World half marathon champion Agnes Ng’etich could earn about Ksh143 million if she breaks Ruth Chepngetich’s women’s marathon world record in her marathon debut at the Valencia Marathon on December 6.
Valencia Marathon benefactor Juan Roig has offered a €1 million (about Ksh143 million) bonus to any athlete who breaks the official marathon world record at the race.
The incentive applies to both the men’s and women’s races, making it one of the largest bonuses currently offered in athletics.
World Record in Sight for Agnes Ng’etich
To claim the incentive, Ng’etich must run faster than 2:09:56, the mark set by fellow Kenyan Ruth Chepngetich at the Chicago Marathon in October 2024.
Chepngetich’s 2:09:56 run remains the only women’s marathon performance under 2:10.
Ng’etich, 25, will be contesting her first marathon after establishing herself as one of the leading road runners in the world over shorter distances.
Agnes Ng’etich already holds the women’s 10-kilometre road world record after becoming the first woman in history to run the distance in under 29 minutes, clocking 28:46 in Valencia in January 2024.
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According to her agent Davor Savija, the Kenyan confirmed her participation on November 8 after assessing her preparations, although she had been training with the Valencia Marathon in mind.
The race has attracted significant attention because of both the world-class field and the record bonus on offer, with organisers assembling several elite contenders for the women’s title.
Ng’etich heads to Valencia after an outstanding season that included victory at the World Cross Country Championships in Tallahassee, United States.
She won the race by 42 seconds, the largest winning margin recorded at the championships in nearly 50 years.
She also claimed gold at the World Half Marathon Championships in Copenhagen, further strengthening her status among the world’s top distance runners.
In Copenhagen, Ng’etich set a women-only half marathon world record of 1:05:15, lowering the previous mark by one second. The record had been held by Olympic champion Peres Jepchirchir.
Valencia is also familiar territory for the Kenyan star.
In 2024, she broke the women’s 10-kilometre world record on Valencia’s streets after clocking 28:46.
She has also won the Valencia Half Marathon twice and recorded a personal best of 1:03:04 at the event, a performance that ranked among the fastest times ever run by a woman over the distance.
The performance was the second-fastest women’s half marathon performance in history at the time and a Kenyan national record.
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Her credentials have made her one of the most closely watched athletes ahead of the race despite her lack of marathon experience.
World-Class Opposition in Valencia
Ng’etich will face strong opposition in Valencia, led by Ethiopian runner Fotyen Tesfay, who owns a personal best of 2:10:52 and is considered among the leading contenders for victory.
Tesfay enters the race with momentum after running 2:10:51 to win the Barcelona Marathon in March 2026.
The performance was an Ethiopian national record and the fastest women’s marathon debut ever recorded.
Defending champion Joyciline Jepkosgei is also expected to challenge for top honours after winning the 2025 Valencia Marathon in 2:14:00, the fastest marathon performance of her career.
The elite field also includes American record holder Emily Sisson, Kenya’s Lilian Kasait, Ethiopia’s Aberu Ayana and Finland’s national record holder Alisa Vainio.
Valencia Marathon has built a reputation as one of the fastest races in the world, regularly attracting athletes targeting personal bests, course records and world records.
The event has previously hosted successful marathon debuts, including that of the late Kelvin Kiptum, who won the race on his first attempt over the distance in 2022 before later becoming a marathon world record holder.
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