Kitwara and Zennebe say that the Valencia Marathon is ideal for setting a world record
After the celebration of a new record for the trial, the Valencia-Trinidad Alfonso EDP Marathon held a Press Conference — something that is a tradition for IAAF Gold Label Marathons. The men’s and the women’s winners (Sammy Kitwara and Aberu Zennebe, respectively) were the stars at the Press Conference.
Paco Borao, President of SD Correcaminos [running club], which jointly held the trial together with Valencia City Council, presented the act accompanied by Rachid Ben Meziane and Frans Denissen, representatives; Aberu Zennebe, Winner of the 2017 Valencia Marathon; and Winner of the Trial, Sammy Kitwara, who beat the previous record for the Valencia Marathon, which was already the fastest in Spain.
The Ethiopian runner Aberu Zennebe was pleased at being the first woman to reach the Finishing Line in the 37th edition of the Valencia Marathon at the City of Arts and Sciences. “I like Valencia a great deal and I am happy to have won here”, she said.
Rachid Ben Meziane, the selector, said “Today is a very important day not only for Valencia but also for the whole of Spain”. “The Valencia Marathon has shown today that it has a very bright future both with regards to the circuit and the trial organisation, which was superb”, he added.
Sammy Kitwara, the athlete who today (Sunday the 19th of November) beat the Valencia Marathon record, said that “The race was a good one, as was the time and the track was first-class”. “I have run in many Marathons but this was the flattest and will be the easiest to get a world record in the future ”, admitted Kitwara. The recent winner of Spain’s first Marathon to be awarded IAAF Gold Label status in Spain, was overjoyed with his victory and thanked the organizers for their support. “I was told that it would prove tough around the 30-kilometre mark but I didn’t notice that myself”, he added.
Frans Denissen, Sammy Kitwara’s representative, was very pleased at the record chalked up by the Kenyan runner in the trial. He considered that everything had gone like clockwork. “The Valencia Marathon is one of the best-organised trials of its kind. It is a very flat, fast Marathon and the event is growing and improving by leaps and bounds”, he said. Denissen concluded by saying that “Valencia must continue to battle to position itself as one of the best races in the world because it stands an excellent chance of being among the greatest Marathons”.