This archive report was first published on 4 August 2019.
On 27 October, the Valencia Trinidad Alfonso EDP Half Marathon, an IAAF Gold Label road race, will feature a star-studded lineup, including Kenya's Stephen Kiprop and Ethiopians Jemal Yimer and Sembere Teferi.
Stephen Kiprop, 20, has already made a name for himself in the half-marathon scene, winning three races in the Netherlands and Czech Republic in 2018 and finishing fifth in Valencia with a time of 59:21. However, it was in 2019 that he truly shone, winning the Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon with a blistering time of 58:42, the fastest in the world that year.
Yimer, 22, finished second in Valencia last year with a time of 58:33, an Ethiopian national record that placed him equal-third on the all-time list. This season, he has continued to impress, clocking 26:54.39 at 10,000m in Hengelo last month. He also won the African title over the distance last year.
Teferi, 24, the first major announcement for the women's race, has followed a similar trajectory. She set her career best in Ras Al Khaimah earlier this year with a time of 1:05:45. She also clocked 30:45.14 on the track in Hengelo, finishing third, to secure a spot on the Ethiopian squad for the IAAF World Athletics Championships Doha 2019.
Organisers are offering a €70,000 world record bonus, as well as an additional €30,000 bonus if the men's winner breaks the 58-minute barrier or if the women's winner dips under 1:04:30.
The current world records, 58:18 for men and 1:04:51 for women, were set in Valencia.
