Rebecca Sirwanei, with 02:23.09h, sets the Zurich Maratón San Sebastián record

• Kenya’s Rebecca Sirwanei Tanui sets a new female record at the Zurich Marathon San Sebastian with a fantastic time of 02:23.09h.

• For men’s category, the Ethiopian Sisay Fekadu Berhanu won the Zurich Maratón San Sebastián with a time of 2:13:29.

• 6,000 runners run the streets of the city in the 10k, 21k and marathon distances.

The 44th edition of the Zurich Maratón San Sebastián has become a great running party throughout the weekend. The organizers reached the SOLD OUT earlier than expected, after the 6,000 places available were adjudicated, and this Sunday 27th of November the city celebrated its big day in front of a public that did not hesitate to take to the streets and cheer on its athletes from early in the morning.

Exceptional women’s race: Rebecca Sirwanei and Gladys Chepkurui beat the previous women’s record.

With cloudy skies, a temperature of 10ºC and no wind, ideal conditions for running, the more than 5,000 participants in the 42k and 21k races took the start together at 9am. It soon became clear that the women’s elite were setting a very good pace right from the start. In a group until km 5 when Gulume Tollesa, the favourite for victory, dropped off, the Kenyans Rebbeca Sirwanei and Gladys Chepkurui continued to set the pace, together with the Ethiopians Zenebu Bihonegn, Ebesie Ayele and the Kenyan runner Euliter Jepchirchir.

At km 15, Ebesie Ayele dropped off the pace and it was at km 20, when Rebecca Sirwanei made a change of pace that only Gladys Chepkurui and Zenebu Bihonegn were able to follow.

A few kilometres later, Rebecca and Gladys left Zenebu behind, who in turn saw Euliter Jepchirchir take third place from her. At the 38th kilometre, an unbeatable Rebecca Sirwanei made a final push and escaped alone to the finish line, finishing in an extraordinary 02:23.09h. 

Her compatriot Gladys crossed the finish line in second place with a fantastic time of 02:26.21, a time below the previous race record, held since 1995 by Ana Isabel Alonso (02:26:51). Third place went to Euliter Jepchirchir, with a time of 02:28.20h.

The winner of the race showed her happiness at the end of the race, “It has been an incredible race, when I arrived in San Sebastián it was raining, but the good weather has accompanied us throughout the race. I was very grateful to make my debut and win in Donosti. “

In the men’s category, the African elite ran a very flat race with no major surprises. In a group until the 21st kilometre, which they crossed in 1:05.03h, was the moment when the first five runners broke away from the rest of the field.

Together until the end, the victory finally went to the Ethiopian Sisay Fekadu Berhanu with a time of 02:13.29, followed by his compatriot Melese Kifle Dendir (02:13.39h) and Dereje Adugna Debela (02:13.52h).

Winners of the Zurich San Sebastian Marathon 21k

Unai Arroyo won the 21k race, crossing the finish line in 1:05.08, while the fastest runner in this distance was Fanny Tastet, who stopped the clock in 01:23.21.

Guipuzcoa Marathon Championships

The Zurich Maratón San Sebastián also decided the Gipuzkoa Marathon Championship, which placed the athlete from Vergara, Endika Donnay Otegui, in first place with a time of 2:28:59h, followed by Jon Arzubialde Elizegi (2:34.11h) and Guillermo Vahl Pedrosa (2:37:08h).

In the women’s category, Nerea Egia won (02:56.24h), followed by Eva Esnaola (03.31.49h) and Alazne Mujika (03:32.15h).

ExpoSports and Gosaria Run

The day before the marathon brought together Abel Antón and Rocío Cano in the Gosaria Run, the shared training session in which up to 200 participants took part in a 7km run which, of course, passed through La Concha Beach.

Likewise, the Expo Sports located in the Kursaal Centre brought together numerous exhibitors and participants of the Zurich Maratón San Sebastián, who collected their race bibs and runners’ T-shirts throughout the day.

The rankings of the race can be consulted on the official website of the Zurich Maratón San Sebastián: https://zurichmaratonsansebastian.com/