Valencia Marathon 2024: Who are the Favorites?

This Sunday, December 1st, the much-anticipated Valencia Marathon 2024 will take place. After concerns over the event due to recent floods, the 35,000 registered participants have been reassured that they will indeed be starting this race, a symbol of solidarity with the affected locals. The race, organized by SD Correcaminos and the Valencia City Council, will see 60% international participants competing in this iconic event. Among the top runners will be Ethiopia’s Sisay Lemma, who holds the course record of 2:01:48 and will be defending his title.

2:01:48: The Time to Beat for Men

Last year, the 6th fastest marathon time ever was set on the Valencia course. Rivals aiming to dethrone Sisay Lemma are not in short supply. At the starting line, we expect to see top contenders like Kenenisa Bekele (2:01:41), a three-time Olympic champion and world record holder over 5000m and 10,000m, as well as Kenyan Hillary Kipkoech, who was a pacemaker for Sisay Lemma last year and has a personal best in the Valencia Half Marathon of 59:22. It’s his marathon debut, as it is for Kenyan Daniel Mateiko, who posted a second-place time of 58:17 in the Valencia Half Marathon 2024, making him a formidable challenger despite having never run a full 42.195 km distance.

In the women’s race, the record to beat is set by Ethiopian Amane Beriso with a 2:14:58, the women’s course record from 2022. Megertu Alemu, boasting a personal best of 2:16:34 and a win at Rotterdam in 2023 (2:18:32), will be among the top contenders. She will face strong competition from fellow Ethiopians Hiwot Gebrekidan (2:17:59) and Tiruye Mesfin (2:18:47). Spanish runner Majida Maayouf (2:21:27) will also be in the mix, ranking in the top 6 favorites.

Strong French Representation

Abderrazak Charik is the French runner to watch on Sunday morning. With a personal marathon best of 2:08:35 set in Amsterdam in 2023, he will be chasing the elite from East Africa. Yohan Durand (2:09:21 in 2021), Emmanuel Roudolff-Levisse (2:09:36 in 2023), and Damien Gras (2:13:50 in 2024) will also aim for strong finishes in Spain.

French women will also make a strong showing at the Valencia Marathon 2024, featuring Salomé Brun (2:36:09), Léa Navarro (2:36:54), and Anne Sophie Chaume (2:43:28). Attention will also be on Inès Hamoudi, making her debut on the Valencian circuit but having recently shattered the women’s record by almost 10 minutes at the Marathon de la Loire in May. This Racing Multi Athlon runner clocked an impressive 2:33:33, a promising sign for the Valencia Marathon.

The Course Remains Unchanged Despite Weather Challenges

One of the fastest marathon courses in the world remains unchanged despite recent flooding. The floods caused significant damage in Valencia at the end of October. However, the marathon area was relatively unaffected, being farther from the Turia River, allowing the original course to be preserved, which is a hallmark of this marathon. Participants will start at the Plaça de la Marató to explore the historic center, tourist sites, and coastline. The finish line will once again be at the City of Arts and Sciences, maintaining its famed flat profile. A dry and mild climate is expected this Sunday, providing ideal conditions for performance.

Live on L’Equipe Channel

The event will be broadcast live on L’Equipe channel (channel 21 on TNT) from 8:15 AM to 10:30 AM. Commentary will be provided by journalist François-Xavier de Chateaufort and 2014 European champion Christelle Daunay.