Valencia 10K Delivers European Record And Global Highlights
Valencia, Spain — A blistering Valencia Ibercaja 10K produced a European record on the men’s side, while the race also highlighted national marks and two world records on the same course.
Sweden’s Andreas Almgren crossed first in 26:43, defeating his own best from the same course by nine seconds to set a new European standard.
In the women’s race, Kenya’s Brenda Jepchirchir secured victory with a time of 29:26, adding another fast-result performance to Valencia’s record roster.
Britain’s Joe Wigfield equalled the national men’s record with 27:38, matching Rory Leonard’s Valencia time from the previous year, while Scotland’s Andy Butchart clocked 27:43 to set a Scottish mark—19 seconds quicker than Callum Hawkins’ Valencia result in 2020.
The event also served as a stage for two global records on the same day: Joshua Cheptegei’s 26:38 for the men and Agnes Ngetich’s 28:46 for the women.
Historically, the meet sits within a legacy of fast performances on this course. Britain’s Paula Radcliffe previously held the European record with 30:21, set in Puerto Rico in 2003.
After his win, Almgren’s triumph and the array of marks underscore Valencia’s continuing role as a proving ground for Europe’s fastest runners and the world’s best performers on 10 kilometres.
“I’m really proud of myself. Crossing the finish line I was a bit emotional because it’s been a very long three years to get back to this level,” said Britain’s Eilish McColgan, reflecting on her return from knee surgery.
| Athlete | Contry | Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Andreas Almgren | Sweden | 26:43 | European record; Valencia winner |
| Brenda Jepchirchir | Kenya | 29:26 | Women’s winner |
| Joe Wigfield | Great Britain | 27:38 | Equalled British record |
| Andy Butchart | Scotland | 27:43 | Scottish record |
| Joshua Cheptegei | Uganda | 26:38 | men’s world record |
| Agnes Ngetich | Kenya | 28:46 | Women’s world record |
What performance from Valencia did you find most striking, and why?
Do you expect Valencia to continue as a hub for record-chasing performances in the coming season?
