The one-million-euro prize that Juan Roig offers to the person who breaks the world marathon record in Valencia is running out of time. The Valencian entrepreneur announced that next December 6, coinciding with the event, will be the last opportunity to claim a prize that has turned the Turia race into one of the world’s premier stages for athletics.
“This is the last year to take home the million euros. In the next year it ends; I will discontinue the sponsorship of the million euros,” Roig said after the Valencia Half Marathon, where the national records for the distance were set in both the men’s and women’s categories.
The bet this year features a top-level contender: the Ethiopian Yomif Kejelcha, who will arrive in Valencia with reasons to dream of a historic feat. The distance runner made history last April at the London Marathon, where he finished second in 1:59:41, becoming the fastest debutant in history for the distance and the second athlete to officially complete a marathon under two hours, only behind Kenyan Sabastian Sawe, winner with a world record of 1:59:30.
To that display is added his extraordinary form. Last August, Kejelcha reclaimed the world half-marathon record in Buenos Aires with a time of 56:51, shaving 29 seconds off the previous best of 57:20. A mark that confirms his speed and endurance ahead of the Valencia challenge, where he will seek to turn his credentials into a new world marathon record and to contend for the million euros offered by Juan Roig for the feat.
The businessman trusts the conditions of the Valencian circuit, renowned for its flat layout and favorable to achieving big marks. «That he has chosen Valencia to break the record shows that he has a lot of knowledge, since Valencia has the ideal circuit to achieve it», he stated.
The question will be whether Kejelcha can translate his credentials into an official world record on December 6. Valencia will have a final opportunity to award the million euros and bid farewell to an initiative that has raised global anticipation around its marathon.
