New Delhi [India], October 20 : Olympian Joshua Cheptegei emerged victorious in the men's race, while Alemaddis Eyayu shocked pre-race favourite Cynthia Limo to claim the women's title at the Delhi Half Marathon, a World Athletics Gold Label Road Race, held in the Indian capital.
Kenyan runner Alex Matata, 27, led much of the men's race alongside teammate Nicholas Kipkorir, who was competing in his first international half marathon. Kipkorir, a bronze medallist in last year's 5 km World Championships, stayed close to Matata, who had been unbeaten in three European races earlier this year, including two sub-60-minute finishes. The competition was fierce, with high expectations for a fast finish.
Matata held his lead until the runners approached the finish line at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, where the race had begun less than an hour earlier. However, Cheptegei, who had been trailing closely, seized his chance in the final moments, overtaking Matata to claim victory in 59 minutes 46 seconds. Matata finished second in 59:53, while Kipkorir completed the podium with a time of 59:59.
Known for its fast course, the Delhi Half Marathon once again delivered impressive performances. Ethiopian Deriba Merga was the first to break the 60-minute barrier at the event in 2008, when all the podium finishers finished within the hour. This record has been matched several times since, including in 2014, when a record nine runners finished in under 60 minutes.
Ethiopian runner Muktar Edris, a former world champion and another pre-race favourite, finished fifth with a time of 1:00:52, while Alphonce Simbu of Tanzania took fourth place, clocking 1:00:40.
After the race, Cheptegei, a multiple world titleholder, expressed his joy at the victory, saying, "This win in Delhi is special because it's my first-ever victory in a half marathon. India has been significant in my career, and this country means a lot to me now. Despite a slow start, I felt good throughout the race. My goal was to catch up with Nicholas Kipkorir and then Alex Matata in the final kilometres. I'm thrilled with my performance and hope to continue this form in future races."
He added, "Thank you, Delhi Half Marathon, for a wonderful race. It tested my mental strength. I had some issues with my feet around the 16-17 km mark, but I pushed through, catching up with Nicholas and then challenging him. I paced myself to avoid burning out and to finish strong. I'm heading home with a feeling of accomplishment."
In the women's race, Alemaddis Eyayu extended Ethiopia's dominance at the event, beating pre-race favourite Cynthia Limo of Kenya. Limo, who had won the title in 2015, led from the start, with Scotland's Commonwealth champion Eilish McColgan trailing behind. McColgan had the fastest pre-race time among the elite women, but Eyayu and fellow Ethiopian Tiruye Mesfin stayed close to Limo throughout the race.
Eyayu and Limo passed the 10 km mark together, but Eyayu took the lead in the second half, opening a 10-15 second gap that proved decisive. She crossed the finish line in 68 minutes 17 seconds, with Limo finishing 10 seconds later. Mesfin finished third with a time of 69:42, while McColgan came fourth in 69:55.
Reflecting on her performance, Eyayu said, "I had a good race, kept my pace, and aimed to finish well. I'm happy to have achieved it." Limo, meanwhile, was delighted with her second-place finish, saying, "It's incredible to return to the Delhi podium after nine years. The atmosphere was electric, with spectators lining the streets and cheering us on. The energy of the city made this race truly special, and the support from the crowd was unforgettable."
The total prize purse for the Delhi Half Marathon stood at USD 260,000, with the top three finishers in both the men's and women's categories receiving USD 27,000, USD 20,000, and USD 13,000, respectively.
In the Indian Elite Men's category, Sawan Barwal secured gold after finishing on the podium for the second consecutive year. With a personal best time of 1:02:46, Barwal outpaced Puneet Yadav, while Kiran Matre took third place. Barwal, who won bronze in 2023, trailed Puneet at the 10 km mark but surged ahead in the final stages, ultimately finishing with a gap of over a minute.
Reflecting on his victory, an emotional Barwal said, "It's been a great journey from last year's race to this edition. As the season draws to a close, I'm glad I could capitalise on my preparations. I didn't aim to finish in 62 minutes, but once I settled into the race, I knew I could push all the way."
In the Indian Elite Women's category, Lili Das made a dream debut, winning gold with a time of 1:18:12. Last year's winner, Kavita Yadav, finished second with a time of 1:19:44, securing a top-three finish for the second-year in a row, while Asian Games bronze medallist Priti Lamba came third, finishing in 1:20:21.
Lili, who had been in ninth place at the 10 km mark, made a strong push to take the lead by the 15th kilometre, ultimately winning by a margin of 1 minute and 32 seconds. After the race, she said, "It feels amazing to win gold in my first Delhi Half Marathon. I felt some dehydration during the race and cramped up around the 19 km mark, but I'm glad I was able to finish strong. Winning gold in a half marathon after doing well in track events feels incredible."