Sheila Chepkirui led a Kenyan clean sweep of the women's podium at the Valencia Half Marathon on Sunday, edging compatriot Diana Wanza by a single second in a sprint finish to win in a world-leading 1 hour, 3 minutes and 51 seconds.

Wanza crossed the line in 1:03:52, a personal best that places her sixth on the all-time list, while Daisilah Jerono completed the Kenyan one-two-three in a personal best of 1:04:11, according to World Athletics. Chepkirui's time is the fastest in the world this year and makes her joint-fifth on the all-time women's half-marathon list.

A three-way Kenyan breakaway

The women's race at the World Athletics Gold Label event was shaped early by the Kenyan trio. Chepkirui, Wanza and Jerono pulled clear of the field and held a lead of almost 25 seconds by the 15-kilometre mark, which they reached in 45:31, Athletics Illustrated reported.

Jerono began to lose contact before the 20km point, which Chepkirui and Wanza passed together in 1:00:30. The pair then went shoulder to shoulder down the closing stretch before Chepkirui found just enough to take the win.

The depth of the race was historic. World Athletics said it was the first time six women had finished a half marathon inside 65 minutes. Ethiopia's Mizan Alem was fourth in 1:04:54, Senayet Getachew fifth in 1:04:57 and Kenya's Caroline Gitonga sixth in 1:04:59.

Ethiopian star Yalemzerf Yehualaw, running her first race since becoming a mother earlier this year, finished 16th in 1:07:21.

Kipruto third as Kwizera breaks Spanish record

In the men's race, Kenya's Victor Kipruto finished third in 58:12 behind two Spanish runners. Rodrigue Kwizera, who has switched allegiance from Burundi to Spain, won in a Spanish record of 58:03, moving to eighth on the world all-time list. Thierry Ndikumwenayo was second in 58:09.

Kwizera pushed the pace from the front, passing 15km in 41:32. With less than a mile remaining, only Kwizera, Ndikumwenayo and Kipruto were left in contention, and Kwizera kicked away over the final kilometre to drop both rivals.

World Athletics noted that Kwizera's time was faster than the European record, but it will not be ratified as such because his transfer of allegiance has not yet been formalised.

Ethiopia's Tadese Worku was fourth in 58:33, with Kenya's Owen Kapkama fifth in 58:42. Former world cross-country silver medallist Daniel Ebenyo, one of the Kenyans billed to lead the charge in Valencia, finished outside the top five, according to results published by Athletics Illustrated.

Biwott on the podium in Frankfurt

Elsewhere on Sunday, Kenya's Benard Biwott, the 2024 champion, finished third at the Frankfurt Marathon in 2:06:23 in wet and windy conditions. Ethiopia's Jirata Dinki won the men's race in 2:05:26 ahead of Germany's European champion Amanal Petros (2:05:46). Ethiopian Zeineba Yimer took the women's title in 2:19:45.

The Valencia results add to a strong October for Kenyan road runners, coming on the same day Abraham Kiptum and Mercy Kandie Rotich won the Standard Chartered Nairobi Marathon, and two weeks after Amos Kipruto won in Chicago and Eliud Kipchoge triumphed in Melbourne.

Photos: Katie Chan/Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0), World Athletics