Ethiopian creates new course record to win Half Marathon, Florence is women’s champ
Seldom has a half marathon runner who has the first race after a long one year hiatus due to injury and went on to clinch an IAAF-gold lebel race like Airtel Delhi Half Marathon against a tough field that with a new course record. On Sunday morning, when Ethiopian seasoned campaigner Atsedu Tsegay breasted the ribbon with a timing of 59.12 minutes, he knew that his troublesome ankles are fine and he has finished ahead of first runners-up Kenyan Geoffrey Kipsang and third-placed Wilson Kiprop.
But what exceeded his happiness is that he emerged winner by bettering the course record by three second which was in the name of his compatriot Deriba Merga in 2008.
“The competition was good with very good athletes. The race was organised well and the weather was also perfect. I raced for the first time after my ankles troubled me for one year. This is my first time here and I am glad to win the race,” Tsegay, who lead the pack after 40 minutes of the race, said at a media conference.
2013’s fastest man Kipsang was running for his late brother Elais, who passed away on Friday and was faster by 19 seconds from Kiprop. Defending champion, Edwin Kipyego finished a disappointing eighth.
As compared to the men’ race, In the women’s race was more competitive. Florence Kiplagat lead a all-Kenyan podium finish with a timing of 68 minutes, ahead of 2013 World championships 10,000m silver-medalist Gladys Cherono by three seconds and lucy Kabuu by 10 seconds. Defending champion Wude Ayalaw finished fifth.
“I was slow at the start because of the cold and I didn’t get any time for acclimatization as I landed on yesterday. But now I am happy,” Florence said.
Both the men’s and women’s winner were richer by $25,000. Tsegay, for his course record got extra $7,500.
The runners-up and the second runners-up in both category got $18,000 and $12,000 respectively.
laxmanan, Preeja best Indians
The Indian men’s race was dominated by Army Sports Institute, Pune’s G laxmanan who clocked 64.44 minutes to take the winner’s title. laxmanan, who was 15th in the overall list, was just five seconds faster than second-placed and another ASI Pune product Kheta Ram.
Railways’ Ratti Ram Saini, who this year also got a bronze medal in the Asian Athletics Championships in 10k race, was third with a timing of 64.51. Defending champion Rahul Kumar Pal was sixth with a timing of 66.04 minutes.
Ram and Saini finished 16th and 17th in the overall list.
In the women’s section, Olympian Preeja Sreedharan emerged the winner as she clocked 80.04 minutes ahead of another veteran Kavita Raut and lalita Babbar.
The 2010 Asian Games gold medal winner in 10000 km Preeja, who participated for the first time in Delhi event was faster than three-time champion Kavita and 2010 and 2011 champion lalita by two and five seconds respectively. Preeja broke away from the group just a km away from the finishing line and managed to hold of others.
Sudha Singh, who had joined the training just a couple of weeks ago due to personal reasons, failed to defend her title. The steeplechase london Olympian took 80.20 minutes to close the race.
Apart from the race, more than 31,000 running enthusiasts took part in the event, which was graced by face of the event Bipasha Basu, event ambassador and former 100m world record holder Donovan Bailey and legendary Indian athlete Milkha Singh.
From the bollywood fraternity, Glushan Grover, Mahima Chaudhury and Rahul Bose attended the event. Bose even completed the 21.097 km course.