<h3>Jessica Stenson Smashes Australian Marathon Record in Valencia - Three Point Summary:&nbsp;</h3> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>- Jess Stenson smashes Australian marathon record by nine seconds, clocking 2:21.25 in Valencia to claim national honours.</p> <p>- South Australian star obliterates personal best by 82 seconds in emotional breakthrough performance at age 38.</p> <p>- Multiple Australians deliver standout results with Tom Do Canto setting a new personal best in the men's race.</p> <p>Jess Stenson rewrote Australian marathon history in Valencia, claiming the national record with a stunning 2:21.25 performance that left the running world in awe.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>Stenson Delivers Marathon Masterclass in Valencia</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>The 38-year-old South Australian produced the performance of her career on the notoriously fast Valencia course, Australian marathon record holder Jess Stenson crossing the line fifth overall in the women's field. Her time of 2:21.25 shattered Sinead Diver's previous national mark of 2:21.34, set on the same Spanish course three years earlier.</p> <p>Stenson's breakthrough represented a massive 82-second improvement on her previous personal best, demonstrating the kind of late-career surge that defines elite distance running. The triple Olympian and Commonwealth Games marathon gold medallist had been targeting Diver's record, and delivered when it mattered most.</p> <p>The emotional weight of the achievement became immediately apparent when Diver, the previous record holder, called Stenson moments after the race. "She called me right away, and we just cried," Stenson revealed. "She was so happy for me, and it was so nice to connect with her after the race."</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>Australian Athletes Shine Across Valencia Field</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Australian marathon performances extended well beyond Stenson's record-breaking effort, with multiple athletes delivering career-defining results. Fellow South Australian Izzy Batt-Doyle, already Australia's half-marathon and 10km road record-holder, secured seventh place with an impressive 2:23.35.</p> <p>Perhaps the most remarkable supporting performance came from four-time Olympian Genevieve Gregson, who completed the 42.195km distance in 2:28.51 - her first competitive race since giving birth five months earlier. The achievement underscores the incredible dedication required at elite level athletics.</p> <p>In the men's field, NSW runner Tom Do Canto continued his impressive 2025 campaign, establishing a new personal best of 2:11.14 to finish as the leading Australian male. Do Canto's performance caps a breakthrough year that has seen him set personal records across multiple distances.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>Record-Breaking Day for Distance Running</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>The Valencia Marathon lived up to its reputation as one of the world's fastest courses, with Kenyan athletes John Korir and Joyciline Jepkosgei both setting personal bests in claiming victory. Korir's winning time of 2:02.24 ranks as the eighth-fastest men's marathon in history, while Jepkosgei's women's course record of 2:14.00 stands as the fourth-best women's time ever recorded.</p> <p>For marathon record enthusiasts, the parallel between Stenson's breakthrough and Diver's original record-setting performance proved eerily similar. Both athletes recorded almost identical splits through halfway and remained within one second of each other at the 40km mark, highlighting the consistency required for record-breaking performances.</p> <p>Stenson's achievement represents more than just a new number in the record books. The emotional connection with Diver, the breakthrough nature of the performance, and the inspiration for future Australian distance runners make this Valencia Marathon a defining moment for Australian athletics.</p> <p>With a record 36,000 participants across all events, the 45th edition of the Valencia Marathon provided the perfect stage for Stenson's historic achievement, cementing her place among Australia's greatest marathon runners.</p>