Kevin Kiptum was crowned in Valencia in a barbaric way. His career was stratospheric, his debut in the distance was incredible. The Keanite, at 23 years old, achieved the third best mark of all time (2h01:53). Only two legends like Eliud Kipchoge (2h01:09 and before 2:01:39) and Kenesisa Bekele (2h01:41), both in Berlin, have ever run faster than Kiptum did in Valencia. The City of Running was looking for the test record (2h03:00) and Kiptum literally crushed it.
Valencia thus becomes the second fastest marathon in the world. In one go, it surpasses Milan (2h02.57, 2021), Tokyo (2h02:40) and London (2h02:37). Only Berlin and Kipchoge surpass Valencia. In other words, Valencia has everything to aspire to break the men’s world record in its streets in the future. But for now he has to enjoy what he has achieved in his 42nd edition, which is a lot.
Kiptum won with greatness, firmly leading the race from start to finish, leaving one after another those who were called to be the main protagonists of the Trinidad Alfonso Valencia Marathon 2022, which lived an edition that will go down in history. One more. Kiptum’s whiplash at kilometer 33 left Tamirat Tola, reigning world champion, and Gabriel Geay powerless to follow. From there he flew alone Kiptum, who was running in a city he knew for its Half Marathon and where he became the best rookie in the distance of 42,195 meters.
Valencia is the City of Running and its path demonstrates it by walking, in its case running. Up to five athletes reached the finish line under 2h05: Geay (2h03:00), Mutiso (2h03:29), Tola (2h03:40), Ozbilen (2h04:36) and Deso (2h04:56). All of them beat their personal best or were seconds away from it, like Tola, just one.
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Kiptum: “I still don’t want to face Kipchoge”
Kiptum appeared after his feat as if nothing had happened. The Kenyan was “happy” with how “the race has turned out for me”, which he arrived at after months of recovering from an injury he suffered in April. The athlete explained that during the race “I saw that Tola did not respond to the relays and I decided to shoot by myself.” Thus, the last kilometers “I did looking at the time of the car, that’s why I did a final acceleration”. Kiptum, despite achieving the third best mark in history, limited himself to saying that “now what I want is to go home and rest”, showing that he is ambitious for the future: “I will try to exceed this mark”. For now, he himself confessed that “I still don’t want to face Kipchoge.”
Tariku Novales debuts in Valencia as the best Spanish
Tariku Novales was crowned in Valencia as the first Spanish athlete to cross the finish line. He overtook Ayad Lamdasem in the last stage. Novales, in his distance debut, had a time of 2:07:18. “This Marathon for me was my official debut, but I had done a usual preparation and I knew it was time, I was smart when I got my rhythm and I didn’t get carried away. At kilometer 40 I had the encouragement of my coach, that I could catch Ayad and in the last 800 meters I saw that my legs responded to me and I began to see the end. It has been a wonderful experience. Valencia is magical”