Cherono and Jelagat deliver a Kenya double in Valencia Marathon

Olympian and 2019 Boston and Chicago champion Lawrence Cherono clocked 2:05.12 to win the 2021 edition of Valencia Marathon Trinidad Alfonso EDP, a World Athletics Elite Platinum Label race on Sunday 5 December. 

Nancy Jelagat

In the women's race where organisers had targeted a sub 2:20, Nancy Jelagat clocked 2:19.31, a personal best, to win the women's race and announce herself as a threat to established marathoners. She is a holder of a quick 1:05:21 clocking in the shorter distance set in August in Berlin.

Cherono, coming off a fourth-place finish at the Tokyo Games was returning to the scene of his 2:03:04 Personal Best (PB), a time that made him the fastest in the field.

He, however, faced stiff competition from the NN Running Team duo of Geoffrey Kamworor and Philemon Kacheran as well as 2019 Valencia winner Kinde Atanaw who holds a PB of 2:03.51 and was one of three sub-2:04 performers on the field. 

Eyes on Cherono in Valencia

It was, however, Chalu Desu who finished sixth last year and was be looking to bounce back after a below-par outing in Chicago two months ago, who gave Cherono a run for his money and looked strong enough to challenge for gold.

Kacheran and Kamworor had stayed with the chasing group and looked as good as forgotten, not often being talked about or even seen on camera until the final two kilometers when they caught up with Cherono and Desu, with Kacheran assuming lead.

As the three approached the blue carpet, the final Kilometro had been turned to somewhat a sprint and Kacheran found the going tough, dropping to third place. Cherono unleashed a killer finishing kick to sprint to victory as Desu clocked 2:05.16 fir silver while Kacheran clocked a PB in 2:05.19.

Three-time world half marathon champion Kamworor also lowered his PB to 2:05.23 finishing in fourth place behind his stable partner Kacheran.

In the women's race, Jelagat who had a battery of pacers until the final two kilometers of the race was the only sub 2:20 performer, reducing her best time in the classic distance by over 17 minutes as she came into the race off a 2:36.22 time run in Italy back in 2019.

Ethiopia's Etagegne Woldu clocked 2:20.16 for silver as compatriot Beyenu Degefa timed 2:23.04 for bronze.