Ethiopian Rio Olympic champion Almaz Ayana reclaimed the title she won six years ago, completing the 18th Delhi Half Marathon on Sunday in 1:07:58 while Kenya’s Daniel Ebenyo ran under 60 minutes to take the top spot in 59 minutes 27 seconds

Abhishek and Kartik stayed together all through the race before the former inched ahead.

New Delhi

Ethiopian Rio Olympic champion Almaz Ayana reclaimed the title she won six years ago, completing the 18th Delhi Half Marathon on Sunday in 1:07:58 while Kenya’s Daniel Ebenyo ran under 60 minutes to take the top spot in 59 minutes 27 seconds.

Maintaining a steady pace for a large part of the race, Almaz slowed down towards the end, comfortably ahead of second-placed Uganda’s Stella Chesang, who finished 28 seconds behind to better her own third-placed finish in 2022. Kenyan Viola Chepngeno finished third in 1:09:09.

“It was not an easy race and the weather was a bit hot as well. But this race has helped me prepare for future events,” Almaz said.

In the men’s section, eight Kenyan runners along with Ethiopian Addisu Gobena broke away early for the lead pack and stayed together until World Half Marathon runner-up Ebenyo and compatriot Chales Matata accelerated to open up the race, finishing within half-a-minute of each other. Gobena completed the podium 46 seconds behind Matata.

Among the Indian elite runners, Abhishek Pal and Asian Games 10,000m silver medallist Kartik Kumar stayed together all through the race before the former inched ahead to finish in 1:04:07, fraction of a second ahead of Kartik (1:04:08). Abhishek also finished in the top-10 among all elite runners. Sawan Barwal finished third in 1:04:17. Among Indian women, Kavita Yadav took the top spot in her debut in the event with a timing of 1:17:42 while Rima Patel (1:17:48) and Poonam Dinkar Sonune (1:17:49) finished second and third respectively.

Important results:

International men: Daniel Ebenyo (Ken, 59:27), Chales Matata (Ken, 1:00:05), Addisu Gobena (Eth, 1:0051); International women: Almaz Ayana (Eth, 1:07:58), Stella Chesang (Uga, 1:08:28), Viola Chepngeno (Ken, 1:09:09).

Indian men: Abhishek Pal (1:04:07), Kartik Kumar (1:04:08), Sawan Barwal (1:04:17); Indian women: Kavita Yadav (1:177:42), Rima Patel (1:17:48), Poonam Sonune (1:17:49).