Amane Beriso Shankule and Kelvin Kiptum take wins at Valencia Marathon
Beriso upstaged Ethiopian compatriot Letesenbet Gidey in the women's race to go third on the all-time list, as Kiptum became the quickest marathon debutant in history.
Athletics
Amane Beriso Shankule upstaged world 10,000m champion Letesenbet Gidey to take a surprise win in the Valencia Marathon on Sunday (4 December).
The pre-race build-up revolved around Gidey, who set the world half marathon record in Valencia last year, attacking Brigid Kosgei's world record of 2:14:04 on her marathon debut.
She and fellow Ethiopian Beriso were soon clear of the field, but it was the 31-year-old - whose previous personal best was set in Dubai six years ago - who moved away in the closing 5km.
Beriso won in 2:14:58 to put her third in the all-time list behind Kosgei and another Kenyan, Olympic champion Peres Jepchirchir.
Speaking via a translator afterwards, Beriso said she was very happy but felt that she would have broken the world record had she received more help from pacemakers.
The pacemakers dropped back to help Gidey recover when she was dropped, rather than assist the leader who had been on world record pace.
Gidey clocked 2:16:49 for the fastest women's marathon debut in history with Kenya's Sheila Chepkirui third in 2:17:29.
The top seven women all broke 2:19, the most in a single race, with a number of national records set.
Majida Maayouf in 10th place set a new Moroccan record of 2:21:01 with, one place behind her, 45-year-old Sinead Diver running 2:21:34 to break the Australian record.
And Marta Galimany broke the 27-year-old Spanish record with a time of 2:26:14.
Kelvin Kiptum arrives with a bang
In the men's race, Kelvin Kiptum made a sensational marathon debut as he took victory in 2:01:53.
The Kenyan went clear with 10km to go and ran a negative split - going quicker in the second half than the first - to clock the fourth quickest time in history.
Only double Olympic champion Eliud Kipchoge (twice) and Kenenisa Bekele have gone faster.
Kiptum was just 44 seconds outside Kipchoge's world record as he became the fastest ever marathon debutant.
Tanzania's Gabriel Geay was second in a new national record of 2:03:00 with Kiptum's countryman Alexander Mutiso clocking 2:03:29, also on debut, for third.
2022 Valencia Marathon results
Top finishers in women's race:
1. Amane Beriso (ETH) 2:14:58
2. Letesenbet Gidey (ETH) 2:16:49
3. Sheila Chepkirui (KEN) 2:17:29
4. Tadu Teshome (ETH) 2:17:36
5. Fancy Chemutai (KEN) 2:18:11
6. Tiruye Mesfin (ETH) 2:18:47
7. Tigist Girma (ETH) 2:18:52
8. Etagegne Woldu (ETH) 2:20:03
9. Dolshi Tesfu (ERI) 2:20:40
10. Majida Maayouf (MAR) 2:21:01
Top finishers in men's race:
1. Kelvin Kiptum (KEN) 2:01:53
2. Gabriel Geay (TAN) 2:03:00
3. Alexander Mutiso (KEN) 2:03:29
4. Tamirat Tola (ETH) 2:03:40
5. Kaan Kigen Ozbilen (TUR) 2:04:36
6. Chalu Deso (ETH) 2:04:56
7. Milkesa Mengesha (ETH) 2:05:29
8. Ronald Korir (KEN) 2:05:37
9. Philemon Kiplimo (KEN) 2:05:44
10. Goitom Kilfe (ERI) 2:06:09