NEW DELHI, Oct 15:
Kenya’s Daniel Ebenyo and Ethiopian Almaz Ayana lived up to the expectations as they won the men’s and women’s elite races respectively at the Delhi Half Marathon here on Sunday.
The 28-year-old Ebenyo, who won a silver medal in the 10000m race at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest, finished the men’s race in 59 minutes and 27 seconds, ahead of fellow Kenyan Charles Matata (1:00:05) and Ethiopia’s Addisu Gobena (1:00:51).
Ayana, who won a 10000m gold medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics, topped the women’s elite race in one hour, seven minutes and 59 seconds, ahead of Uganda’s Stella Chesang (1:08:28) and Kenya’s Viola Chepngeno (1:09:09).
Abhishek Pal and Kavita Yadav were the fastest in the Indian men’s and women’s elite categories, clocking 1:04:08 and 1:17:42 respectively. The 31-year-old Ayana, winner of the Delhi Half Marathon six years ago, came close to her 2017 winning time of 1:07:11 in the women’s race.
Running in company of her country-mates Aberash Minsewo and Dessie Anchinalu as well as Kenya’s Viola Chepngeno and Uganda’s Stella Chesang, Ayana maintained her 16-minute pace for each of the 5km intervals.
But she slowed down in the final phase of the race and ran alone as her nearest challenger Chesang was way behind her. Ayana went on to claim the top spot in 67:58 seconds. (PTI)
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