The Kenyan Charles Kipkkurui Langat gives the surprise and sets the best time of the race at 58:51′
In the women’s category, Kenyan Irine Jepchumba also breaks the record set by Florence Kiplagat in 2015, crossing the finish line in 01:04:37.
Barcelona has experienced an authentic party of running this morning with the 33rd eDreams Barcelona Half Marathon.17,855 male and female runners, with the highest participation rate in history of the race, they started at Arc de Triomf at 08:30 with a temperature of 8ºC and 58% humidity on a cool but sunny day.
The test, organized by the Barcelona’s town hall y RPM Sportshas also had an all-time high number of runners (7,350 women, 35% of the total number of participants) and a third (33%) of international runners, coming from up to 101 different nationalities. Likewise, the city of Barcelona has been involved with the event, encouraging the participants in the twenty animation points along the more than 21 kilometers of the circuit, and has enjoyed the lively output that the Catalan musicians have entertained Liberto Fortuny y Mireia Farréswith his sax and trumpet, respectively.
Double test record signed by Charles Kipkkurui Langat and Irine Jepchumba
Against all odds, the Kenyan Charles Kipkkurui Lengat has won the eDreams Mitja Marató Barcelona 2023 with a time of 58:53′ to set a new record in the Barcelona Mitja, 13 seconds below the current record that was achieved last year Haftu Teklu (59.06′). In second position, he also beat Teklu’s best time from last year, the Ethiopian Birhanu Legese (58:59′) and in third position the equally Kenyan Solomon Kirwa Yego (59:29′).
Accompanied by the hares, the group at the head of the race led by Legesehas passed kilometer 5 in 14:03′, 10 seconds faster than in the previous edition, with the Withdrawn at this point from Teklu, the winner of this test in 2021 and 2022. Kipkkurui and Legese reached kilometer 10 in 27:54′, two seconds less than in 2022 and exceeded km 15 in 41:51′. Both they have faced the last kilometers of the circuit hand in handso that finally Kipkkurui Threads, at the final sprint, has prevailed.
“It’s my first time in Barcelona and beating the race record makes me very happyI did not expect. I congratulate the organization because the circuit is very fast. I hope to be able to return next year”, commented Charles Kipkkurui Langat.
In the female category, the Kenyans Irine Jepchumba Kimais y Joyciline Jepkosgei have staged an exciting duel so that Jepchumba has ended up breaking the test record set in 2015 by Florence Kiplagat (1:05:09h), improving it in 32 seconds with a time of 01:04:37h. The athletes, both from Kenya, surpassed km 5 in 15:19′, 19 seconds faster than in the previous edition. Already at km 10 in 30:37′, they were more than 20 seconds faster than the passing time at this point for the women’s elite in 2022, the Jepchumba-Jepkosgei duo standing out from their rivals.
At kilometer 15, the Kenyans passed in 45:58′, 36 seconds ahead of the Ethiopian Genzebe Dibabaso that, finally, Jepchumba has crossed the finish line in 01:04:37, establishing a new best women’s mark of the race and beating Kiplagat’s mark from 2015. The women’s podium it has been completed by two other Kenyans, Joyceline Jepkosgei as second in 01:04:46h and also improving Kiplagat’s time, and Catherine Reline as the third best classified (01:05:39h).
“When they gave me the opportunity to come to Barcelona, I didn’t hesitate. I have reached the finish line giving my best and it is incredible to have broken the record of my compatriot Kiplagatin force to this day for eight years,” explained Irine Jepchumba Kimais.
Mireia Guarner, best Catalan; and Abdenasser Oukhelfen, best Catalan
Besides, the best catalan has been Abdenasser Oukhelfenresident of Reus and the 15th best ranked malestopping the timer at 01:02:51h. Besides, the fastest Catalan runner was Mireia Guarner -12 woman of the general- (01:13:33h).
Nor did they want to miss this festival of running from Barcelona the former Minister of Health and current Deputy of the Parliament of Catalonia as head of the opposition, Salvador Illa, which ended at 01:39:16h: “There is a great atmosphere, people take to the streets and I have enjoyed it a lot. It has served me as a test because I am thinking of running the Zurich Marató Barcelona next monthFather’s Day, March 19.
The inclusive aspect of eDreams Half Marathon Barcelona 2023 has had the participation of Alex Rocathe athlete with 76% physical disability who has crossed the finish line in 02:38:28h running with the journalist and ultra marathon runner Valentine Sanjuan to participate for the third time in this race and prepare for become the first athlete with cerebral palsy to run the 42.195 km of the Zurich Marathon Barcelona next March 19.
Equally, Eric Domingo y Silvia Roldanwho hold the current record Guinness in a marathon pushing a wheelchair and achieved last December in the Valencia Marathon in 2:52:39h (an achievement that they already achieved in 2021 also in the Zurich Marathon Barcelona with a time stamp of 02:53:28h), They have finished this edition, the fourth in which they both participate, in 01:24:05h.