{"id":152273,"date":"2025-12-08T16:07:33","date_gmt":"2025-12-08T21:07:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/runningmagazine.ca\/?p=152273"},"modified":"2025-12-08T16:11:34","modified_gmt":"2025-12-08T21:11:34","slug":"did-sportsmanship-cost-this-kenyan-runner-victory-at-valencia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/runningmagazine.ca\/sections\/runs-races\/did-sportsmanship-cost-this-kenyan-runner-victory-at-valencia\/","title":{"rendered":"Did sportsmanship cost this Kenyan runner victory at Valencia?"},"content":{"rendered":"

The fastest marathon in the world lived up to its reputation on Sunday as Kenya’s Joyciline Jepkosgei<\/strong> set a new course record of 2:14:00 in Valencia, Spain, outlasting her compatriot and reigning marathon world champion Peres Jepchirchir<\/strong><\/a>, who finished 43 seconds later. The two elite marathoners were neck-and-neck for 23 miles, but then an act of sportsmanship from Jepchirchir may have cost her the victory and a payday.<\/p>\n

At around the 35-kilometre mark, where most runners hit the infamous wall, Jepchirchir and Jepkosgei reached the second-to-last elite hydration station. Jepkosgei ended up missing her bottle and needed fuel to maintain her pace at what is considered a crucial part of the marathon. Jepchirchir, who had managed to grab her own bottle, decided she would do the sportsmanlike thing, sharing hers with Jepkosgei, instead of using her screw up to make a move and run off.<\/p>\n