Valencia aims for best world-leading times of the year

This was confirmed by the organisers and the athletes themselves during the presentation of the international elite field held today at La Placeta INNSiDE by Meliá Valencia Oceanic at Expo 42K Feria Valencia.

According to Juan Botella, CEO of SD Correcaminos, “this Sunday we are aiming for the best marathon times in the world in 2025. We are only keeping an eye on the wind and the weather.” The race’s international coach, Marc Roig, added that “Valencia is the place to run fast. We hope the 36.000 people that are participating in the Valencia Marathon do their personal best”.

The course record holder, Sisay Lemma (2:01:48), returns to Valencia intent on improving the time he ran in 2023, when he targeted the world record over the first half of the race. In fact, the Ethiopian has admitted that he is “in good shape and in good condition, so in the future I will try to break the world record.”

Another athlete who knows what it’s like to run in Valencia, the World Championship marathon silver medallist in Tokyo, Amanal Petros (2:04:58), said: “I’ve worked hard and I’m in shape. It’s very important to arrive healthy and enjoy yourself to achieve your goal. I’ll try to improve my personal best and hopefully it could be the German record.”

For his part, John Korir, who will be racing in Valencia for the first time, hopes “to have a good race.” He added, “On Sunday I’ll try to give my best to beat my personal best, but I don’t know what will happen with the world record.”

As for the women’s elite field, the current Valencia Marathon record holder (2:14:58), Ethiopian Amane Beriso, said she is “very happy to be in Valencia again. I’m ready for Sunday—I’m arriving in very good shape.”

Kenyan Peres Jepchirchir (2:16:16), marathon gold medallist at the recent World Championships in Tokyo, has “very good memories of Valencia since winning the 2020 edition. I am in good shape and will try to give my best”.

Meanwhile, Joyciline Jepkosgei (2:16:24), who broke the half-marathon world record in 2017, said she is “very happy to be back. Although I broke the world half-marathon record here, running a marathon is completely different. Even though I was second in the last London Marathon, every marathon is different. So let’s see how Sunday goes.”