VALENCIA, Spain (World-Track) — Rodrigue Kwizera of Spain and Sheila Chepkirui of Kenya won the men’s and women’s titles Sunday at the 2026 Valencia Half Marathon Trinidad Alfonso Zurich, a World Athletics Gold Label road race known as the world’s fastest half marathon course. Five men broke 59 minutes and six women broke 65 minutes on the flat Valencia circuit in the 35th edition of the race, which started at 8:25 a.m. local time on Sunday, Oct. 25.

Men’s Race: Spanish Record Falls Twice

Rodrigue Kwizera, a Burundian-born athlete who obtained Spanish citizenship earlier this year, broke away from a small lead pack, which included his training partner and new countryman Thierry Ndikumwenayo – in the closing stages to win in 58:03, a Spanish national record and personal best. His previous best was 58:16 from Prague in May.

The previous Spanish record of 59:39 was held by Carlos Mayo, set in Valencia in 2023. Although the 27-year-old Kwizera ran faster than Andreas Almgren’s recently established European record of 58:06, he won’t be recognized as the European record holder because his transfer from Burundi to Spain hasn’t yet been officially formalized by World Athletics, according to European Athletics.

Meanwhile, Thierry Ndikumwenayo, also of Spain, finished second in 58:09, also well under the former record, but just missing Andreas Almgren’s European record of 58:06. Ndikumwenayo said before the race that “running 58:30 would make me very happy,” and so he would be delighted with his performance this weekend.

Kenya’s Victor Kipruto was third in 58:12, Ethiopia’s Tadese Worku fourth in 58:33 and Kenya’s Owen Kapkama fifth in 58:42. All five ran personal bests under 59 minutes. Ethiopia’s Jemal Yimer was sixth in 59:01.

Women’s Race: Chepkirui Into All-Time Top 10

The 2024 TCS New York City Marathon champion Sheila Chepkirui of Kenya won in 1:03:51 to move into a tie for fifth with Ethiopia’s Yalemzerf Yehualaw on the World Athletics all-time list.

Compatriot Diana Wanza, the Commonwealth Games 10,000-meter silver medalist, was second in 1:03:52, improving her previous best of 1:07:31 to move to No. 6 all-time.

The women’s race saw exceptional depth with Kenya’s Daisilah Jerono third in 1:04:11, Ethiopia’s Mizan Alem fourth in 1:04:54, Ethiopia’s Senayet Getachew fifth in 1:04:57 and Kenya’s Caroline Gitonga sixth in 1:04:59.

Spanish Records

Laura Luengo Caselles set a Spanish women’s record with 1:08:28 for 20th place overall, while eclipsing the previous national record by 2 seconds and leading a strong home performance with five Spanish women in the top 28.

About The Race

The Valencia Half Marathon Trinidad Alfonso Zurich is rated Best Half Marathon in Spain by the Royal Spanish Athletics Federation and is a member of the European SuperHalfs Series. The course holds the women’s world record of 1:02:52 set by Letesenbet Gidey in 2021.

2026 Valencia Half Marathon Trinidad Alfonso Zurich Results

Men’s Results — Top 30 — World Athletics Gold Label

1. Rodrigue Kwizera, Spain, 58:03 — Spanish record
2. Thierry Ndikumwenayo, Spain, 58:09
3. Victor Kipruto, Kenya, 58:12
4. Tadese Worku, Ethiopia, 58:33
5. Owen Kapkama, Kenya, 58:42
6. Jemal Yimer, Ethiopia, 59:01
7. James Kipkosgei, Kenya, 59:03
8. Yaseen Abdalla, Sudan, 59:12
9. Daniel Ebenyo, Kenya, 59:20
10. Melkeneh Azize, Ethiopia, 59:20
11. Emmanuel Roudolff, France, 59:23
12. Maxime Chaumeton, South Africa, 59:44
13. Aaron de las Heras Ruperez, Spain, 1:00:08
14. Tomoya Ogikubo, Japan, 1:00:20
15. Jacob Simonsen, Denmark, 1:00:42
16. Pasquale Selvarolo, Italy, 1:00:42
17. Duarte Gomes, Portugal, 1:00:43
18. Adel Mechaal Mechaal, Spain, 1:01:00
19. Jack O’Leary, Ireland, 1:01:06
20. Rui Pinto, Portugal, 1:01:22
21. Yago Rojo Sancho, Spain, 1:01:24
22. Bedrani Djilali, France, 1:01:29
23. Jan Lukas Becker, Germany, 1:01:30
24. Khairi Bejiga, Ethiopia, 1:01:32
25. Chandler Gibbens, United States, 1:01:43
26. Arnaud Collard, Belgium, 1:01:48
27. Pablo Alba Sanz, Spain, 1:01:58
28. Jacob Thomson, United States, 1:02:00
29. Baptiste Jard, France, 1:02:01
30. Miguel Baidal Marco, Spain, 1:02:10

Women’s Results — Top 31

1. Sheila Chepkirui, Kenya, 1:03:51
2. Diana Wanza, Kenya, 1:03:52
3. Daisilah Jerono, Kenya, 1:04:11
4. Mizan Alem, Ethiopia, 1:04:54
5. Senayet Getachew, Ethiopia, 1:04:57
6. Caroline Gitonga, Kenya, 1:04:59
7. Gladys Kwamboka, Kenya, 1:05:02
8. Jesca Chelangat, Kenya, 1:05:29
9. Miriam Chebet, Kenya, 1:05:39
10. Aynadis Mebratu, Ethiopia, 1:05:40
11. Purity Gitonga, Kenya, 1:05:56
12. Faith Cherono, Kenya, 1:06:13
13. Tsigie Gebreselama, Ethiopia, 1:06:20
14. Ftaw Zeray, Ethiopia, 1:06:41
15. Axumawit Embaye, Ethiopia, 1:06:43
16. Yalemzerf Yehualaw, Ethiopia, 1:07:21
17. Emily Venters, United States, 1:07:37
18. Jana Van Lent, Belgium, 1:07:39
19. Lauren Ryan, Australia, 1:08:25
20. Laura Luengo Caselles, Spain, 1:08:28 — Spanish record
21. Wuga He, China, 1:08:31
22. Samantha Harrisson, Great Britain, 1:08:45
23. Meritxell Soler Delgado, Spain, 1:08:47
24. Irene Sanchez-Escribano Figueroa, Spain, 1:08:47
25. Alicia Berzosa Martin, Spain, 1:08:53
26. Allie Ostrander, United States, 1:08:55
27. Marta Galimany Guasch, Spain, 1:09:13
28. Carla Gallardo Puertas, Spain, 1:09:32
29. Charlotte Dannatt, Great Britain, 1:09:56
30. Lisa Merkel, Germany, 1:09:57
31. Susana Santos, Portugal, 1:10:13