in 11th place with 2:06:36.

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