VALENCIA, SPAIN, December 07 — The 2025 Valencia Marathon became the first women’s race ever to post two sub-2:15 clockings. Joyciline Jepkosgei surged to a year-leading 2:14:00 win and Peres Jepchirchir followed in 2:14:43. The two advanced to the Nos. 4 and 6 positions on the all-time list with the Nos. 4 and 7 all-time performances.
“I am so happy,” said the 31-year-old Jepkosgei. “The race was perfect for me. The course and the weather was so nice, and I was really well prepared to do something and improve my personal best time.”
The 32-year-old Jepchirchir was equally happy just 12 weeks after winning the Tokyo World Champs marathon. “You know, many ladies have run 2:14 so I was telling myself, one day I want to run 2:14, and today I fulfilled my dreams.”
The two Kenyans were followed by a trio of athletes setting National Records with Belgian Chloe Herbiet finishing 3rd in 2:20:38, followed by Finland’s Alisa Vainio in 2:20:48, and Australian Jessica Stenson 5th in 2:21:24.
Jepkosgei and Jepchirchir had raced each other in three previous marathons with the fast-closing Jepchirchir not only besting her rival but winning all three competitions. The friendly rivalry started in 2020 in Valencia, then in 2022 moved to Boston, and last year to London where Jepchirchir ran a women’s only 2:16:16 WR with Jepkosgei finishing 3rd in 2:16:24.
Hoping to improve those 2:16 PRs, the duo turned to the Spanish city’s famously fast route. Yet making it to Valencia was a bit of a challenge for Jepchirchir who backed up her 2021 Olympic title in Sapporo with the dramatic sprint win over Tigst Assefa in the Tokyo WC race.
Manager Gianni Demadonna said Jepchirchir’s decision to run Valencia was simple: “She wants to run a fast one. In the last years, she has run the Olympics, World Championships, New York, Boston and London without a pacemaker. She’d never run a fast one with a pacemaker.”
Jepchirchir added, “My plan was to run London, Berlin and Valencia. Then after I canceled London, there were no other races, so I decided to run the World Championships to represent my country, and then Valencia because it was late.”
Jepkosgei has also fared well in Valencia, where she ran a then-WR 64:51 half-marathon in 2017. “I wanted to improve my time, and I was feeling confident that Valencia is the best course to run fast.”
After logging a cautious 16:16 opening 5K — 2:17:19 pace — they kicked into high gear with a 3:10 split for kilo 7, setting off a thrilling, high-paced duel. Running side-by-side behind their personal pacers, the two ladies barreled through 5K segments of 15:44, 15:30 and 15:36 before crossing halfway in 66:34.
The torrid pace was sustained through subsequent 15:52 and 15:49 5K segments to cross 30K in 1:34:47 — 2:13:19 pace.
Jepkosgei recalled, “I was feeling strong and checking my time and I was so happy, feeling confident that I will manage to run a good time. I kept pushing myself, thinking even if I feel bad somewhere, I can still manage 2:14.”
After heading out of the very protected streets of the city center and into a little wind the 30–35K segment was covered in 16:06.
While the pace slowed, the racing heated up as Jepchirchir opened a 5-meter lead in the 33rd K, only to have her pacer abruptly step aside. Amid the commotion, the pace slowed through a 3:19 K before Jepchirchir set off on her own to reestablish a 10-meter lead, before Jepkosgei’s pacer closed the gap by 36K.
The loss of her pacer, Jepchirchir admitted, “affected me a lot. You have prepared with someone knowing that we are going to go until the end and then you end up losing him. It was difficult for me and I lost momentum.”
By 39K, Jepchirchir was also losing ground as Jepkosgei sped away to the finish, splitting 16:02 from 35–40K. She then cruised through Valencia’s spectacular finish with delight.
Jepkosgei said, “My coach knew we needed to do something for the last kilometers. That helped me a lot in training, and today I concentrated so much to prevail at the finish.”
Jepchirchir also was more than satisfied with her effort, admitting, “When I was running Tokyo, I knew it was too hot. I tried my best to recover but it was not easy. With the fatigue and losing a pacer it’s still a great thing for me to now have a 2:14 time.”
Rounding out the podium, the 27-year-old Herbiet was certainly the race’s revelation as she cut 4:18 off her PR run last year in Seville, with a superb 70:51/69:48 effort. “I started with the second group and was 4th with 5K to go and I said, ‘OK you can push it in’ and I finished at 3:15 pace over the final 5K.”
VALENCIA MARATHON WOMEN’S RESULTS
1. Joyciline Jepkosgei (Ken) 2:14:00 (4, 4 W) (WL);
2. Peres Jepchirchir (Ken) 2:14:43 (6, 7 W);
3. Chloe Herbiet (Bel) 2:20:38 NR; 4. Alisa Vainio (Fin) 2:20:48 NR; 5. Jessica Stenson (Aus) 2:21:24 NR; 6. Glenrose Xaba (SA) 2:23:22; 7. Isobel Batt-Doyle (Aus) 2:23:35; 8. Lonah Chemtai Salpeter (Isr) 2:23:45; 9. Meritxell Soler (Spa) 2:23:49 PR; 10. Natasha Cockram (GB) 2:24:21 PR;
11. Esther Navarrete (Spa) 2:24:31 PR; 12. Malindi Elmore (Can) 2:24:54; 13. Emma Bates (US) 2:25:51; 14. Julia Mayer (Aut) 2:26:09 NR.
(best-ever mark-for-place: 2)
