Valencia once again lived up to its reputation for fast times, and this year it produced a breakthrough performance that resonated far beyond the world of marathon running. Olympic triathlon champion Alex Yee ran 2:06:38 to finish seventh, becoming the second fastest British marathoner in history and signaling that his future on the roads may be every bit as bright as his dominance in triathlon.
Yee, age 27, arrived in Valencia with only one previous competitive marathon to his name. Yet he delivered a performance that placed him behind only Mo Farah on the all-time British list. Farah’s best stands at 2:05:11, while Yee’s run in Spain moved him ahead of Emile Cairess, who now holds the third fastest British time at 2:06:46. Cairess paced Yee for the first 21 miles, helping set the stage for a dramatic leap forward.
The race itself belonged to Kenyan champion John Korir, who stopped the clock at a remarkable 2:02:24. But among the world class field, Yee’s run stood out for its scale of improvement. He cut 4:30 from his debut marathon in London last April, where he finished 14th. The story in Valencia was not only the fitness that delivered the time but also the growing mastery in race execution. In only his second marathon, he ran with the composure of an experienced road racer.
Reactions across the triathlon world were immediate and effusive. Six-time Ironman World Champion Mark Allen said that the run “will strike fear in the hearts of your competition for the rest of your career.” Long-time triathlon commentator Bob Babbitt added, “Way to go, Alex… this is how you become a legend.” Two-time Ironman World Champion Patrick Lange summed it up with one word: “Greatness.”
Yee has long been known for his lightning fast run splits in triathlon, but Valencia confirmed something larger. He is no longer only one of the best runners in triathlon – he is now one of the fastest British marathoners of all time, and he is only getting started.
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