Kejelcha, Barega and Mateiko set to battle in Valencia Half Marathon

The Valencia Half Marathon Trinidad Alfonso Zurich 2024 has assembled easily the top men’s half marathon field this year. Here is why. The entry list for the race has 13 men who have run under 60 minutes, two of which have crossed the line under 58 minutes.

Ethiopians Yomif Kejelcha (57:41) and Selemon Barega (57:50) will compete with Kenya’s Daniel Mateiko (58:26) to be the fastest in the men’s elite field, which also includes three athletes who have run under 59 minutes and eight who have under one hour. They will be flying down the streets of the ciudad del running on 27 October, 2024.

Kejelcha, 27, holds the third fastest all times in the half marathon (57:41) and in 10km of 26:37 and the second fastest time in the 5km of 12:50.

The men’s elite entry list also has Tadese Worku, Isaiah Kipkoech, Edward Cheserek, Bravin Kiprop, Weldon Langat and Gemechu Dida.

Europe will be led by Portuguese Samuel Barata, Italian Pietro Riva and Iten based trio of Norwegian, Sondre Moen, Swiss Tadesse Abraham and German Amanal Petros.

Casting our eyes on the women’s elite field, the focus will be on Agnes Jebet Ngetich, who shattered the women’s 10km world record in January clocking 28:46 to be the first woman to run under 29 minutes.

On 14 January, the Kenyan produced a spectacular performance at the 10K Valencia Ibercaja by Kiprun breaking two world records, the 10km (28:46) and 5km (14:13) en route.

Ten months later, Jebet returns to Valencia – this time as a debutant in the half marathon distance, so will her compatriot Lilian Kasait Rengeruk and Ethiopian Ejgayehu Taye, the third fastest woman in the 5km.

The top athletes in the women’s field include Ethiopia’s Tsigie Gebreselama who finished second in the 2022 Valencia Half Marathon in a time of 1:05:46 and Kenya’s Catherine Amanang’ole, the world half marathon bronze medalist from the 2023 World Athletics Road Running Championships in Riga.

Marc Roig, who is in charge of putting together international elite athletes has described the field as “the best half marathon this year.

“With high level duels that aim, once again, to achieve 57-minute performances by several athletes. And a clear challenge to the stopwatch in the women’s race.

“Never before has a debutant taken to the start line who has run a 10K in under 29 minutes. We are really looking forward to seeing how fast the race will be on 27 October,” said Roig.

Below is the list of international athletes: