Valencia, 4-10-2021.- This past Sunday, October 3rd, the 10K Valencia Ibercaja got thousands of runners to fly through the city of running once again. The 5,806 runners who crossed the finish line at the Paseo de la Alameda were able to enjoy a new (and long-awaited) edition of the best 10K in Spain.
Once again, the event, which has held the World Record since 2020 (Rhonex Kipruto: 26:24), once again made history by coming within seven seconds of the women's world record for the distance. All this happened almost at the same time as Kalkidan Gezahegne broke it in Geneva with a time of 29:38 (still to be ratified by World Athletics).
But that's not all. The 10K Valencia Ibercaja currently has four of the twelve best world records of the year in women. The athletes Margaret Chelimo (29:50), with the fourth best world record of all time in women, Norah Jeruto (30:08), Chebet Tuei (30:45) and Chepkemoi Kibet (31:08), are in the Top 12 in the world in the 10K distance.
The winner of this edition, the Kenyan Margaret Chelimo, said at the end of the race: "I am very happy, the course was very good. It is the second time I ran a 10K and I was looking for the best possible time".
Likewise, the time of Norwegian Zerei Kbrom (27:39), the winner of this edition who broke his country's national record (held by Jacob Ingbrigtsen), is also the tenth best 10K world record of the year. After the finish line, he said: "It's the first time I came to Valencia. I have run the best I could, I am very happy and I wanted to thank the organisation andeveryone".
Meanwhile, in the women's category, the Swedish athlete Sarah Lahti (31:26) also achieved the national record in the women's 10K in her country. With these two national records and those achieved in the last edition of the world's fastest 10K, València's name is ringing throughout Europe.
The 10K returns in January
The 10K Valencia Ibercaja, which in 2021 had to be held in October due to the health situation, will return to its usual date next year. That is to say, from now on the race will take place again on the second Sunday of January, with the next edition being held on Sunday, January 9, 2022 and reopening the Valencia Ciudad del Running calendar.
You can download this press release here.