NEW DELHI: Uganda’s reigning Olympic 10,000m champion Joshua Cheptegei and Kenya’s former half marathon world record holder Peres Jepchirchir will lead the elite field for the Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon, a World Athletics Gold Label race, scheduled on October 20.
Cheptegei retired from the track events after his win at the Paris Olympics 2024 and has since shifted his focus to marathon.He is the current world record holder in both the 5,000m and 10,000m races and holds the world’s best time over the 15km distance. Cheptegei won the 10,000m gold in Paris in a new Olympic record of 26:43.14.
The Ugandan is also a three-time world champion in the 10,000m and claimed gold in both the 5,000m and 10,000m at the 2018 Birmingham CWG and the 2019 IAAF World Cross Country championships. Notably, Cheptegei is only the 10th man in history to simultaneously hold the 5,000m and 10,000m world records, both of which he set in 2020.
Cheptegei made his international debut in India at the TCS World 10K Bengaluru 2014, finishing second. His return to India for the VDHM promises to be the highlight of this year’s race.
“This country holds a special place in my heart, as it’s where I made my international debut in 2014. It’s been a good season for me, and I am certainly looking at a course record timing at the VDHM. The energy and passion of the Indian running community is truly inspiring, and I am excited to be part of this event,” Cheptegei said.
Kenya’s three-time world half marathon winner Jepchirchir will lead the charge of the women’s contingent. She won the London Marathon 2024 with a time of 2:16.16s, breaking the women’s only marathon world record. Jepchirchir also won the 2021 New York City and 2022 Boston marathons.
Defending champs Abhishek and Kavita to lead Indian challenge
Defending VDHM champion Abhishek Pal, who recently won the 10,000m title in the National Open Athletics Championships 2024 in Bengaluru, will lead the country’s challenge in the men’s category.
He will face tough competition from Hangzhou Asian Games 10,000m silver medallist Kartik Kumar. Kumar recently triumphed at the 10,000m USA Championships Track Fest 2024 with a remarkable time of 28:07.66. He is also the VDHM 2022 and 2023 editions’ silver medallist.
In the women’s section, defending champion Kavita Yadav is expected to face stiff competition from Asian Championships bronze winner Sanjivani Jadhav. Sanjivani, who won the 10,000m Portland Track Festival in the USA with a personal best effort of 32:22.77, recently claimed a silver medal in the 5,000m event at the National Open.
She won gold at the VDHM 2018 and 2022 editions and took silver in 2016 and 2020. VDHM offers a total prize money of $260,000.
In addition to the race day tee for all registered half marathon participants, PUMA — VDHM’s official sports partner — will also present a special finisher tee to the top overall 1500 finishers in both the men’s and women’s categories of the 10K race.