Sweden’s Andreas Almgren and Kenya’s Brenda Jepchirchir claimed impressive victories at the 10K Valencia Ibercaja by Kiprun, a World Athletics Label road race, held in near perfect conditions on Sunday, November 11, 2026.
In the men’s race, world 10,000m bronze medallist Almgren won in 26:45 to take eight seconds off his own European record, set when winning here last year. Jepchirchir, still only 20, produced a standout performance in the women’s race, lifting herself to fourth on the world all-time list.
The men’s race had been billed as a record attempt by the European mark holder, and the Tokyo world 10,000m bronze medallist delivered emphatically. With Ethiopia’s Urgesa Negasa setting the pace, the opening kilometres were covered at between 2:40 and 2:42, taking the field through 3000m in 8:04. By that point, only three athletes remained at the front: Almgren, Ethiopia’s Khairi Bejiga and Kenya’s Victor Kipruto.
Once the pacemaker stepped aside, Almgren assumed control, closely shadowed by Bejiga and Kipruto. The trio passed halfway in a brisk 13:29, projecting a sub-27:00 finish, albeit slightly outside the European record. Shortly before 6km, Kipruto began to lose contact, leaving Almgren and the 19-year-old Bejiga – who came in with a personal best of 26:54 – to contest the lead, with the Swede dictating the tempo.
Bejiga briefly moved to the front at about 8km, but his surge was short-lived. Almgren reclaimed the lead just before the final kilometre, still hunting his own continental mark. The decisive move came exactly at 9km, when Almgren found another gear and quickly pulled clear. A blistering final kilometre of 2:32 sealed the deal, as he powered home in 26:45, six seconds clear of the fast-finishing Ethiopian, who also set a personal best. Kipruto completed the podium in 27:16.
“I knew I was in great shape – even better than last year – and I was confident of breaking the record,” said Almgren. “Valencia is like a second home for me; I never have a bad race here. It was tough setting the pace from the third kilometre onwards and there was some headwind in places, but overall it was a perfect race. I’m immensely happy.”
In addition to the area records, there were national records for: Mohamed Abdilaahi (Germany) 27:22, Magnus Tuv Myhre (Norway) 27:22, Said Mechaal (Spain) 27:25, Jose Carlos Pinto (Portugal) 27:37, Joe Wigfield (Great Britain) 27:38, Efrem Gidey (Ireland) 27:38 and Baldvin Magnusson (Iceland) 27:40.
The women’s race began at a blistering pace, with Brenda Jepchirchir – previously a 30:04 performer – surging clear early. Running among a large group of male athletes, she set a relentless tempo of about 2:54 per kilometre, opening a small gap over Ethiopia’s Likina Amebaw. Behind them, Kenya’s Clare Chemtai and Faith Cherono ran in close formation.
Jepchirchir passed through half way in 14:32, with Amebaw four seconds back and the Kenyan chasing pair clocking 14:41. Eilish McColgan reached halfway in eighth place in 15:04, holding a 27-second advantage over fellow Briton Alex Bell.
In the second half, Jepchirchir eased slightly, covering the remaining kilometres in the 2:56–2:58 range. Amebaw mirrored her pace and remained within five seconds throughout, but was unable to close the gap. Jepchirchir crossed the line in 29:25, elevating her to equal fourth on the world all-time list.
The Spain-based Amebaw took second in 29:30, improving her personal best by 10 seconds and moving to equal sixth on the all-time lists, while Chemtai claimed third in 29:46.
McColgan, meanwhile, produced a perfectly judged run. The 35-year-old Scot clocked identical splits of 15:04 to finish in a European record of 30:08, taking two seconds off the mark set just a week earlier by Belgium’s Jana Van Lent.
Leading results
Women
1 Brenda Jepchirchir (KEN) 29:25
2 Likina Amebaw (ETH) 29:30
3 Clare Chemtai Ndiwa (KEN) 29:49
4 Wede Kefale (ETH) 29:55
5 Girmawit Gebrzihair (ETH) 30:02
6 Faith Cherono (KEN) 30:06
7 Miriam Chebet (KEN) 30:08
8 Eilish McColgan (GBR) 30:08
9 Debash Kelali (ETH) 30:21
10 Alice Chemati (KEN) 30:38
Men
1 Andreas Almgren (SWE) 26:45
2 Kahiri Bejiga (ETHI) 26:51
3 Victor Kipruto (KEN) 27:16
4 Valentin Soca (URU) 27:21
5 Mohamed Abdillaahi (GER) 27:22
6 Magnus Tuv Myhre (NOR) 27:22
7 Said Mechaal (ESP) 27:25
8 Isaac Kimeli (BEL) 27:29
9 Jose Carlos Pinto (PORI) 27:37
10 Kipkandie Mkulia (KEN) 27:38
SOURCE: WORLD ATHLETICS
