Ebenyo, Ayana triumph at Delhi Half Marathon Abhishek, Kavita win Indian Elite titles

New Delhi: Kenya’s Daniel Ebenyo and Ethiopia’s Almaz Ayana lived up to their billings by taking the top honours in the 18th edition of the Delhi Half Marathon, while Abhishek Pal and Kavita Yadav claimed Elite Indian men and women titles, respectively, here on Sunday.

Ayana, the 2016 Rio Olympics Champion and winner of the Delhi Half Marathon six years ago, came closer to her 2017 winning time in the women’s race. She went on to claim the top spot in 67:58.

Uganda’s Stella Chesang finished 28 seconds later for the second place while Viola Chepngeno from Kenya completed the podium in 69:09.

Running with the company of her country-mates Aberash MInsewo and Dessie Anchinalu besides the Kenyan Chepngeno as well as Uganda’s Chesang, covered the first quarter of the race in 15:45-15:47 while the other runner from Kenya - Vivian Cheruiyot, the Rio Olympics 5000m victor was slightly behind.

Although Ayana maintained her 16-minute pace for each of the five-kilometre intervals, but thereafter slowed down in the final phases of the race as her nearest challenger Stella was a distance away and had to run her own race.

Meanwhile, Abhishek reclaimed the Indian Elite Men’s title at the Delhi Half Marathon 2023 after competing neck and neck with Asian Games 2022 Silver Medallist Kartik Kumar.

Abhishek recorded a timing of 64:07, while Kartik missed the top prize by a fraction of a second and finished with 64:08. Meanwhile, Sawan Barwal finished third with a timing of 64:17. IANS

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