Deriba retains title, Deepchand fastest Indian man

New Delhi, Nov 1 : Defending champion Deriba Erga Ejigu missed the course record by a few seconds but the Ethiopian was still good enough to take the pole position, while Deepchand Saharan emerged the fastest Indian, with a timing of 64 minutes at the Airtel Delhi Half-Marathon here today.

Deriba overcame a knee injury that thwarted his participation chances in the event but he defied all odds and completed the 21km route in 59:54 seconds.

His countryman Eshetu Wendimu took the second position (60:02sec), while Kenyan Wislon Kipsang (60:04sec) was the third athlete to cross the finish line.

It is for the first time that any athlete has successfully defended his title at the Delhi Half-Marathon and for Deriba it is a hat-trick of titles in Indian Capital.

He won the Half Marathon here last year and followed it with a victory in Bangalore earlier this year.

''I wasn't very confident when I came here as I had just recovered from the knee injury which even forced me to skip the World Championships in Birmingham,'' Deriba said after the race.

''I am a little upset as I wanted to finish the race under 59 minutes but hopefully, I'll return next year and break my record,'' added the Ethopian, who still holds the course record here.

Deriba hasn't been in the best of shapes and said his training in the forests back home didn't help him as he was to run on different tracks.

For India, Deepchand, who was third amongst the Indian men last year, improved his timing and finished 17th overall, while Santosh Kumar (65:10sec) and Soji Mathews (65:18sec) were second and third fastest Indian men at the event.

World Champion Mary Keitany of Kenya set a new course record in the women's race to win the title with a timing of 66:54sec, leaving behind Ethopians Ayelew Wude (67:58) and Aberu Kebede (67:59) in the second and third place.

The reigning World Champion Keitany was delighted with her feat and has her sights set on the World record when she comes back for the event next year.

''The course record was very much on mind and next time when I come here, I'll aim for the World record,'' said Keitney who set the course record today.

Keitany is in a sparkling form of late and missed the World record by 11 seconds at the World Champions three weeks ago when she finished the race win 66:36 seconds.

Amongst the Indian women, 19-year-old Sukanya Mall took the first position (80:11sec), while Anuradha Singh (82:07) and Kamlesh Baghel (83:43) came second and third respectively.

The star-studded event, in its fifth edition has grown in stature and a prize money of 210,000 dollars has certainly started attracting the world's best athletes.

The world's richest half-marathon offers male and female winner 25,000 dollars each.

The Indian winners are rewarded with a cash prize of 4,000 dollars each, with top 10 finishers winning separate purses.

--UNI

(c) 2009 Published with permission from United News of India.
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