Briton sets PB of 67:10 in Spanish road race while four athletes take up top six places on mens all-time list

VALENCIA HALF MARATHON TRINIDAD ALFONSO ZURICH, Spain, October 22

The world half-marathon all-time list was given a major rewrite as the top four men now occupy places in the top half dozen of the fastest men in history

Kenyas Kibiwott Kandie won the mens race in a world-leading 57:40 ahead of Ethiopians Yomif Kejelcha (57:41), Hagos Gebrhiwet (57:41) and Selemon Barega (57:50) who went to third, third and sixth respectively on the world all-time list.

Kandie, who won the world half-marathon silver medal in 2020 and the 2022 Commonwealth 10,000m bronze medal. won this race in 2022 in 58:10. This year he was fifth in the world cross-country championships and though he ran 26:53 for 10km on the road this year, he just missed out on 10,000m selection for Budapest with a fourth in the Kenyan trials.

Kejelcha, who holds the world indoor mile record, also smashed his previous Ethiopian record of 58:32 set in last years race while that time was equalled by newly crowned world 5km champion Gebrhiwet.  Olympic 10,000m champion Barega was just a few seconds back

Altogether 15 athletes bettered the one hour-barrier and these included Carlos Mayo who was 13th in a Spanish record of 59:39 and Samuel Barata who broke the Portuguese record with 59:40 in 14th.

Margaret Kipkemboi moved to equal ninth on the world all-time list with victory in the womens race in 64:46, as she led home a Kenyan 1-2-3 from Irine Cheptai (64:53) and Janet Chepngetich (65:15).

The former world marathon champion Gotytyom Gebreslase was fourth in 66:15, just ahead of Tigist Gezahagn (66:20), the Paralympic T13 1500m champion. Germanys Melat Kejeta was sixth in 66:25 with Brit Samantha Harrison seventh in  PB 67:10 (chip 67:08).

Harrisons previous best was 67:17 in Berlin in April and she previously ran 69:26 finishing ninth in the World Championships in Riga.

That clocking moved her past Liz McColgan on the UK all-time lists and places her third behind Paula Radcliffe (65:40) and Eilish McColgan (65:43).

Laura Luengo was 11th in a Spanish record of 69:41.

Irelands Former double European cross country champion Fionnuala McCormack had her first race since the European Championships Marathon last August and she finished 13th in 70:13.

One place behind McCormack was Britain Emily Kearney who set a huge PB of 70:47.

Men: HM: 1 Kibiwott Kandie KEN 57:40; 2 Yomif Kejelcha ETH 57:41 NR; 3 Hagos Gebrhiwet ETH 57:41 =NR; 4 Selemon Barega ETH 57:50; 5 Sabastian Sawe KEN 58:29; 6 Hillary Chepkwony KEN 58:53; 7 Mathew Kimeli KEN 59:00; 8 Nicholas Keter KEN 59:06; 10 Weldon Kipkirui KEN 59:22; 11 Stephen Kiprop KEN 59:32; 12 Tadese Worku ETH 59:33; 13 Carlos Mayo 59:39 NR; 14 Samuel Barata POR 59:40 NR; 15 Pietro Riva ITA 59:41; 16 Félix Bour FRA 60:39; 17 Brian Kwemoi KEN 60:40; 18 Hamid Ben Daoud 60:41; 19 Abbabiya Simbassa USA 60:42; 20 Kelvin Kibiwott KEN 60:52; 21 Jorge Blanco 62:02; 22 Filmon Tesfu NED 62:04; 23 Hélio Gomes POR 62:07; 24 Dorian Boulvin BEL 62:08; 25 Yago Rojo 62:18; 26 Rui Pinto POR 62:24; 27 Jorge Gonzalez 62:27; 28 Lahsene Bouchikhi BEL 62:28; 29 Alexis Godefroy FRA 62:28; 30 Javier Guerra 62:30; 31 Pablo Sánchez 62:51; 32 Ed Goddard AUS 62:52; 33 Gianluca Assorgia NED 63:39; 34 Jonny Davies GBR 63:45; 35 Ollie Lockley GBR 63:45; 43 Samuel Moakes GBR 64:58; 78 Nathan Postill GBR 68:25; 111 Paul Piper GBR 69:30; 123 Callum Bowen-Jones GBR 69:45;  134 Chris Mason GBR 69:57

Women: HM: 1 Margaret Kipkemboi KEN 64:46; 2 Irene Cheptai KEN 64:53; 3 Janeth Chepngetich KEN 65:15; 4 Goytatom Gebreselassie ETH 66:12; 5 Tigist Gezahagn ETH 66:20; 6 Melat Kejeta GER 66:25; 7 Samantha Harrison GBR 67:10; 8 Tesfaye Nigsti ETH 68:42; 9 Carolina Wikström SWE 69:39; 10 Lauren Paquette USA 69:41; 11 Laura Luengo 69:41 NR; 12 Esther Navarrete 69:58; 13 Fionnuala McCormack IRL 70:13;  16 Emily Kearney GBR 70:47;  19 Marie Perrier MRI 71:13 NR

Wizz Air Venice Marathon, Italy, October 22

Former world bronze medallist Solomon Mutai from Uganda won in a course record of 2:07:41 with halves of 63:44 and 63:57 with Kenyas Emmanuel Naibei was given the same time as the winner.

