Kenya’s Charles Matata shattered the course record to win the men’s elite race at the Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon on Sunday, while Ethiopia’s Wudinesh Alemu claimed the women’s title as nearly 40,000 people turned out for the event in the national capital.
Matata completed the 21.097-km race in 58 minutes and 52 seconds, improving the previous course record of 58:53 set by Ethiopia’s Amedework Walelegn in 2020 by one second. The performance also marked a personal best for the Kenyan, who had clocked 59:15 at the Riga Half Marathon in Latvia in May.
“I came to Delhi well prepared, having maintained my fitness,” Matata said after the race.
The 29-year-old said favourable weather conditions and his familiarity with the course helped him deliver the record-breaking performance. He had finished second in the 2023 edition with a time of 1:00:05.
Matata earned an additional USD 12,000 for breaking the course record, over and above the winner’s prize of USD 27,000. His twin brother, Alex Matata, won the 2025 edition of the race.
Kenyan runners swept the men’s elite podium, with Samwel Nyamai Mailu finishing second in 59:24 and Stanley Waithaka Mburu taking third place in 59:33.
In the women’s elite race, Ethiopia’s Wudinesh Alemu won in 1:06:35. Kenya’s Selah Businei finished second in 1:07:01, followed by compatriot Cynthia Chelangat Chepkwony in 1:07:32.
Alemu said she was pleased to improve her personal best by nearly two minutes, adding that she had been running for only two years and hoped to continue developing her career in distance running.
In the Indian men’s elite category, Shailesh Kushwaha claimed first place in 1:05:05. Gaurav Mathur finished second in 1:05:11, while Hemant Kumar came third in 1:05:37.
Among Indian elite women, Ankita Dhyani won in 1:12:46. Soniya finished second in 1:14:56, while Bhagirathi secured third place in 1:15:51. Dhyani noted that all three podium finishers were from Uttarakhand and credited the state’s support for their achievements.
The 2026 edition of the Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon, a World Athletics Gold Label Race, offered a total prize purse of USD 275,732. The men’s and women’s elite winners each received USD 27,000.