Sabastian Sawe and Megertu Alemu crowned Valencia Marathon 2024 champions
World half-marathon champion Sawe made a stunning marathon debut in Valencia clocking a world lead of 2:02:05 on Sunday (1 December). Ethiopia’s Megertu Alemu dominated the women's race.
Athletics
World half-marathon champion Sabastian Sawe blasted to the front over the final seven kilometres, cruising to victory in the 2024 Valencia Marathon on Sunday (1 December) with a world lead.
Making his marathon debut, the 28-year-old Kenyan looked comfortable over the distance, crossing the finish in a blistering two hours, two minutes, and five seconds (2:02:05). He finished 33 seconds ahead of the next best finisher Deresa Geleta of Ethiopia, with compatriot Daniel Mateiko rounding out the podium in 2:04:24.
In the women’s race, Ethiopia’s Megertu Alemu delivered a dominant performance to win in a time of 2:16:49.
A group of nine elite men, led by course record-holder Sisay Lemma and three-time Olympic gold medallist Kenenisa Bekele, stayed together over the race's first half before the pace started to take its toll.
The front group flaked off one by one after the first 21km, with Bekele among the early casualties. The leaders were then whittled down to six – Mateiko, Lemma, Birhanu Legesa, Sawe and Geleta – as they went through 30km.
Lemma’s hopes of a title defence were soon dashed as he also dropped off with Mateiko dictating matters at the front of the field.
Mateiko pulled ahead, running alone for about two kilometres before Sawe and Geleta joined him again shortly after the 35km mark. Once Mateiko was caught, Sawe took his turn to run in front with Geleta and Mateiko falling a few metres back.
Sawe then opened a sizeable gap over his challengers and clocked negative splits to storm to a stunning win in his marathon debut.
Ethiopia's Megertu Alemu won the elite women's race at the 2024 Valencia Marathon.
In the women's event, Alemu claimed the biggest marathon victory of her career in a time of 2:16:49, just outside her lifetime best. The 27-year-old finished ahead of Uganda’s Stella Chesang (2:18:26) in second place and compatriot Tiruye Mesfin (2:18:35) in third.
The late withdrawal of defending champion Amane Beriso of Ethiopia due to injury opened the door for Alemu as the fastest racer on the start line.
Chesang, Mesfin, and Kenya's Evaline Chirchir kept Alemu company in the early stages of the women’s race. By the 15km mark, however, only Chesang and Alemu were left fighting it out at the front with Mesfin and Chirchir dropping off.
The duo went through the halfway mark at 67:50, well below the course-record pace, before Alemu opened a gap on the Ugandan athlete.
Alemu then built on the advantage with each step, running the second half on her own. While her chances of breaking the course-record faded over the final few kilometres, she did earn a dominant victory in the event.