A world record was targeted in Donostia, and it has been achieved. Mark Kosgey Kiptoo, a man who rose to African track champion and captained the formidable Kenyan cross-country team, improved this Sunday in the fifth edition of the San Sebastián Rural Kutxa Half Marathon the best mark ever recorded by an athlete over 50 years old in the 21.097 kilometers. Kiptoo completed the distance in 1h03:57, shattering the previous M50 world record (1h06:17).
The seasoned and accomplished runner, who had arrived in the Gipuzkoa capital with that goal clearly in mind before stepping back, was the standout figure in a race with 5,200 entrants (another record) where Maitane Melero emerged as the women’s winner, the athlete who claimed the champion’s crown. The Navarre native, who had reached a European track final and is a five-time Spanish national champion, secured the victory with a time of 1h15:44, adding shine to a race trophy case that includes other notable names in Spanish athletics such as Meritxell Soler, Irene Pelayo, or Elena Loyo.
The races
Both Kiptoo and Melero were the big favourites and did not disappoint. In the men’s race, the local rider Joseba Díaz was in charge of setting the pace, around 3:05 per kilometer during the early kilometers. He kept the tempo until just after the seventh kilometer, at which point Kiptoo stayed at the head with Iraitz Arrospide. The Kenyan, seeing that he had more in his legs, accelerated and shortly after he left the pacer behind. Encouraged by the ever-faithful Donostia crowd, Kiptoo powered to the finish in solitary fashion. He proudly wore the banner announcing the masters’ world record.Behind him, Arrospide, in a great race, completed the 21,097 kilometers in 1h04:51. Third, gradually catching up, was Youness Assehli (1h07:19).
In the women’s race, the initial pace was set by Madrid’s Maria Lázaro. The Madrid native, 2025 Spanish marathon champion, saw that the only woman able to follow her was Melero. By the eighth kilometer, Lázaro began to yield and it was the Navarrese who created distance. She enjoyed the moment and took the victory. In second place ultimately was Swiss Janice Studler (1h18:19), who surpassed Lázaro in the final meters (1h18:27).
The light rain and the wet asphalt accompanied the participants for much of this fifth edition of the San Sebastián Rural Kutxa Half Marathon.
Other podiums
In addition to the overall podium, prizes were also awarded to the best Basque athletes (Hyundai Oarso Car), Gipuzkoans (Muy Gipuzkoa) and Donostiarras (Euskadi LowCost). In the women’s category, the Donostian Maite Arraiza stood out across these distinctions (fifth overall with 1h21:20), while Iraitz Arrospide was the top Basque and Gipuzkoan finisher; Gonzalo Fuentes (tenth with 1h10:38) was the fastest Donostiarra.
CHECK OUT THE COMPLETE RESULTS HERE
Charity finish
The organization, in collaboration with SALTO FOUNDATION, presented minutes before the start with a cheque for 4,000 euros to ASPARGI, a non-profit association founded in September 2000 to support families and those affected by Parkinson’s disease and parkinsonism in facing the consequences of the illness. The finisher medals awarded to the runners were handed out by ASPARGI volunteers. Runners from KEMEN also took part.
