Cherono and Kamworor lead top stars to Valencia

November 4, 2018 Kenya's Geoffrey Kamworor in action with Ethiopia's Lelisa Desisa and Shura Kitata during the Professional Men's race REUTERS

Valencia will once again become the epicentre of the running world on December 5 when it holds the Valencia Marathon, a World Athletics Elite Platinum Label race that in 2021 wants to continue making history by breaking records.

And to achieve this, it will count on some of the best athletes in the world including Geoffrey Kamworor, Lawrence Cherono and Guteni Shone.

Kamworor, winner of three world half marathon titles and two world cross-country titles, is eager to improve on his 2:06:12 Personal Best, set on his debut at the distance back in 2012.

Since he had to withdraw from the Tokyo Games due to injury, the two-time New York Marathon champion has been preparing exclusively and conscientiously to achieve a great result in Valencia.

Cherono, who picked up athletics while operating a posho mill in Eldoret, is coming off a fourth-place finish at the Tokyo Olympics.

The 2019 Boston and Chicago champion will return to the scene of his 2:03:04 PB, a time which makes him the fastest in the field.

Herpasa Negasa, the 2019 Dubai runner-up, and 2019 Valencia winner Kinde Atanaw are the other sub-2:04 performers in the field.

Ethiopia’s Andamlak Belihu, who finished fifth over 10,000m at the 2019 World Championships and at the 2020 World Half Marathon Championships, will be making his marathon debut.

The 22-year-old’s PBs of 26:53.15 for 10,000m and 58:54 for the half marathon point to a potentially fast time for the full marathon distance.

Although no one in the women’s field has a PB faster than 2:20, organisers are hopeful that barrier will be broken again in Valencia for the third year in a row.

Kenya’s 2018 Prague Marathon champion Bornes Chepkirui, Ugandan record-holder Juliet Chekwel and three-time Rome Marathon champion Rahma Tusa of Ethiopia are also in the field. Dorcas Tuitoek is also one to watch.

“This year’s marathon is extremely competitive, as we like it in Valencia,” said elite athlete coordinator Marc Roig.