Joyciline Jepkosgei, the newly-crowned champion of the Barcelona Half Marathon, is already eyeing a return to the Spanish city next year to defend her title.
The 2019 London Marathon winner expressed her excitement about the possibility of securing a three-peat.
“I’m definitely looking forward to coming back next year to defend my title. Barcelona is one of my favourite places to race, and I hope to not only defend my title but also improve my personal best,” said Jepkosgei.
Alongside Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo, who broke the world record for the 21km, Jepkosgei was among the standout performers at Sunday’s event.
She set a new course record in the women’s race with a time of 1:04:13, which also marked her personal best, claiming her second consecutive Barcelona Half Marathon title.
Spaniard Alexandra Garcia finished in second place with a time of 1:05:28, while fellow Kenyan Gladys Chepkirui took third in 1:06:25.
If You Missed: Jepkosgei Elated After Breaking Course Record at Barcelona Half Marathon
Reflecting on her achievement, Jepkosgei described it as an incredibly special moment in her career.
“It feels amazing, and I’m thrilled to have set a new course record, which is also a personal best for me. I really enjoyed the race today and I’m so grateful for all the fans who came out to support me,” she said.
Interestingly, this remarkable performance followed her fourth-place finish at the National Cross-Country Championships the previous week in Eldoret, where she clocked 35:02 in the senior women’s 10km event.
