The 10K Valencia Ibercaja by Kiprun will once again put Valencia at the center of international running on Sunday, January 11. The race sold out weeks ago , reaching 16, 000 registered runners, a historic record for the world's fastest 10-kilometer race.
Since its first edition, the 10K Valencia Ibercaja by Kiprun has been a benchmark in elite road running, attracting high-level competitors every year and generating performances with a major international impact. In fact, this race holds the two World Records, male and female, as well as the European and Spanish Records for men.
Andreas Almgren, back on the starting line
The January 2026 edition renews that ambition with a lineup of runners aspiring to new record times, particularly in the women's category.
One of the main focuses of attention will be the return of Andreas Almgren, current European record holder in the 10-kilometer road race, achieved precisely in the Valencia 10K in the last edition in 2025 (26:53), where he became the first European to break the 27-minute barrier over this distance. The Swedish athlete returns to the world's running capital motivated to deliver another top-level performance.
From the organization, José Enrique Muñoz Acuña, Elite Athlete Coordinator and Sports Director of the race, highlights the enormous growth of the event in terms of both participation and athletic quality. "The response from runners has been impressive, with record numbers of registrations and an elite group ready to set historic records. Valencia has established itself as one of the fastest circuits in the world, and we expect to see some great performances on January 11,"he said.
More than 100 world-class athletes, both men and women, will be aiming to set new personal bests on the world's fastest 10K circuit. The presence of athletes from the United Kingdom stands out, with practically all of them present, a total of 18 (9 men and 9 women), who will seriously threaten both national records for the distance.
In addition, the race will feature the participation of nearly 300 sub-elite athletes (all of whom have times of less than 30 minutes for men and 34 minutes for women), with a notable number coming from England, which is also the foreign country with the most popular runners participating in the 10K.
In search of pending records
This upcoming edition of the Valencia 10K, the 18th, hopes to once again offer a spectacular show in terms of female participation. Scotland's Eilish McColgan is expected to star in a great race as she seeks a new continental record.
McColgan's best time, 30:19, was achieved in Manchester three years ago in an all-women's race, and she is more than ready to attempt to break the European women's record for the distance, which Belgian athlete Jana van Lent set on January 4 in Nice, France, with a time of 30:09.
But on a national level, the show promises to be no less exciting. Athlete Marta García has confirmed her intention to break the Spanish record, currently held by Carla Gallardo (31:11, May 24 in Laredo).
It should be noted that the best time achieved by a European woman in the Valencia Ibercaja 10K by Kiprun is 30:41, set by British runner Jessica Warner-Judd in 2024, a milestone that, with Eilish and Marta, may soon be a thing of the past.
The Spanish male lineup is not far behind either. In this edition, the world's fastest 10K will feature two athletes who are in top form and also looking to achieve their best performance. Said Mechaal and Juan Antonio 'Chiki' Pérez, who clocked 27:45 in the 2025 Valencia 10K.
