The 2024 Valencia Half Marathon was undoubtedly the biggest half marathon race ever held this year. However, it’s hard to say which of the men’s and women’s performances was more impressive.
In the men’s race, Ethiopian Yomif Keyelcha set a new world record of 57:30. Meanwhile, Kenya’s Agnes Ngetich led two other women to 2ndth3:th and 4th the fastest times ever run in women’s half marathon history.
Although both races started at world record pace, only two women crossed the five kilometer mark together, with Ethiopia’s Ejgaehu Taye keeping Ngetich company as they crossed it in 14:38. They were almost twenty seconds ahead of Kenya’s Liliane Rengeruk and Ethiopia’s Fotien Tesfai and Tsige Gebreselama.
Ngetic, who holds the women’s 10K world record in 28:46, and Ejgayehu will cross the 10K mark in an incredible 29:18. It must have hurt both, however, as Tye, the former 5K world record holder and 2023 world 10,000m bronze medalist, soon began to waver. Ngetich’s pace also began to slow down.
Ngetic was well ahead, but perhaps sore from the heavy pace earlier in the race, as he came in to cross the finish line in 1:03:04. Ethiopia’s Fotien Tesfaye edged Taye in 1:03:21 en route to second place ahead of Kenya’s Lilian Kasait, who also edged Taye into third in 1:03:32. Taye would finish fourth in 1:04:14.
“I’m really happy and so proud to have the second fastest time on my debut. “Valencia will always have a special place in my heart because that’s where I set my 10km world record,” Ngetić said after the race.
A fast pace in the men’s race saw six runners survive the first five kilometres. Half of these men passed the 10k mark, which was passed at 27:12. Kejelcha controlled the pace up front while Kenya’s Daniel Mateiko and Isaiah Kipkoech Lasoi looked to be hanging on.
The 15K 2019 Doha World 10,000m silver medalist started to open up on the two Kenyans, who were happy to finally let him go as they followed him at a slower pace.
Keyelcha was more than 45 seconds ahead at the finish line when he set a new world record, beating the previous record of 57:31 by Ugandan Jacob Kiplimo at the 2021 Lisbon Half Marathon by one second.
Mateiko finished second in 58:17 ahead of Lasso who completed the podium in 58:21.
