Kenya's Daniel and Olympic champion Almaz claim titles

Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon: Abhishek Pal reclaimed the Indian elite Men’s title after competing neck and neck with Asian Games Silver Medallist Kartik Kumar

- HARPAL SINGH BEDI

Kenya's Daniel Ebenyo on Sunday emerged the new Men's champion while Ethiopia’s Almaz Ayana's regained the women's title after six years in the $ 268,000 prize money Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon in the capital city on Sunday.

The winners in the men’s and women’s categories took home $27,000 each and the prize money includes the top 10 finishers in both.

Meanwhile, Abhishek Pal reclaimed the Indian elite Men’s title after competing neck and neck with Asian Games Silver Medallist Kartik Kumar. Pal 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.

The 2016 Rio Olympics Champion and winner of the Delhi Half Marathon six years ago, Ayana ,came closer to her 2017 winning time in the women’s race. Running alongside her country-mates Aberash MInsewo and Dessie Anchinalu besides the Kenyan Viola Chepngeno as well as Uganda’s Stella 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.