Ethiopia’s Sisay Lemma breaks Kelvin Kiptum’s record in Valencia

3rd December 2023

Kenya’s Alexander Mutiso settled for a second-place finish in a personal best time 2:03.11.

Sisay Lemma. PHOTO| AFP
Sisay Lemma. PHOTO| AFP
SUMMARY
  • Lemma overcome a star-studded field to reach the tape in a course record time of 2:01.48.
  • Kelvin Kiptum’s previous course record was 2:01.53.
  • In the women’s category, Ethiopia registered a clean podium sweep with Worknesh Degefa winning the race in a personal best time of 2:15.51

Ethiopia’s Sisay Lemma run away with the 2023 Valencia Marathon title in a sensational fashion on Sunday, December 3, breaking Kelvin Kiptum’s previous course record of 2:01.53.

Lemma overcome a star-studded field to reach the tape in a course record time of 2:01.48 in the World Athletics Platinum Label Road race.

The 32-year-old become the fourth fastest marathoner of all time in the process, behind the reigning world record holder Kelvin Kiptum and multiple Berlin Marathon champion Eliud Kipchoge.

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Lemma also narrowly missed the Ethiopian national record of 2:01.41 which was set by Kenenisa Bekele few years ago in Berlin.

The race started at an electric pace with the leading pack that included the likes of Lemma, Uganda’s Joshua Cheptegei, Bekele, Kibiwott Kandie, Titus Kipruto, Chalu Deso, Mamo Wolde and Tanzania’s Gabriel Gerald Geay crossing the 5km mark in 28:55.

As the battle went on, 41-year-old Bekele could not sustain the pace and hence he dropped from the pack at the 39th minute. 

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The leading athletes continued with the fast pace, crossing the halfway mark in 1:00.35 with Kandie, Deso, Lemma, and Wolde exchanging the lead.

With less than seven kilometers remaining to the end of the race, the battle was between Lemma and his fellow countryman Wolde as Kandie started to tire.

Lemma took matters into his own hands at the 35km mark and never looked back again, opening a 20 meter gap between him and his compatriot Wolde.

The 2021 Virgin Money London Marathon winner crossed the 35km mark in 1:40.41. At that time, he was still inside the world record pace.

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However, there was very little he could do to smash the existing world record of 2:00.35 that was set by Kiptum during this year’s Chicago Marathon.

Kenya’s Alexander Mutiso came out of nowhere to settle for a second place finish in a personal best time 2:03.11 ahead of Wolde who clocked 2:03.48.

The experienced Bekele registered a fourth-place position in a time of 2:04.19 with pre-race favorite Kandie securing a sixth-place position.

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In the women’s category, Ethiopia registered a clean podium sweep with Worknesh Degefa winning the race in a personal best time of 2:15.51 – the seventh fastest time in the history of women’s marathon running.

She was closely followed by Almaz Ayana and Hiwot Gebrekidan. The duo clocked personal best times of 2:16. 22 and 2:17.59 respectively.

Celestine Chepchirchir, who was one of the two Kenyan athletes to grace this year’s edition came in fourth in 2:20.46.