Kenyan duo to face stern Ethiopian opposition in bid to defend Valencia Marathon titles

Kenyan runners John Korir and Joyciline Jepkosgei will have to fend off tough Ethiopian opposition, if they are to defend their Valencia Marathon titles later this year.

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This comes after the duo was announced among the first names of the international elite field, who will fight for the top prizes on Sunday, 6 December.

Korir, 29, shattered his personal best on the course last year, when he won in a time of 2:02:24.

Similarly, 33-year-old Jepkosgei set her new personal best in the race, clocking 2:14:00.

The duo, who has since run one marathon this year, will for a second-straight year headline an immensely fast field, which promises more fast times.

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On the men’s side, Korir’s repeat attempt will be threatened by the presence of Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha, who earlier this year stunned many when he dipped under two hours in his marathon debut.

Off the back of Sabastian Sawe’s record milestone, 28-year-old Kejelcha reaped big rewards by sticking onto the coattails of the Kenyan, eventually stopping the clock at 1:59.41, to become the second fastest marathoner of all time, and the fastest debutant ever.

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Jepkosgei, meanwhile, will be challenged by another fast Ethiopian - Fotyen Tesfay - who earlier this year stormed to second on the world all-time list by running a 2:10.51 marathon debut at the Zurich Barcelona Marathon in March.

The duo, though carrying question marks on what their career might hold in the long-term, will stand in Kenya’s way of bringing home a double.

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“This year, both the men’s and women’s winners from 2025 are returning, although with the confirmations of Yomif and Fotyen, defending the title will be very difficult,” Marc Roig, the international elite athletes coordinator, said of the field. “Once again, victory in Valencia is unpredictable. Just the way we like it.”

Also representing Kenya in the respective races will be 2024 London Marathon champion Alexander Mutiso, and the duo of Lilian Kasait and debutant Winnie Jepkosgei in the women’s field.