World silver medallist Daniel Ebenyo and Rio Olympic champion Almaz to headline Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon

New Delhi, Sep 12 (PTI) Kenya’s 10,000m World Championships silver medallist Daniel Ebenyo and Rio Olympic champion Almaz Ayana of Ethiopia will headline the Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon here on October 15.

The USD 268,000 prize money World Athletics Elite Label Road Race will witness tens of thousands of amateurs join the world’s best elites on one of the fastest courses in the world.

Ayana, the 2016 Olympic 10,000m champion who won two back-to-back World titles in 2015 (5,000m) and 2017 (10,000m), ran an excellent race on the roads of Delhi to triumph in the 13th edition of the annual sporting extravaganza which commenced in 2005.

The Ethiopian, who clocked a personal best 1:05:30 earlier this year to win in Lisbon and finished seventh at the full distance in the London Marathon thereafter, is now eying for the Delhi course record of 1:04:46 held by country-mate Yalemzerf Yehualaw since 2020.

“I am very excited to run the Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon. It was here that I ran the world’s fastest half marathon debut in 2017. After giving birth and having returned among the best athletes in the world, I look forward to coming back to the streets of Delhi and trying to be better than ever!” Ayana said in a release.

Ebenyo, who finished sixth in the World cross-country championships held in Bathurst (Australia) in early 2023, has a personal best time of 59:04 at the half-marathon distance, which is very close to the Delhi course record of 58:53.

Also from Kenya, Roncer Konga (59:08), Leonard Barsoton (59:09), Isaac Kipkemboi (59:17) and Isaiyah Lasoi (59:27) besides Ethiopian Tesfahun Akalnew (59:22) are eager to provide a keen contest in the upcoming race.

Incidentally, Barsoton and Akalnew finished fifth and sixth respectively at Delhi three years ago and will try to make it to the podium in 2023.

In the women’s race, Ayana will have major competition from her young colleague Betelihem Afenigus. The latter, who is just 22, has already taken part in five half-marathon races this year and holds a personal best of 1:06:46.

Kenyan Viola Chepngeno, who has run eight elite half-marathon races will be another runner to watch out for.

The International elite winners in the men’s and women’s categories will take home USD 27,000 each and the prize money includes the top 10 finishers in both. In addition, there is an Event Record Bonus of USD 12,000.