Valencia makes the most difficult one yet: another record against everything and everyone

Cloudy and dark sky in Valencia, a rare circumstance, which warned of rain. The temperature, 12 degrees, was very conducive to a long-distance race. Kejelcha, 27 years old, an athlete contracted with Adidas, was very focused from the beginning, with that discipline of following closely the hares that only those athletes who decisively seek a record show. But the hares failed. After crossing the third kilometer (in a time of 8:13) the athletes hired by the organization to set the pace disappeared. Strange situation. There were 18 kilometers to go before the finish line and the record seemed impossible. Then Kejelcha emerged.

The new carbon shoes have no limits. Wearing Adidas ProEvo1, the Ethiopian distance runner (a man who knows the glory on tartan but lacked experience on asphalt) decided not to give up the hunt for the record. He set a strong pace, accompanied at first by two athletes and finally only by the Kenyan Matejko. Kejelcha became his own hare for 50 minutes. The undertaking seemed impossible, especially because the rain fell harder and harder until it became really intense in the final kilometers.

With a fluid stride, more of a miler than a marathoner (Kejelcha is the current short track mile record holder), the athlete born in Elfata was swallowing kilometers without losing his composure. He crossed kilometer 10 in a split of 27:12a throne that still showed the real possibility of a world record despite the fact that no one helped the Ethiopian set the pace.

Behind it, another great record seemed to be in the making. The Kenyan Agnes Ngetich was recording times, kilometer by kilometer, which gave her a real chance of breaking the women’s world record.

At kilometer 15 Kejelcha still believed in the world record. His partial of 40:57 compared very well with the pace necessary to beat the 57:31 of the previous one, held by the Ugandan Kiplimo. He continued flying through the streets of Valencia, now alone and over a surface where puddles were beginning to become visible. It seemed like too much water for a historic day.

The debut of Thierry Ndikumenayo had been announced, the athlete who resides in Castellón, currently the best Spanish distance runner, with the firm intention of breaking the national record, held by Carlos Mayo with 59:39. The Spanish women’s time trial was also in danger. Four records threatened in the Levantine rain. Valencia has already become the city of runners, a stage, flat, straight and at sea level, in which any feat seems possible.

The unknown that loomed over Kejelcha was his ability to endure in the final kilometers. An athlete accustomed to the track, at shorter distances, could pay for his daring after the 15th, and would notice the wear and tear of glycogen stores in the last kilometers. The rain, already very heavy, complicated everything even more. However, the Ethiopian, a tall man but with strong legs, continued advancing on the course without seeing his pace diminished.

Anguish took over the spectators in the final stretch. The calculations were uncertain because it was exactly at the limit of the record. With 200 meters to go the world record was possible but not certain. The Adidas athlete gritted his teeth and his stride lost composure for the first time. The clock added seconds over 57 minutes… 25, 26, the Ethiopian was already on the blue carpet… 27, 28 and the final throne! 57 minutes and 30 seconds. Exactly one second below the world record. Valencia recovered a world record that the Lisbon circuit had taken from it. Kejelcha successfully commented on his song to Valencia.

Spanish record

Minutes later, the Kenyan Ngetich appeared at the finish line, who, despite having hares during the 21.1 kilometers, accused the brutal pace with which she started the race (29:18 at kilometer 10) and crossed the finish line in 1h03: 04, a great throne but with 12 seconds left to break the record.

The other great record of the day was achieved by Kaoutar Boulaid, with 1h08:47, the best time in Spain. Boulaid, of Moroccan origin and living in Cantabria, held on well in the last meters, something that Ndikumenayo did not achieve, who paid his partial of 14:03 in the first five kilometers. Valencia continues to grow as the number one city in distance running. Records rain down with the Turia.