VALENCIA (BBC) -
Kenya’s Kelvin Kiptum and Ethiopia’s Amane Beriso became the third-fastest men’s and women’s marathon runners in history with victory in Valencia.
Kiptum, 23, completed his debut race in two hours one minute 53 seconds, while Beriso, 31, triumphed in 2:14:58.
Her time pushed Briton Paula Radcliffe’s 2003 London time of 2:15:25 - a world record for 16 years - to fourth in the all-time list.
“I am more than happy. Conditions were perfect for me,” she said.
Radcliffe’s mark stood until 2019, when Kenya’s Brigid Kosgei ran 2:14:04 in Chicago.
Kosgei’s compatriot Ruth Chepngetich is the only other woman to run under 2:15:00 with a time of 2:14.18 in Chicago in October.
Beriso looked on track to break Kosgei’s record before slowing late in the race.
Kenyan Eliud Kipchoge’s, who ran to 2:01:09 to break his own world record in Berlin in September, and Ethiopia’s Kenenisa Bekele, with 2:01:48, are the only men to have run faster than Kiptum.
“This is great. I was very well prepared,” Kiptum said.
Kenya recently avoided a ban from competition and World Athletics president Lord Coe said the country has a “long journey” to rebuild trust following a string of doping violations.