The predictions were right: Philip Tirop Lagat, who was among the favourite runners, has become the winner of the second edition of Ibiza Marathon. The Kenyan athlete has finished in 02:15:58 breaking the course record, which was set three minutes over in 2017 by Stephen Kiplimo (2:19:01). The new circuit, which begins at the spectacular port of Ibiza and finishes just a few metres away from the seashore in the beach of Santa Eulària des Riu, has been very well received.
In the men’s category, the runner-up Pharis Irungu Kimani, with a time of 02:19:30, has also mounted the podium together with the local athlete Toni ‘Buitre’ Marí Colomar, who has come in third in the Ibiza Marathon for the second consecutive year with a time of 02:42:17.
As for the women’s category, the winner of the 42,195 metre race has been Maryna Shapovalova with a time of 03:03:41. The second athlete who crossed the finish line was Claire Howard in 03:18:58, followed by Vanessa Pérez Martínez, who came in third with a time of 03:19:14.
Female record-breaker for the Ibiza 12K in 2018
The Italian athlete Ilaria Tersigni came in first in the Ibiza 12K for the second consecutive year. She ran the 12,000 metres of this race in 00:48:05, which is one minute under her time in the same race in 2017, setting a new record for the women’s category in 2018. As for the men’s podium, the Spanish runner Antonio Franco Raimondez has become the winner of this race with 00:40:59.
“Run And Feel” is here to stay
Around 2,100 runners have registered for the Ibiza Marathon and Ibiza 12K, which have hence become the races with a higher number of participants in the island. This represents a 15% increase compared to last year’s figures. Therefore, the “Run And Feel” project, which encompasses two races, has now become part of the international and national running calendar.
Some of the new features in 2018 include the new circuit which starts in Ibiza and finishes in Santa Eulària, meets the requirements of the Royal Spanish Athletics Federation (RFEA) and goes across four of the five towns in the island, thus involving all of its citizens, who have hit the streets this year again to cheer on the runners.
Both the consulting firm Talentum Group, which organizes the Ibiza Marathon and Ibiza 12K, and the authorities who have attended the events representing the Town Council of Santa Eulària des Riu, the City Council of Ibiza and the Regional Government of the island, have expressed their satisfaction with two races that show the sports potential of the island and attract quality tourism.
