Kenya’s Agnes Ngetich will make her marathon debut in the Maratón Valencia Trinidad Alfonso Zurich, a World Athletics Platinum Label road race, on 6 December, joining a field that features Fotyen Tesfay and Joyciline Jepkosgei.
Tesfay ran the fastest ever women’s marathon debut when she clocked 2:10:51 to win the Barcelona Marathon in March, achieving an Ethiopian record and the second-quickest performance in history.
In a thrilling clash, she will now take on Ngetich, the world 10km record-holder who claimed world cross-country and half marathon titles earlier this year.
It was in Valencia that Ngetich set her world 10km record, clocking 28:46 in 2024. She also set her national half marathon record of 1:03:04 and 5km best of 14:13 in the Spanish city – both performances placing her second on the respective world all-time lists.
Ngetich last raced at the Tokyo Legacy Half Marathon, which she won in 1:04:23, in October, while Tesfay won the Buenos Aires Half Marathon in 1:03:57 in August.
Tesfay’s participation in Valencia was announced earlier this year, when Yomif Kejelcha was named for the men’s race. Kejelcha will run his second marathon after his sensational 1:59:41 debut in London in April.
Last year’s Valencia Marathon champions – Jepkosgei and John Korir – both return to defend their titles. Jepkosgei ran 2:14:00 when winning her title last year.
SOURCE: WORLD ATHLETICS
