Legese leads strong field for Delhi Half Marathon on Oct 18

Legese eyes third Delhi Half Marathon crown as star-studded field announced

New Delhi, Sep 8

The Ethiopian, who owns a personal best of 58:59, is the fastest athlete in the men's field announced by Procam International on Tuesday. Kenya's Charles Matata, the 2023 runner-up, will be among those looking to challenge Legese after finishing second at the Istanbul Half Marathon earlier this year.

Ethiopia will have further representation through Deriba Tesfaye and Melaku Belachew. Tesfaye comes into the race after finishing second at the Rotterdam Marathon, while Belachew won the Hong Kong Marathon earlier this year.

Legese, who narrowly missed out on the podium in last year's race, is keen to make a strong return to the Delhi course.

"I have narrowly missed the podium in last year's race and am eager to make amends this time. It has always been a pleasure running at the Indian capital. I am doing well and looking to get in great shape before race day this year, he added further," Legese said.

In the women's race, Kenya's Irine Cheptai will spearhead the field with a personal best of 64:53. The 2022 champion will face Ethiopia's Melal Siyoum Biratu, last year's silver medallist, and Kenya's Cynthia Limo, who finished runner-up in 2024.

Kenyan-born Israeli athlete Lonah Chemtai Salpeter will also add considerable depth to the field. A bronze medallist at the 2022 World Athletics Half Marathon Championships, Salpeter has also won multiple medals for Israel at the European Championships.

Cheptai heads into the race with strong credentials, having won the Burj2Burj Half Marathon in Dubai in February before finishing sixth at the Boston Marathon. The Kenyan, who is targeting a second Delhi title, believes her experience of racing in the capital could work in her favour.

"I know there are several young runners who will be competing at the Delhi Half Marathon. But I have the experience of running in Delhi, and I am confident of challenging for the podium and fighting for my second title here," Cheptai said.

The 21st edition will feature 36 international elite athletes - 18 men and 18 women - competing for a total prize purse of USD 275,732. The men's and women's winners will each receive USD 27,000, with prize money extending to the 10th-place finisher in both categories. Additional incentives will be available for the leading Indian finishers.

An event-record bonus of USD 12,000 will also be awarded to any elite athlete who improves the existing course record in their respective category.

Vivek Singh, Joint Managing Director of Procam International, said the quality of the field reflected the growing stature of the race.

"As we step into the third decade of the Delhi Half Marathon, we have witnessed remarkable milestones from record participation and new event records to some of the world's finest elite athletes making their mark on the Delhi course. Each edition has raised the bar, and this year promises to be no different.

"The elite field assembled for the 21st edition is a testament to the stature of the event on the global running calendar. With a highly competitive line-up, we expect every athlete to push their limits, challenge existing benchmarks and inspire the global running community with performances of the highest order."

— IANS