The Guadalajara Half Marathon[b] (also known as the Guadalajara International Half Marathon[c] or 21K GDL[5]) is an annual road-based half marathon hosted by Guadalajara, Mexico, since 1985.[5][6][1][7] The half marathon is a World Athletics Gold Label Road Race and a member of the Association of International Marathons and Distance Races.[6][8] It is held in February as part of the city's anniversary celebrations.[4][9]
| Guadalajara Half Marathon | |
|---|---|
 The Arcos de Guadalajara, near the start and finish area | |
| Date | February[1] |
| Location | Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico |
| Event type | Road |
| Distance | Half marathon |
| Primary sponsor | Electrolit, Granvita |
| Established | 1985[1][a] |
| Official site | Official website |
The event is organized by the Guadalajara Municipal Sports Council, which also organizes the Guadalajara Marathon, a separate marathon event held in October or November.[10][2]
History
The inaugural race was held on 27 October 1985 as the "Medio Maratón de la Juventud" ('youth half marathon').[7] Organized by the state government, the race was won by Mexican runners Jorge Frías Rivera and Blanca Silvia Jaime, with finish times of 1:03:48 and 1:21:05, respectively.[1][7] The Association of Road Racing Statisticians (ARRS) states that the course used in the inaugural race of 1985, as well as those used in 1988 and 1989, "were probably quite short".[1]
According to the ARRS, no race was held in 1990.[1] The ARRS also does not have a record of a race being held in 2003.[1][d]
The race was renamed "Medio Maratón Guadalajara" in 1995.[7]
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the 2021 edition of the race was held exclusively virtually, over a few days in the middle of April.[11][12][13][e]
Course
| External image | |
|---|---|
 Course map of half marathon in 2023[5] |
The half marathon begins and ends at the Arcos de Guadalajara, near the statue of Minerva.[5] The race is held on roughly an out-and-back course, with an additional out-and-back leg about two-thirds of the way into the race that runs for approximately 2 km (1 mi) of the course.[5]
Winners
Key: Course record
| Edition | Year | Men's winner | Time (min:sec) | Women's winner | Time (h:m:s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 1985 |  Jorge Frías (MEX) | 1:03:48 | Blanca Jaime (MEX) | 1:21:05 |
| 2nd | 1986 | Francisco Pacheco (MEX) | 1:06:06 | Isabel Castilleja (MEX) | 1:18:58 |
| 3rd | 1987 | Dionicio Cerón (MEX) | 1:03:09 | Maribel Colín (MEX) | 1:18:44 |
| 4th | 1988 | Eulalio Martínez (MEX) | 1:04:12 | Laura Valenzuela (MEX) | 1:17:10 |
| 5th | 1989 | Martín Sánchez (MEX) | 1:03:51 | Rocio Rendón (MEX) | 1:19:21 |
| 6th | 1991 | Artemio Nava (MEX) | 1:06:51 | Alicia Gregorio (MEX) | 1:23:24 |
| 7th | 1992 | Héctor Martínez (MEX) | 1:06:25 | Alicia Gregorio (MEX) | 1:23:23 |
| 8th | 1993 | Roberto Alonso (MEX) | 1:05:26 | Leticia Martínez (MEX) | 1:16:14 |
| 9th | 1994 | Dionicio Cerón (MEX) | 1:05:39 | Leticia Martínez (MEX) | 1:20:33 |
| 10th | 1995 | Isidro Rico (MEX) | 1:03:45 | Nora Rocha (MEX) | 1:15:46 |
| 11th | 1996 | Margarito Alonso (MEX) | 1:05:07 | Emma Cabrera (MEX) | 1:18:04 |
| 12th | 1997 | Andrés Espinosa (MEX) | 1:05:07 | Anette Espinoza (MEX) | 1:16:07 |
| 13th | 1998 | Armando Quintanilla (MEX) | 1:04:00 | María del Carmen Díaz (MEX) | 1:14:01 |
| 14th | 1999 |  Abraham Assefa (ETH) | 1:03:01 | América Mateos (MEX) | 1:13:33 |
| 15th | 2000 |  Dominic Nyabuto (KEN) | 1:03:31 | Pamela Chepchumba (KEN) | 1:13:32 |
| 16th | 2001 | Jackson Koech (KEN) | 1:01:15 | Deborah Mengich (KEN) | 1:16:32 |
| 17th | 2002 | Jackson Koech (KEN) | 1:01:41 | Pamela Chepchumba (KEN) | 1:12:14 |
| 18th | 2004 | Benjamin Kiplimo (KEN) | 1:03:12 | Madaí Pérez (MEX) | 1:12:20 |
| 19th | 2005 | Lazarus Nyakeraka (KEN) | 1:04:18 | Madaí Pérez (MEX) | 1:14:20 |
| 20th | 2006 | Pablo Olmedo (MEX) | 1:03:59 | Madaí Pérez (MEX) | 1:12:27 |
| 21st | 2007 | Hillary Kipchirchir (KEN) | 1:03:04 | María Elena Valencia (MEX) | 1:12:31 |
| 22nd | 2008 | Patrick Nthiwa (KEN) | 1:02:36 | Patricia Rétiz (MEX) | 1:12:29 |
| 23rd | 2009 | Julius Keter (KEN) | 1:02:55 | Genoveva Kigen (KEN) | 1:12:16 |
| 24th | 2010 | Julius Keter (KEN) | 1:02:56 | Shewarge Alene (ETH) | 1:15:26 |
| 25th | 2011 | Julius Keter (KEN) | 1:02:31 | Shewarge Alene (ETH) | 1:11:23 |
| 26th | 2012 | Julius Keter (KEN) | 1:02:59 | Genoveva Kigen (KEN) | 1:13:16 |
| 27th | 2013 | Julius Keter (KEN) | 1:03:44 | Marisol Romero (MEX) | 1:12:18 |
| 28th | 2014 | Julius Keter (KEN) | 1:04:26 | Mayra Sánchez (MEX) | 1:14:26 |
| 29th | 2015 | Juan Luis Barrios (MEX) | 1:03:21 | Risper Gesabwa (KEN) | 1:14:29 |
| 30th | 2016 | Juan Luis Barrios (MEX) | 1:04:13 | Risper Gesabwa (KEN) | 1:13:16 |
| 31st | 2017 | Julius Keter (KEN) | 1:03:55 | Risper Gesabwa (KEN) | 1:14:55 |
| 32nd | 2018 | John Nzau (KEN) | 1:03:49 | Diana Kipyokei (KEN) | 1:10:00 |
| 33rd | 2019 | Mathew Kisorio (KEN) | 1:01:48 | Afera Godfay (ETH) | 1:08:53 |
| 34th | 2020 | Benson Kipruto (KEN) | 1:02:13 | Lucy Cheruiyot (KEN) | 1:10:52 |
| 35th | 2021 | Did not held | |||
| 36th | 2022 | Rhonzas Kilimo (KEN) | 1:01:20 | Besu Sado (ETH) | 1:09:12 |
| 37th | 2023 | Yasin Haji (ETH) | 1:01:03 | Hiwot Gebrekidan (ETH) | 1:09:06 |
| 38th | 2024 | Stephen Kiprop (KEN) | 1:01:21 | Aberu Ayana (ETH) | 1:08:51 |
Wins by country
| Country | Men's | Women's | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mexico | 16 | 21 | 37 |
| Kenya | 19 | 10 | 29 |
| Ethiopia | 2 | 6 | 8 |