{"id":1403,"date":"2026-01-19T12:22:18","date_gmt":"2026-01-19T11:22:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/snaprace.app\/blog\/?p=1403"},"modified":"2026-01-19T12:22:20","modified_gmt":"2026-01-19T11:22:20","slug":"santa-pola-half-marathon-2026-results-winners-and-race-analysis-of-the-fastest-event","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/snaprace.app\/blog\/en\/santa-pola-half-marathon-2026-results-winners-and-race-analysis-of-the-fastest-event\/","title":{"rendered":"Santa Pola Half Marathon 2026: results, winners and race analysis of the fastest event"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The 34th edition of the Santa Pola International Half Marathon<\/strong> reaffirmed its reputation as Spain\u2019s fastest 21 km race. A day after the event, we bring you a detailed recap of the results, standout performances and the factors that make this coastal course so quick. This article complements our comprehensive guide to Santa Pola\u2019s half marathon in Spanish, where you can find route details, registration information and training advice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Summary of the 2026 race<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

On Sunday, 18 January 2026, thousands of runners lined up in the Alicante town of Santa Pola to tackle a near\u2011flat circuit that invites fast running. Temperatures hovered around 12 \u00b0C with a gentle sea breeze, and the smooth organisation by Club Atletismo Santa Pola translated into elite\u2011level times in both the half marathon and the parallel 10 km event. Below, we dive into the podiums and main performances of the day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Men\u2019s 21K: Kenyan sweep and personal bests<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The men\u2019s race set off at a blistering pace. A lead pack of African runners and some of Europe\u2019s best long\u2011distance athletes pushed the tempo from the start. In the closing kilometres, Kenya\u2019s Brian Kibor<\/strong> broke away with an effortless stride and crossed the finish line in 1:00:49, underlining why Santa Pola is a magnet for fast times. Kibor owns a personal best of 58:39 and used his experience to time his surge perfectly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Compatriot Simon Maywa<\/strong> held on until about 3 km from the finish but eventually settled for second in 1:02:59. Another Kenyan, Kipkandie Mkulia<\/strong>, completed the podium in 1:03:03. The top Spaniard was Luis Agust\u00edn Escriche<\/strong>, who placed sixth with 1:07:43, highlighting the growing competitiveness of local athletes on fast courses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Place<\/th>Runner<\/th>Country<\/th>Time<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
1<\/td>Brian Kibor<\/td>Kenya<\/td>1:00:49<\/td><\/tr>
2<\/td>Simon Maywa<\/td>Kenya<\/td>1:02:59<\/td><\/tr>
3<\/td>Kipkandie Mkulia<\/td>Kenya<\/td>1:03:03<\/td><\/tr>
4<\/td>Houssame Benabbou Azizi<\/td>Morocco<\/td>1:06:55<\/td><\/tr>
5<\/td>Simon Meganck<\/td>Belgium<\/td>1:07:25<\/td><\/tr>
6<\/td>Luis Agust\u00edn Escriche<\/td>Spain<\/td>1:07:43<\/td><\/tr>
7<\/td>Carlos Henrique de Souza<\/td>Brazil<\/td>1:08:13<\/td><\/tr>
8<\/td>Josep Torres Riera<\/td>Spain<\/td>1:08:19<\/td><\/tr>
9<\/td>Viktor Zackrisson<\/td>Sweden<\/td>1:08:38<\/td><\/tr>
10<\/td>Kamil Lesniak<\/td>Poland<\/td>1:09:08<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Women\u2019s 21K: Daisilah Jerono\u2019s commanding run<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The women\u2019s contest was also defined by speed and African dominance. Kenya\u2019s Daisilah Jerono<\/strong> led from the gun and captured the win in 1:07:27. She was trailed by teammate Esther Chebet<\/strong>, who clocked 1:08:13 for second. Swedish veteran Hanna Lindholm<\/strong> rounded out the podium in 1:12:03. The best\u2011placed Spaniard was Cristina Juan Torres<\/strong>, fifth with 1:17:08, underscoring the strong presence of local women among the elite.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Place<\/th>Runner<\/th>Country<\/th>Time<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
1<\/td>Daisilah Jerono<\/td>Kenya<\/td>1:07:27<\/td><\/tr>
2<\/td>Esther Chebet<\/td>Kenya<\/td>1:08:13<\/td><\/tr>
3<\/td>Hanna Lindholm<\/td>Sweden<\/td>1:12:03<\/td><\/tr>
4<\/td>Barbara de Koning<\/td>Netherlands<\/td>1:15:32<\/td><\/tr>
5<\/td>Cristina Juan Torres<\/td>Spain<\/td>1:17:08<\/td><\/tr>
6<\/td>Zo\u00e9 Duigou<\/td>France<\/td>1:17:42<\/td><\/tr>
7<\/td>In\u00e9s Astrain Moreno<\/td>Spain<\/td>1:17:58<\/td><\/tr>
8<\/td>Tania Salamanca Ruiz<\/td>Spain<\/td>1:19:31<\/td><\/tr>
9<\/td>Liduina van Sitteren<\/td>Netherlands<\/td>1:19:59<\/td><\/tr>
10<\/td>Sara Garc\u00eda Domingo<\/td>Spain<\/td>1:20:12<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

10K results: speed on display<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In addition to the half marathon, Santa Pola stages a certified 10 km race that starts early in the morning. The flat coastal route once again proved perfect for elite times. Kenya\u2019s Jacob Krop<\/strong> dominated the men\u2019s 10K with a stunning 27:46, ahead of Poland\u2019s Sebastian Nowicki<\/strong> (29:34) and Finland\u2019s Juho Ylinen<\/strong> (29:56). In the women\u2019s contest, Clare Chemtai Ndwia<\/strong> stopped the clock at 31:32 for the win, with Sweden\u2019s Carolina Wikstr\u00f6m<\/strong> second in 32:24 and Hungary\u2019s Smilla Szalkai<\/strong> third in 34:46.<\/p>\n\n\n\n