Elite runner Eliud Kipchoge said his target for Sunday's Airtel Delhi Half Marathon is to achieve their personal best.
The Rio olympic marathon gold medalist Eliud, who clocked his personal best (59:25 seconds) in his debut half marathon at lille, will have tough competition on Sunday from his compatriot Augustine Choge whose best timing is 63:24, and Yigrem Demelash whose best timing is 59:49.
Arguably the fastest among the long distance runners, Kenya's Eluid Kipchoge was confident of his preparations for ADHM and targets to finish the race in under 60 minutes.
"Through Delhi half marathon I hope to inspire millions and ignite in them a passion for distance running. I believe preparation and planning is key to delivering a great performance during race," he said.
"The course here is really flat and it will help in maintaining good speed and producing a good time. I want to go below 59 minutes and try to beat my best time," he said.
When asked about the changes which came into his life after wining many medals and Rio Olympic earlier this year, he said, "The status changed but still the same Eliud. I am thankful to my coach Patrick Sang and am still learning and have a long way to go."
Along with the vastly experienced Eliud, Augustine Choge will also be running in this year's ADHM for the very first time. He has thanked Eliud for being a great mentor and a motivator. Both of them will be competing against each other but the friendship will be intact both off track and on track. Patrick Sang, the former athlete is back in India after 29 years, but this time he will be coaching Eliud to win his first title in the capital city of India. He takes pride on Eliud's consistency and performance and feels teaching athletes depends on the percentage of calibre they have in running.
Kipchoge, who has a personal best time of 59.25 minutes in half marathon, will lead a strong men's elite field at Delhi Half Marathon on Sunday. Other top runners include Yigrem Demelash (59.49) of Ethiopia, Gladwin Mzazi (61.12) and rising Tanzanian runner Alphonce Sambu (62.58) who was placed fifth at Rio Olympics marathon race.
To add grace to ADHM, Peres Jepchirchir, the reigning World Champion half marathon will also make her debut. ADHM will also see the presence of Helah Kiprop. Kipchoge and the rest of the elite runners will be chasing men's and women's first prizes of $27,000, with a total prize fund of $270,000.
Kiprotich out of ADHM
2012 london Olympic marathon gold medallist Stephen Kiprotich will miss this year's Airtel Delhi Half Marathon (ADHM) after the Ugandan long-distance runner was today forced to pull out of the event due to the death of his father.
Kiprotich conveyed his regrets and said he was looking forward to running in India soon.
"Kiprotich is one of the friendliest athletes on the distance running circuit. He rewrote history in 2012 when he won gold at the Olympics in london, becoming the first in 40 years to win gold for Uganda. We offer our heartfelt condolences to Stephen on his loss. Our prayers and support are with him and his family during this tough time. We will certainly miss him at ADHM this year," said Dilip Jayaram CEO of Procam International, promoters of ADHM.