Yomif Kejelcha Defends Valencia Half Marathon Title with Commanding Performance

Addis Ababa, October 26, 2025 (FMC) — Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha delivered a commanding performance to defend his title at the Valencia Half Marathon (Medio Maratón de Valencia Trinidad Alfonso Zurich) on Sunday, crossing the finish line in 58 minutes and 2 seconds to reaffirm his dominance in one of the world’s fastest road races.

The Ethiopian star set a swift early pace, passing the 5 km mark in 13:35 and 10 km in 27:13, closely mirroring his splits from last year’s course-record victory.

Though early indications pointed toward another record-breaking run, rising humidity and headwinds in the final stretch tempered the pace. By 15 km, Kejelcha clocked 40:59, maintaining control over the race and finishing strongly to secure a decisive win.

While the world record remained just out of reach, Kejelcha’s latest triumph marked his seventh career sub-60-minute performance over the half marathon distance — a feat that underscores his remarkable consistency and endurance at the elite level.

Burundi’s Rodrigue Kwizera and Kenya’s Brian Kibor completed the podium, both recording 58:39, contributing to one of the fastest overall podium finishes in the event’s history.

In the women’s race, Kenya’s Agnes Ngetich claimed victory in a world-leading 1:03:08, the third-fastest time ever recorded over the distance.

Ethiopia’s Fotyen Tesfay put up a determined performance to take second place in 1:05:11, ahead of Kenya’s Veronica Loleo, who finished third in a personal best of 1:05:46.