Kenya’s Daniel Ebenyo, a silver medalist at the World Championships in the 10,000m, and Ethiopia’s Almaz Ayana, the 2016 Olympic 10,000m champion and two-time World champion, will be the star attractions among the initial elite athletes in the men’s and women’s categories at the 18th Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon. This event is recognized as a World Athletics Gold Label Road Race and is scheduled to take place in New Delhi on October 15.
The marathon boasts a prize fund of USD 268,000, attracting not only elite athletes but also thousands of amateur runners to one of the world’s fastest courses.
The top finishers in both the men’s and women’s categories, including the international elite winners, will receive USD 27,000 each in prize money. Additionally, an Event Record Bonus of USD 12,000 is up for grabs.
Almaz Ayana, who set the world record for the 10,000m at the 2016 Rio Olympics, has been in excellent form in road races recently. She clocked a personal best of 1:05:30 earlier this year to win the Lisbon Half Marathon and finished seventh in the full-distance London Marathon. Now, she has her sights set on breaking the Delhi course record of 1:04:46, held by her compatriot Yalemzerf Yehualaw since 2020.
Daniel Ebenyo, the silver medalist at the World Championships and a strong contender, achieved a personal best time of 59:04 in the half-marathon last year in Manama. His time is very close to the Delhi course record of 58:53, and he is entering the Delhi Half Marathon with high expectations.
The men’s race will also feature strong contenders from Kenya, including Roncer Konga (59:08), Leonard Barsoton (59:09), Isaac Kipkemboi (59:17), and Isaiyah Lasoi (59:27), as well as Ethiopian Tesfahun Akalnew (59:22), who finished fifth and sixth respectively at Delhi three years ago.
In the women’s race, Almaz Ayana will face competition from her young Ethiopian colleague Betelihem Afenigus, who, at just 22 years old, has already participated in five half-marathons this year and holds a personal best of 1:06:46, achieved with a second-place finish in Paris in March.
Kenyan Viola Chepngeno, with eight elite half-marathon races under her belt and a time of 1:06:48 clocked at the 2022 Berlin Half Marathon, is another strong contender to watch out for.
-IANS