Kenya’s Joyciline Jepkosgei has been in excellent form in 2017. In April of this year she had set a new world half marathon record at 1:04:52  during a race in Prague. On Sunday October 22, she kept her momentum alive at the Valencia Trinidad Alfonso Half Marathon, taking one second off her own world record* to win the IAAF Gold Label road race in 1:04:51.

She started out on a torrid pace reaching the first 5km in a frantic 14:52, and  was timed at 30:09 at 10 kilometres, ,well ahead of her own world record pace. But the torrid pace took its toll and she slowed down, reaching the 15kn mark in 45:37. She the picked up the pace, cheered on by the crowd to finish in 1:04:51.

“It was my first race in Valencia, I enjoyed a lot, the weather is nice, the circuit is perfect to run fast,” said Jepkosgei, who will turn 24 in December. “I hope to come back in March for the World Half Marathon Championships.” she said.

22 year old Fancy Chemutai finished second and Lucy Cheruiyot was third as Kenya swept the top three positions ahead of Ethiopian track star Gelete Burka

Results

1 Joyciline Jepkosgei (KEN) 1:04:51
2 Fancy Chemutai (KEN) 1:05:36
3 Lucy Cheruiyot (KEN) 1:07:31
4 Gelete Burka (ETH) 1:08:18
5 Paskalia Chepkorir (KEN) 1:09:08
6 Trihas Gebre (ESP) 1:09:57
7 Birhan Mhretu (ETH) 1:10:00
8 Azmera Gebru Hagos (ETH) 1:10:40