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Sawe to battle Lemma and Bekele in Valencia

Former World Half Marathon champion, Sebastian Kimaru Sawe, will make his marathon debut at the 44th edition of the Valencia Marathon slated for December 1, 2024 in Valencia, Spain.

The 28 year-old who is the reigning Copenhagen Half Marathon champion, has been selected alongside a strong deep elite field that include the fourth man to run under the 2:02 mark and the defending champion Sisay Lemma of Ethiopia. The 33 year-old who is also the reigning Boston Marathon champion, comes to this race with the second fastest time on paper of 2:01.48 that he set last year when winning this race with a course record time.

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The two will have to get past the fastest man on the entry list, the marathon legend, Kenenisa Bekele who comes to this event with the leading time of 2:01.41 that he got at the 2019 Berlin Marathon. This time was shy off two seconds slower than the then world record of 2:01.39 set by Eliud Kipchoge in the 2018 Berlin Marathon.

Two more title contenders led by debutant Hillary Kipkoech from Kenya who knows the course so well after pacing Lemma last year, has also been rolled in and will be fighting for the top honors as he comes with a life time best of 59:22 over the half. Kipkoech’s compatriot, Daniel Mateiko, who has not yet finished a marathon, but finished second in this year’s Valencia Half Marathon with a time of 58:17, one of the seven half marathons he has run in 58 minutes, will also be fighting for the top glory

Marc Roig, the international elite coach for the event, has stated “once again this year, the combination of established names and ambitious newcomers offers a great spectacle. And having both the men’s and women’s record holders in the race makes it even more fascinating. Will they be able to lower the time even further? Or will it be the outsiders who will be successful? As always, it is impossible to predict what will happen in Valencia”.

LEADING TIME

42KM MEN

ELITEMASCULINA //MENELITEFIELD
BIBBIB NAMENAMECOUNTRYPB
2BEKELEKenenisa BekeleETH2:01.41
1LEMMASisay LemmaETH2:01.48
3LEGESEBirhanu LegeseETH2:02.48
4GELETADeresa GeletaETH2:03.27
5ADOLAGuye AdolaETH2:03.46
6AYALEGashau AyaleISR2:04.53
7T ABRAHAMTadesse AbrahamSUI2:05.01
9SIMBUAlphonce SimbuTAN2:05.39
20MOENSondre MoenNOR2:05.48
35FITWISamwel FitwiGER2:06.27
8BELIHUAndamlak BelihuETH2:06.40
21TEFERIMaru TeferiISR2:06.43

Author

  • John Vaselyne is the founder of Athletics News. Africa’s only Independent Athletics News website. He has covered World U18 and U20 Championships, World Cross Country Championships, Four Continental Tour Gold Series, Wanda Diamond League. He has passion for the Sport and has over seven years experience in this area of sport. He is also the Leading Athletics Pundit in the Country, having been hosted in ALL leading TV stations in Kenya

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2 Comments

2 Comments

  1. guru wanga

    November 20, 2024 at 1:16 pm

    Hillary Kipkoech is the debut that looks most promising. Having paced John Korir in Chicago on 13Oct24. And knows the Valencia course having paced Sissay in last years race. Sawe’s debut looks interesting as he ran the Valencia half last year and that will help. After running a fast Copenhagen half marathon. He may arrive in Valencia not in peak condition to run a marathon at world record pace. This looks similar to Cheserek last year. Who had a disappointing NYC marathon after Copenhagen half. Mateiko after running the Valencia half just five weeks ago. May not be in peak condition to run a marathon at world record pace. This is same mistake Kandie made last year when he ran a fast valencia half and had a disappointed in the Valencia marathon.

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