VALENCIA, SPAIN, October 24 — The 2026 Valencia Half Marathon came down to a pair of battles between teammates as the Asics Kenya duo of Sheila Chepkirui (63:51) and Diana Wanza (63:52) battled all the way through a sprint finish, while Rodrigue Kwizera (58:03) prevailed over clubmate Thierry Ndikumwenayo (58:09).
By Valencia’s standards it was a bit of an off-year sans World Record attempts as race curator Marc Roig admitted, “Reasonably, we were looking at chasing a Top 10 time.”
The women accomplished that task as Chepkirui moved to =5 and =6 on the all-time performer/performance lists and Wanza moved to 6 and 8 on the lists in just her second attempt at the distance.
Third-place finisher Daisilah Jerono completed the Kenyan sweep of the podium running 64:11 good for 10th on the performer list with the 13th fast women’s clocking. A steady stream of fast finishers followed as 6 women bettered 65 minutes and 11 ducked under 66:00.
The ladies got off to a fast start with 8 taking to the 15:19 pace of the opening 5K. At 7K (21:25, 64:30 pace) the lone male pacer stepped aside with a side stitch. Chepkirui was quick to move to the front, lifting the pace with Wanza and Jerono following her lead.
Chepkirui noted, “We were above the target pace of 64 and we had to go.” A pair of 3:00 and 2:59 Ks, dropped the pace to a projected 64:13.
Approaching 10K, the lead trio was fortunate to come upon men’s pacer John Lomoni who jumped in to assist the women who crossed 10K in 30:27, splitting 15:08 for the second 5K.
The ladies settled into a steady rhythm after Lomoni adjusted to the pace. Wanza recalls, “The other pacemaker came and now he was trying to control the pace. It was like, ‘No, that’s too high, look at the time.’ Then he really helped a lot.”
The steady high tempo continued as the racers toured the historic city center splitting 15:04 for the 3rd 5K to reach 15K in 45:31 – 64:03 pace.
All good for The 27-year-old ASICS’ Chepkirui – not to be confused with the adidas Chepkirui, the ’24 NYC champ. This Chepkirui was racing her fourth HM of the year following three 66-minute efforts.
In her first year of elite level racing, Chepkirui ran at the front throughout the race. “I was trying to maintain the pace and feeling good,” she said. “It was hard but we had good training for Valencia.”
That training showed up in a 2:55 18th kilometer as the Asics teammates pushed ahead to drop Jerono and went on to cross 20K in 60:30 – 63:49 pace off a 14:59 5K segment.
Lemoni pulled off at 20K after his impromptu pacing escorted the ladies through a swift second 10K in 30:03. That left the rather inexperienced Chepkirui to race the 27-year-old Wanza, an accomplished trackster who won this year’s African Championships 10,000 but was racing only her second half.
The pace slowed a bit as the two women gathered themselves until Chepkirui began her sprint in the final 300 meters. “Coming to the finish I was trying very hard,” she said. “I knew I was facing a fast colleague and I had to push. I began sprinting and got some advantage and was able to win in a new personal best.”
Wanza quickly fell 10 meters behind before mounting a strong sprint to make it close. “The last kilometer was like, ‘Oh I’m tired.’ Then you just tell your body to give it your all and finish.”
American Emily Venters finished 17th in 67:37 with Allie Ostrander 26th in 68:55.
The men’s race was led by Burundi natives Kwizera and Ndikumwenayo who both adopted Spanish citizenship and were racing in the green colors of their local club Playas Castillon. Ndikumwenayo’s change of allegiance was accepted by World Athletics in 2023, while Kwizera’s is still pending but eligible for national records.
The 27-year-old Kwizera finished 2nd last year in Valencia in 58:38 and this time set out at a high pace clocking 13:43 for the opening 5K and 27:40 at 10K.
After the pacer dropped, Kwizera ran at the front, with Ndikumwenayo at his heels along with 5 others strung out just behind in single file. The group stayed together through 15K (41:32) when Kwizera reeled off a trio of 2:44 Ks dropping all but Ndikumwenayo and Kipruto. They crossed 20K in 55:12 off a 5K segment of 13:40.
“I knew that I had to push the second 10K to get the record,” Kwizera said, adding, “That is what I prepared for.” No doubt Kwizera also prepared to handle Ndikumwenayo’s track speed (7:25.93/12:47.67/26:49.49) as he closed his final K in 2:36 to claim the win and the Spanish Record.
Kwizera becomes the No. 9 all-time performer. “It is great to get the Record,” he beamed, “and even better if it comes with a win.”
Ndikumwenayo moved to 16th-fastest performer in just his second half and said, “I try to follow Rodrigue to see what I can learn as track and road is totally different.”
VALENCIA HALF MEN’S RESULTS
1. Rodrigue Kwizéra (Bur) 58:03 (9, x W);
2. Thierry Ndikumwenayo (Spa) 58:09; 3. Victor Kiprono (Ken) 58:12; 4. Tadese Worku (Eth) 58:32; 5. Owen Kapkama (Ken) 58:42; 6. Jemal Yimer (Eth) 59:01; 7. James Kipkogei (Ken) 59:03; 8. Yaseen Abdalla (Sud) 59:12; 9. Daniel Simiyu (Ken) 59:20; 10. Melkeneh Azeze (Eth) 59:20; 11. Emmanuel Roudolff-Levisse (Fra) 59:23; 12. Maxime Chaumeton (SA) 59:44; 13. Aaron Las Heras (Spa) 60:08; 14. Tomoya Ogikubo (Jpn) 60:20; 15. Jacob Sommer Simonsen (Den) 60:42.
VALENCIA HALF WOMEN’S RESULTS
1. Sheila Chepkirui (Ken) 63:51 (=5, =6 W);
2. Diana Wanza (Ken) 63:52 (6, 8 W);
3. Daisilah Jerono (Ken) 64:11 (10, x W);
4. Mizan Alem (Eth) 64:53; 5. Senayet Getachew (Eth) 64:57; 6. Caroline Gitonga (Ken) 64:59; 7. Gladys Kwamboka (Ken) 65:02; 8. Jesca Chelangat (Ken) 65:29; 9. Miriam Chebet (Ken) 65:39; 10. Aynadis Mebratu (Eth) 65:40; 11. Purity Gitonga (Ken) 65:56; 12. Faith Cherono (Ken) 66:13; 13. Tsige Gebreselama (Eth) 66:20; 14. Ftaw Zeray (Eth) 66:41; 15. Axumawit Embaye (Eth) 66:43; 16. Yalemzerf Yehualaw (Eth) 67:21; 17. Emily Venters (US) 67:37;… 26. Allie Ostrander (US) 68:55.
(best-ever mark-for-place: 3–17)
