John Korir closed out his season with the performance he’d been missing, winning the 2025 Valencia Marathon in 2:02:25 after taking control of the race shortly after 25 kilometers. The victory is the fastest run of his career, the third-fastest marathon time this year, and one of the quickest winning times ever recorded on the course.
Korir spent the opening stages tucked behind the pacers, letting the early pace unfold without showing much. By 10K, the main group gradually lost contact with the pacemakers, and a pack of five formed, with Sisay Lemma at the front and Korir sitting quietly at the back as the race settled.
The decisive moment came just before the halfway point. At around 25K, Korir took off from the front, a surge that turned out to be the race-winning move. Lemma covered the acceleration but wasn’t able to close the gap fully, and the rest of the early lead group quickly fell off the back.
From there, Korir handled the race on his own terms. He held the lead through the long, exposed stretches toward the finish and never looked like he was slipping. By the time he entered the City of Arts and Sciences for the final run across the blue platform, the margin was secure.
Germany’s Amanal Petros finished second in 2:04:03, continuing his strong year with another major performance. Norway’s Awet Kibrab followed in 2:04:25, a breakthrough run that puts him among the fastest European-based athletes in the event.
Further back, Japan’s Suguru Osako ran 2:04:55 for fourth, and Israel’s Gashau Ayale crossed in 2:05:30 for fifth, rounding out one of the deepest top fives Valencia has produced.
For Korir, the win lands at the perfect moment. After the frustration of a DNF earlier in the year, he returned to the kind of running that won him Boston in April and established him as one of the most reliable championship-style marathoners. Today, he handled a fast course and a fast field with the same patience and confidence he showed during his best moments.
