Kenya’s Daniel Simiu Ebenyo and Ethiopian Sutume Asefa Kebede set new meet records in the men’s and women’s categories respectively to win the Tata Steel Kolkata 25K here on Sunday.
Ebenyo stopped the clock at one hour 11 minutes and 13 seconds to better fellow Kenyan athlete Leonard Barsoton’s record of 1:12:49s
Finishing behind Ebenyo was his compatriot Victor Kipruto Togom who also bettered the previous record with a timing of 1:12:26 followed by Ethiopia’s Tesfaye Demeke (1:13:36) in the third spot.
Ebenyo, who earlier this year secured two significant silver medals from Budapest Worlds (10,000m) and the World Half-Marathon championships in Riga, led the field on most occasions clocking 43:01 after crossing 15K.
Ebenyo increased his pace after 19K (59:12) and broke away from Togom to run a solo race thereafter.
Ethiopian Yalemzerf Yehualaw (24), the half-marathon world championships bronze medalist in 2020, was favourite to win the women’s title on her debut.
However, her teammate Kebede had other plans in her mind.
Running only her second race at this distance, Kebede remained in the lead together with her compatriot until the waning stages of the race and applied pressure at the last kilometre to win in 1:18:47.
Yehualaw (1:19:26) and Kenya’s Betty Chepkemoi Kibet (1:21:43) finished behind her.
Sawan, Reshma grab Indian honours
Sawan Barwal and Reshma Kevate topped among the Indians with a timing of 1:17:49 and 1:30:38 in the men’s and women’s categories respectively.
Sawan pushed Gaurav Mathur (1:20:33) to the second position followed by MD Aseem (1:42:08) in the third spot.
In the women’s category, Seema finished second with a timing of 1:32:07 while Nirmaben Thakor Bharatjee stood third with a timing of 1:32:40.
Overall, Barwal was eighth, while Reshma stood ninth.
Results
Men: 1. Daniel Ebenyo (Kenya; 1:11:13 NMR); 2. Victor Kipruto Togom (Ken; 1:12:26); 3. Tesfaye Demeke (Eth; 1:13:36); 4. Haymanot Alew (Eth; 1:13:44); 5. ABE Gashahun (Eth; 1:13:51); 6. Bennard Biwott (Ken; 1:13:57); 7. Jackson Kipleting (Ken; 1:15:44); 8. Sawan Barwal (Ind; 1:17:49); 9. Gaurav Mathur (Ind; 1:20:33); 10. Genetu Molalign (Eth; 1:31:39).
Women: 1. Sutume Asefa Kebede (Eth; 1:18:47 NMR); 2. Yalemzerf Yehualaw (Eth; 1:19:26); 3. Betty Chepkemoi Kibet (Ken; 1:21:43); 4. Emebet Niguse (Eth; 1:22:43); 5. Nelly Jeptoo (Ken; 1:23:00); 6. Anchinalu Dessie (Eth; 1:23:18); 7. Mecyline Chelangat (Uga; 1:25:37); 8. Tsige Haileslase (Eth; 1:28:37); 9. Reshma Kevate (Ind: 1:30:38); 10 Seema (Ind; 1:32:07).
