Ebenyo, Gitonga twins lead Kenyan charge at Valencia Half Marathon

World 5km road race silver medallist Caroline GitongaWorld 10,000m silver medallist Daniel Ebenyo and 5km road race silver medallist Caroline Gitonga headline Kenya’s challenge at this weekend’s Valencia Half Marathon, with Ebenyo seeking redemption and Caroline targeting a personal best.

Ebenyo heads to Spain after pacing the Bank of America Chicago Marathon on October 11, where he worked alongside compatriot Gideon Rono and Oscar Chelimo before completing his assignment at the 30km mark.

The 2023 world silver medallist will be keen to bounce back from a disappointing ninth-place finish in the half marathon at the World Athletics Road Running Championships in Copenhagen on September 20, where he clocked 59:42.

He boasts an impressive record over the distance, having won in New Delhi and Istanbul in 2023, Berlin in 2024 and Laayoune in 2019.

His personal best of 59:04 came in Manama in 2022, where he finished second behind compatriot Sebastian Sawe, who won in 58:58. Ebenyo also took silver at the 2023 World Athletics Road Running Championships in Riga, Latvia, clocking 59:14 behind Sawe.

While Ebenyo seeks a return to form, Caroline will be looking to build on her breakthrough performance in Copenhagen, where she claimed silver in the 5km to secure her maiden global medal.

Caroline clocked 14:48 to finish behind Ethiopia’s Likina Amebaw, who won in 14:41, with Australia’s Rose Davies taking bronze in 14:50.

The Kenyan has set her sights on improving her half marathon personal best by at least a minute in Valencia.

“My next goal is to get a new PB. My PB now for a half marathon is 1 hour and 6 minutes and I hope to improve it with one minute,” she said.

Caroline’s best stands at 1:06:16, set in March when she won the Prague Half Marathon.

She has enjoyed a strong 2026 campaign, opening with victory at the Castellon 10km in 29:34 on February 22 before winning in Prague. She added another victory at the Utrecht 5km on June 13 in 14:26 and finished second in the 5,000m at Track Night Vienna on June 20 in 14:53.92.

In Valencia, she will renew her rivalry with identical twin sister Purity, who has also been in impressive form this season.

Purity won the Hannover 10km in 30:33 in April before claiming the Istanbul Half Marathon title in 1:06:05. She followed up with victories at the Wien 5km in 14:41 and Abbeville 10km in 30:04.

She also beat Caroline in the 5,000m at Track Night Vienna, winning in 14:48.18 against her sister’s 14:53.92.

After finishing sixth at the Prague 10km in September, Purity returned to winning ways at the Prievidza 10km on September 12, clocking 30:10.‎