Kenya’s fast-rising long distance runner Joyciline Jepkosgei needed only six months and three weeks to obliterate her own World half marathon record, coasting to victory at Valencia Trinidad Alfonso Half Marathon on Sunday.
Jepkosgei won the IAAF Gold Label road race in 1 hour, 04 minutes and 51 seconds and in the process smashed her own record by one second.
On April 1 this year, the 23-year-old set a new world half marathon record, clocking 1:04:52 when she retained her Prague Half Marathon title at the Czech Capital City.
Jepkosgei’s feat was enough to erase her compatriot and World Half Marathon champion Peres Jepchirchir’s record of 1:05:06 set on February 10 this year when winning the Ras al-Khaimah Half Marathon in United Arab Emirates.
It’s at the same Spanish soil, where Kenya’s Florence Kiplagat broke the World half marathon record twice with new times of 1:05:12 in 2014 and 1:05:09 in 2015.
Interestingly, Jepkosgei was fresh from breaking her own World 10km record at the Birell Prague Grand Prix on September 9, to affirm her love with the Czech capital city. Jepkosgei clocked 29:43 minutes to smash through the 30-minute barrier and break her own record of 30:04, also set during the Prague Half Marathon.
On Sunday, the super hot but cautious Jepkosgei had commented that she had been training well since her World 10km record feat and was confident of running fast.
Kenya’s four times World 3,000m steeple chase champion Ezekiel Kemboi was enlisted to pace Jepkosgei at a steady 3:05 per kilometre pace. However, the early splits proved to be even quicker than scheduled as the opening five kilometres were covered in a frantic 14:52, a time fast enough to finish inside 1:03.
The brisk rhythm continued as the Jepkosgei was timed at 30:09 at 10 kilometres, still well ahead of her own world record pace.
However, that kind of pace seemed to be self-defeating for a while as Jepkosgei’s rhythm clearly slowed down in the third five-kilometre section. Always running at Kemboi’s shoulder, the multiple world record-holder reached 15 kilometres in 45:59, which put her target in serious jeopardy; when she set the previous world record of 1:04:52 in Prague, she had clocked 45:37 at 15 kilometres.
But, to the delight of the crowd, Jepkosgei dug deep in the closing stages and by the 20-kilometre checkpoint, reached in 1:01:30, she was only five seconds in arrears of her world record goal.
With a thrilling run down the final straight, Jepkosgei beat the clock and reached the finish line in 1:04:51 to set her sixth world record this year.
“It was my first race in Valencia, I enjoyed a lot, the weather is nice, the circuit is perfect to run fast,” said Jepkosgei, who will turn 24 in December.
“I hope to come back in March for the World Half Marathon Championships.”
Jepkosgei staged a Kenyan sweep to the podium places, where Fancy Chemutai came in second in 1:05:36, with Lucy Cheruiyot claiming third place in 1:07:30.
Another Kenyan Paskalia Chepkorir, who is the 2012 World Half Marathon bronze medallist, came in fifth in 1:09:13, behind Ethiopian Gelete Burka in 1:08:17.
Kenya born Abraham Cheroben of Bahrain won the men’s race in 59:11, grabbing his third win in four years in Valencia.
Results:
Men
1 Abraham Cheroben (BRN) 59:11
2 Leul Gebresilase (ETH) 59:12
3 Fikadu Haftu (ETH) 59:22
4 Sondre Nordstad Moen (NOR) 59:47
5 Mustapha El Aziz (MAR) 1:00:51
6 Amanuel Mesel (ERI) 1:00:53
7 Justus Kangogo (KEN) 1:00:53
8 Mathew Kisorio (KEN) 1:01:17
Women
1 Joyciline Jepkosgei (KEN) 1:04:51
2 Fancy Chemutai (KEN) 1:05:36
3 Lucy Cheruiyot (KEN) 1:07:30
4 Gelete Burka (ETH) 1:08:17
5 Paskalia Chepkorir (KEN) 1:09:13
6 Trihas Gebre (ESP) 1:09:55
7 Birhan Mhretu (ETH) 1:09:59
8 Azmera Gebru Hagos (ETH) 1:10:39
