Diana Wanza Valencia Half Marathon Pb

Reigning African 10,000m champion Diana Wanza is targeting a personal best when she lines up for the Valencia Half Marathon in Spain on October 25, in what will be only her second appearance over the 21km distance.

The 27-year-old distance runner heads to Valencia with a personal best of 1:07:31, set on March 21 when she stormed to victory at the Azpeitia Half Marathon in Spain.

Wanza finished comfortably ahead of Spain’s Irene Sanchez, who clocked 1:11:13, while compatriot Vivian Rop completed the podium in 1:12:56.

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Having made a winning start to her half marathon career, Wanza is now focused on lowering her personal best on Valencia’s famously fast course as she seeks to consolidate her growing reputation as one of Kenya’s emerging distance-running talents.

“I will be going for the Valencia Half Marathon. My main target is to lower my personal best,” Wanza said. She believes the quality of the field assembled for the race will be crucial in helping her achieve her ambition.

“The field is strong. I hope that they can push me to be able to achieve my goal,” she added.

Wanza will face a stern test from compatriot Veronica Loleo, who finished third in last year’s race. Ethiopia’s Yalemzerf Yehualaw, the fastest woman in the field, will lead the challenge from the East African nation, with compatriots Tsigie Gebreselama and Ftaw Zerai adding further depth to their country’s contingent.

Kenya’s challenge will also feature Daisilah Jerono and Caroline Gitonga, while Germany’s Konstanze Klosterhalfen and Spain’s Carla Gallardo will spearhead the European challenge. Wanza said her preparations had been progressing well as she fine-tuned her form ahead of the Valencia showdown.

“Training has been great as I gear up for Valencia in two weeks. It’s a fast course and a great opportunity for me,” she said.

Although relatively inexperienced over the half marathon distance, Wanza has already demonstrated considerable promise, announcing herself in emphatic fashion with victory on her debut in Spain earlier this year.

The African champion will also be keen to sustain her impressive momentum in 2026, having enjoyed a productive season in which she has excelled on both the roads and the track.

After opening her campaign with victory in Spain, Wanza returned to the track to compete in the women’s 5,000m at the Kip Keino Classic on April 24. She delivered a commanding performance to win in 15:28.91, comfortably holding off Mercy Chepkemoi, who clocked 15:49.85, and Dorcus Chepkwemoi, who finished third in 15:55.29.

Wanza carried that form into the African Senior Championships in Accra, Ghana, on May 15, where she secured her maiden continental title by winning the women’s 10,000m gold in 31:33.26. Rwanda’s Florence Niyonkuru took silver in 31:43.73, while Ethiopia’s Asefu Abreha completed the podium in 31:45.91.

She followed her African triumph with a runner-up finish in the women’s 10,000m at the Commonwealth Games trials on June 19, clocking 31:56.80 behind Loice Chemnung, who won in 31:46.90.

At the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, Wanza narrowly missed out on gold in the 10,000m, settling for silver in 31:50.13. Australia’s Rose Davies claimed gold in 31:39.32, while Niyonkuru secured bronze in 31:55.47.

Wanza’s most recent outing came on August 22 at the Bhubaneswar meet in India, a World Athletics Continental Tour Silver-level event, where she continued her steady progression by setting a personal best of 15:16.11 in the 5,000m.