Kenyas Rebecca Tanui won the womens race in 2:25:35  after a 71:36 first half as she headed  Ethiopians Kebene Chala (2:26:38) and Bedada Tigist (2:28:06).

Men: Mar: 1 Solomon Mutai UGA 2:07:41; 2 Emmanuel Naibei KEN 2:07:41; 3 Noah Kiprotich KEN 2:08:18; 4 Worku Bekeda ETH 2:11:30; 6 Alene Mekonen ETH 2:12:05; 7 Jonathan Kiptoo KEN 2:14:5

Women: Mar: 1 Rebbeca Tanui KEN 2:25:35; 2 Kebene Chala ETH 2:26:39; 3 Bedada Tigist ETH 2:28:06; 4 Shamila Kipsiror KEN 2:28:13; 5 Muliye Dekebo ETH 2:32:09; 6 Kuba Alemu ETH 2:32:21.

Bilbao, Spain, October 21

Men:  HM: 1 Ayub Kiptum KEN 60:34; 2 Peter Mwaniki Aila KEN 60:40; 3 Alli Chebures UGA 61:19; 4 David Ngure KEN 61:26; 5 Ismael Kiprono KEN 61:35; 6 Elvis Tabarach KEN 63:26

Women: HM: 1 Nelly Jeptoo KEN 1:11:25; 2 Tegest Ayalew Ymer ETH 1:11:26; 3 Ayehu Bitew ETH 1:11:33

Yellow Estuary Marathon, Dongying, China, October 22

Former Tokyo Marathon winner Ruti Aga from Ethiopia won in a PB 2:18:09. Her time was also a Chinese all-comers record.

Kenyas Robert Kipkorir Kwambai won the mens race in 2:08:27.

Men: Mar: 1 Robert Kwambai KEN 2:08:27; 2 Gebru Redahgne ETH 2:08:40; 3 Hillary Kipsambu KEN 2:10:10; 4 Hamza Sahili MAR 2:11:20; 5 Abdi Ali Gelelchu BRN 2:13:31; 6 Jonathan Kipleting KEN 2:13:50,

Women: Mar: 1 Ruti Aga ETH 2:18:09; 2 Vivian Kiplagat KEN 2:26:23; 3 Judith Jerubet KEN 2:27:01; 4 Lucy Karimi KEN 2:30:12

Volkswagen Ljubljana Marathon, Slovenia, October 22

Ethiopias Zinah Senbeta won the womens race in a PB and course record of 2:21:05.

Kenyas Edmond Kipngetich won the mens race on his debut in 2:06:47.

Men: Mar: 1 Edmond Kipngetich KEN 2:06:47; 2 Kipkemoi Kiprono KEN 2:07:29; 3 Challa Gossa ETH 2:07:43; 4 Henok Tesfay ERI 2:07:55; 5 Mouhcine Outalha MAR 2:09:21; 6 Gebretsadik Adhana ETH 2:09:29
Women: Mar: 1 Senbeta Zinah ETH 2:21:05; 2 Gebeyanesh Ayele ETH 2:27:15; 3 Neja Kršinar 2:45:30

Poznań Marathon, Poland, October 22

Eritreas Petro Mamu wo  in a course record of 2:09:57 in a close finish ahead of Ethiopians Mesfin Neguse (2:09:58) and Mengiste Tadesse (2:10:00).

Ethiopias Tseginesh Mekonnen won the womens race in 2:27:28 ahead of teammate Birtukan Workineh (2:30:34).

The Polish titles went to Adam Nowicki who was fifth in the mens race in 2:12:34 and Monika Jackiewicz who was third in the womens race in 2:31:15.

Cross Internacional Zornotza (WA Tour Gold), Amorebieta, Spain, October 22

Burundis Celestin Ndikumana was the surprise winner of the senior mens 8.7km in 25:34 ahead of Eritreas Merhawi Mebrhatu (25:47) and Ugandas Leonard Chemutai (25:57).

Sergio Paniagua was the leading Spaniard in fifth in 26:32.

Former world marathon champion Ghirmay Ghebreslassie was 10th in 27:08. Spanish-based Ethiopian Likina Amebaw won the senior womens race in 29:36 ahead of Lemlem Nibret (29:38) and Kenyas Lucy Mawia (30:03).

Men: 8.7km XC: 1 Célestine Ndikumana BDI 25:34; 2 Merhawi Mebrahtu ERI 25:47; 3 Leonard Chemutai UGA 25:57; 4 Filmon Kibrom ERI 26:03; 5 Sergio Paniagua 26:20; 6 Nassim Hassaous 26:32; 7 Fernando Carro 26:44; 8 David Bascuñana 26:48; 9 Eduardo Menacho 26:54; 10 Ghirmay Ghebreslassie ERI 27:08; 11 Raul Celada 27:15; 12 João Pereira POR 27:21; 13 Andreu Blanes 27:28; 14 Brahim El Ourzadi MAR 27:41; 15 Nahuel Carabaña AND 28:06

Women: 8.7kmXC: 1 Ayel Likina ETH 29:36; 2 Lemlem Nibret ETH 29:38; 3 Lucy Muli KEN 30:03; 4 Alessia Zarbo FRA 31:07; 5 Cristina Ruiz 31:21; 6 Irene Pelayo 31:24; 7 Rosalia Tárraga 31:27; 8 Paula González 31:35; 9 Laura Domene 31:36; 10 Idaira Prieto 31:45