The 58:03 winner is the first Spaniard to take the half marathon title, as Sheila Chepkirui set a world-leading 1:03:51 and Laura Luengo broke the women’s national record.

Rodrigue Kwizera won the Valencia Half Marathon Trinidad Alfonso Zurich in a Spanish record of 58:03 on Sunday (October 25), while Sheila Chepkirui ran 1:03:51 to set the women’s world-leading mark for 2026.

Kwizera, who came into the race with the fastest PB in the field, was the favourite and became the first Spaniard to win the event since it adopted the official half marathon distance. He broke the national record of 59:39 set by Carlos Mayo, also in Valencia, in 2023.

He was pushed all the way by his friend and “almost brother” Thierry Ndikumwenayo, who was second in 58:09, also inside Mayo’s mark and the second-fastest European time of all time according to the organisers. Victor Kipruto was third in 58:12. Aarón de las Heras was the third Spanish man home in 1:00:08.

Chepkirui world-leading in women’s race

In the women’s race Chepkirui won in 1:03:51, the seventh fastest time in history, just one second ahead of Diana Wanza, who clocked 1:03:52. Daisilah Jerono was third in 1:04:11.

The top ten women all finished within 1:05:40, which the organisers say made it the highest-level women’s field on average in history.

Luengo breaks Spanish record

Laura Luengo took three seconds off the Spanish record of 1:08:30 set by Carla Gallardo in Berlin, running 1:08:28. Luengo, who had been away from competition for a while, said she had not trained specifically for the distance but was going to give it her all to see how far she could get. Meritxell Soler and Irene Sánchez-Escribano completed the Spanish women’s podium, both clocking 1:08:47. The performances of the other Spanish runners also made a big impact on the national all-time lists.

British performances

Samantha Harrisson was the leading British woman, finishing 23rd in 1:08:45, two seconds ahead of Spain’s Soler and Sánchez-Escribano. Charlotte Dannatt ran 1:09:56 in 30th and Clara Evans clocked 1:10:46 in 36th, while Alice Wright and Rose Harvey finished 39th and 40th in 1:11:52 and 1:11:53.

In the men’s race Edward Buck was the leading Briton, clocking 1:02:32 in 41st. Max Abernethy and Chris Coulson followed in 47th and 48th with 1:02:51 and 1:02:52, with Frederick Richardson (1:03:05), Charles Wheeler (1:03:09) and Oliver Way (1:03:28) also finishing.

Results

Men
1 Rodrigue Kwizera (ESP) 58:03
2 Thierry Ndikumwenayo (ESP) 58:09
3 Victor Kipruto 58:12

Women
1 Sheila Chepkirui 1:03:51
2 Diana Wanza 1:03:52
3 Daisilah Jerono 1:04:11

Leading British results

Women
23 Samantha HARRISSON 1:08:45
30 Charlotte DANNATT 1:09:56
36 Clara EVANS 1:10:46
39 Alice WRIGHT 1:11:52
40 Rose HARVEY 1:11:53