Valencia is the paradise of road races, especially at the distance of 21,097 meters, and Letesenbet Gidey the queen of the City of Running. Valencia is at the top of the ranking of half marathon world records in both male and female categories. To the name of Kiwibott Kandie (57:32, 2021) was added only one year after that of Gidey (1h: 02: 52). The Ethiopian, who already made history in Valencia with her world record in 5000, is the first woman to drop below 63 minutes. Gidey made a stratospheric mark, one minute and eleven seconds below the previous record, confirming herself as one of the great athletes in history. Record holder of 5000, 10000 and Half Marathon, in his debut in the distance, and he is only 23 years old.
Gidey magnified his figure and the legend of Valencia. Seven men ran under 59 minutes, a race in which he won Abel Kipchumba (58:07, which is the best world brand of the year), who surpassed Kipruto at the finish line. And if it hadn’t been for the bestiality of Gidey, who takes the glory and 105,000 euros, Yehualaw, would also have broken the women’s world record, because she finished below the 1:04:02 that the Kenyan Ruth Chepngetich did in April in Istanbul. Specific, Yehualaw did (1:03:51). Thus, Yehualaw has run twice under the record in 2021, although he could not make it his own. His August mark in Antrim (Ireland) was not ratified as the circuit did not pass the homologation for a distance of 50 meters and in Valencia he met Letesenbet Gidey.
Valencia lived a world record career. One more. It is the third time that a world record of Half Marathon in the female category has been beaten in its streets. The Kenyan Joyciline Jepkosgei (1h: 04.51) did it on October 22, 2017 also in a mixed race and the Ethiopian Netsanet Gudeta (1h: 06.11) did it on March 24, 2018 in the World Championship of distance, race in which only women participated. Without forgetting that the City of Running has seen several world records of 5000, 10000, 10K and Half Marathon broken in recent years.
In this edition of 2021, the one of the return of the popular race with 12,000 registered, Valencia premiered tour. But not for that reason it lost its essence and its virtues. The athletes encountered only 10 curves along the course and during the first eight kilometers they only had to make two turns. And that was the strategy with the free practice in the men’s race, which accompanied them during that first phase. Thus, between long avenues and barely 14 meters of difference between the highest point of the circuit (17 meters) and the least elevated (3), the hares also set the ideal rhythm from the beginning for Yehualaw and Gidey, the two athletes who woke up in Valencia calling the record, they flew through its streets, although Gidey was always a few strides ahead of the rest of the athletes.
Yehualaw kept up with Gidey’s pace until kilometer 9. From there, Gidey, escorted by two hares, left marching, AND marching. The previous world record staggered with every step and by the time the Ethiopian passed the 15th kilometer, she was already a minute behind the record time and that inertia of stride was kept by Gidey until she crossed the finish line.
Minutes before the feat of Gidey, Abel Kimpchumba prevailed in a final espring to Rhonex Kipruto. The men came to run just 15 seconds from the world record time that Kindie achieved in December 2020 in Valencia. “What we have seen in Valencia is brutal … and we cannot get used to it,” emphasized Paco Borao, President of the SD Correcaminos, organizer together with the City Council and the Trinidad Alfonso Foundation of the test. “This year we have had two women below the previous world record, It is what makes Valencia great. It costs a lot for the world’s top athletes to go head-to-head in competitions, but this race the two favorites had it marked on their calendar, “he said. Marc Roig, elite sports director.
Carlos Mayo (1:01:05) and Nuria Lugueros (1:12:28), first Spanish
The athlete Carlos Mayo was the first Spaniard to cross the finish line of the Valencia Trinidad Alfonso EDP Half Marathon with a great time of 1:00:58 that is placed in the top 3 of the best in the history of Spain in the distance.
After May, which took the EDP Award, the next Spaniards to enter were Hamid Ben Daoud with 1:01:05 and Tariku Novales, with 1:01:46, both achieving their personal best. In total, of the top 6 Spanish finishers, five have managed to lower their personal best, proving once again that it is a very fast circuit.
In the female category, brands have also been improved. The first woman and also EDP award has been Nuria Lugueros, with 1:12:28, followed by debutant Laura Luengo, with 1:14:15 and Cristina Giurcanu, who has done 1:15:10.
Gidey: “Valencia is already a second home for me”
“Thanks to all the people who help me to achieve this. I love Valencia, it is a wonderful city and it is almost a second home for me. I went very fast in the first part of the race, but I had trained hard for it, even with lengths of up to 30 kilometers. And there is the result “.