Peres Jepchirchir and Amane Beriso – the last two winners of the world marathon title and the two most recent course record-holders of the Valencia Marathon Trinidad Alfonso – return to the World Athletics Platinum Label road race on Sunday (7) to headline a star-studded edition.
Jepchirchir and Beriso will clash with former London and New York Marathon winner Joyciline Jepkosgei in the women’s race, while course record-holder Sisay Lemma faces Boston and Chicago winner John Kosgei in the men’s race.
Three months after winning the world marathon title in Tokyo – racing in the same country where she won the Olympic title in 2021 – Jepchirchir will be aiming to replicate her Valencia win from 2020. On that occasion, the Kenyan set a course record of 2:17:16 which was a PB at the time, but she took exactly one minute off that mark when winning in London last year.
The 32-year-old’s only outing this year was at the World Championships, where she clocked 2:24:43 to win gold, but she’ll be eyeing a return to sub-2:20 territory on the superfast streets of Valencia.
Two years after Jepchirchir won in Valencia, Beriso smashed her course record with 2:14:58 – a performance which currently ranks her fifth on the world all-time list. Less than a year later, she went on to win the world title in Budapest.
The 34-year-old Ethiopian hasn’t won a marathon since then, but she has still produced a string of solid performances, placing third in Tokyo last year with 2:16:58, finishing fifth at the Olympic Games in Paris, and fifth at this year’s Boston Marathon.
Jepkosgei finished second to Jepchirchir in Valencia in 2020, clocking 2:18:40. She has since reduced her PB to 2:16:24, and earlier this year she finished second in London in 2:18:44.
Charlotte Purdue, Jessica Stenson, Malindi Elmore, Emma Bates, Isobel Batt-Doyle, Genevieve Gregson and Alisa Vainio are among the international entrants seeking a fast time to round out the year.
Former US record-holder Keira D’Amato is the only other woman in the field with a sub-2:20 PB. Three years have passed since she last broke 2:30, but the 41-year-old will be hopeful of going quicker than her 2:35:57 run in Boston earlier this year.
Steeplechase specialist Gesa Krause, meanwhile, will be making her debut at the marathon distance.
The men’s race centres around the clash between Sisay Lemma, 2023 Valencia winner and course record-holder, and John Korir, who arrives on the back of consecutive major victories in Chicago and Boston.
Lemma rewrote the event’s record book in 2023 with his 2:01:48 triumph, a performance that puts him fourth on the world all-time list. The Ethiopian hasn’t raced since last year’s Valencia Marathon, when he placed 10th in a high-quality race (2:04:59). Just eight months prior to that, he had won in Boston.
Korir, by contrast, enters as an upward-trending marathon runner. His 2024 win in Chicago – a 2:02:43 breakthrough – followed by a 2:04:45 triumph in Boston earlier this year has transformed him from perennial contender to serial winner. If anyone can force Lemma into uncomfortable territory, it’s Korir.
A deep supporting cast – featuring sub-2:05 runners Tesfaye Deriba, Hillary Kipkoech, and Stephen Kissa – sits ready to exploit any weakness. World silver medallist Amanal Petros is joined on the start line by compatriot and German record-holder Samuel Fitwi.
Other contenders include Kenya’s multiple NCAA champion Edward Cheserek, former Japanese record-holder Suguru Osako, Italy’s Yemane Crippa and debutants Gemechu Dida and Patrick Mosin.
Leading entries
Women
Amane Beriso (ETH) 2:14:58
Peres Jepchirchir (ETH) 2:16:16
Joyciline Jepkosgei (KEN) 2:16:24
Keira D’Amato (USA) 2:19:12
Fikrte Wereta (ETH) 2:21:32
Charlotte Purdue (GBR) 2:22:17
Glenrose Xaba (RSA) 2:22:22
Jessica Stenson (AUS) 2:22:56
Isobel Batt-Doyle (AUS) 2:22:59
Alisa Vainio (FIN) 2:23:06
Genevieve Gregson (AUS) 2:23:08
Emma Bates (USA) 2:23:18
Malindi Elmore (CAN) 2:23:30
Ester Navarrete (ESP) 2:24:40
Chloe Herbiet (BEL) 2:24:56
Meritxell Soler (ESP) 2:24:57
Gesa Krause (GER) debut
Men
Sisay Lemma (ETH) 2:01:48
John Korir (KEN) 2:02:43
Tesfaye Deriba (ETH) 2:04:13
Hillary Kipkoech (KEN) 2:04:45
Stephen Kissa (UGA 2:04:48
Samuel Fitwi (GER) 2:04:56
Amanal Petros (GER) 2:04:58
Enock Onchari (KEN) 2:05:20
Edward Cheserek (KEN) 2:05:24
Suguru Osako (JPN) 2:05:29
Tariku Novales (ESP) 2:05:48
Nico Navarro (FRA) 2:05:53
Justus Kangogo (KEN) 2:05:57
Yemane Crippa (ITA) 2:06:06
Felix Bour (FRA) 2:06:46
Felicien Muhitira (RWA) 2:06:54
Shokhrukh Davlatov (UZB) 2:07:02
Hendrik Pfeiffer (GER) 2:07:14
Philip Sesemann (GBR) 2:07:18
Abderrazak Charik (ALG) 2:07:20
Gemechu Dida (ETH) debut
Patrick Mosin (KEN) debut
