New Delhi: Ethiopian Guye Adola demolished a highly competitive men’s elite athlete field and set a new Course Record at the Airtel Delhi Half Marathon on Sunday. Adola stopped the clock at 59.06 minutes to lower by 6 seconds the course record of 59.12, set by countryman Atsedu Tsegay in 2013. Adola's winning time took him to 3rd place in 2014 season's top lists for the above distance. He was followed home by Kenyans Geoffrey Kamworor in 59.07 and Mosinet Geremew (59.11) who also broke the existing record.
Kamworor improved his world championship winning time from Copenhagen by a second to 59:07 in Delhi. A familiar face on Delhi roads, the Kenyan replicated his runner-up positions here from 2011 and 2013 races. Ethiopian Adola, who came from nowhere to a third place in the Worlds at Copenhagen, ran a well calculated race to topple the Kenyan's dream of taking the Delhi title this year.
The men’s race began at a fast clip and the entire pack stayed together up until 17km. From the 19km mark, Adola began to break away from the group and maintained his lead. Till about 400 meters before the finish line Mosinet Geremew was in the second position closely followed by Kamworor. However, in the last few meters Geoffrey out-sprinted Mosinet to take the second place.
On setting new course record, Guye Adola of Ethiopia ,said "The competition was hard, but I am very happy with my podium finish. It was bit cold early in the morning but I am happy with my timing, and more so because I broke the course record."
Kenyan Florence Kiplagat become the first runner to defend a women's crown in Delhi. Kiplagat, a world cross-country champion in 2009 and half-marathon champion in 2010, came here with a World Leading 65:12 which she clocked in Barcelona this February. However today's winning time of 70:04 was slower than her last year's 68:02.
“It was a very nice and strong field today, very tight group. I knew that if I stuck to the group, I could win and that was my strategy for today. Coming into the race as defending champion, there was no pressure on me. I just had to believe in myself and I know I could win back the title” said Kiplagat on winning the title.
The women's race too witnessed another reigning World champion beaten as Gladys Cherono went down to teammate Kiplagat for the second consecutive time in Delhi. Winner in Copenhagen with 67:29, Cherono could manage only 70:05 on her second place finish this morning.
The men’s and women’s winners were richer by USD 27,000 and the men also won the course record jackpot of USD 7500.
A total of 32, 500 plus runners participated in the Airtel Delhi Half Marathon 2014, which offered total prize money of USD 2,62,167.
Among the Indians Preeja Sreedharan successfully defended her title (01:19:03) at followed by Monika Athare 01:19:12 and Sudha Singh 01:19:21.
Preeja, started off a bit slower and broke away from the rest at the 17Km mark. “In the morning I felt very cold, since I am coming from training at Trivandrum, where it was comparatively hot. But I am happy to defend my title and win at ADHM for the 2nd time in a row." Preeja announced that she will be taking a 2-year break from the sport after the January 2015 national games to concentrate on her family life.
The men’s category was won by Suresh Kumar 01:04:38; Nitender Singh Rawat 01:04:54 and Kheta Ram 01:04:56.
The introvert Suresh kumar is the youngest of the Indian men winners today. Coming from practise at Dehradun, Kumar was not confident of his training, but he stuck to his strategy which was to stick with the group. Till 17km, he was part of the pack and attached the race in the last 4km.
He stated, “I was confident of my strategy for the race today, and I am happy I could stick to it. Once I broke away and took the lead after 17km, the gap really widened and from then on I just had to maintain the lead."
The winners took home Rs 2. 5 lakhs each.
The race also witnessed the participation from celebrities like Anil Ambani, Rahul Bose and Gul Panag. Among the dignitaries present to cheer the participants and athletes were Sarbananda Sonowal, Hon'ble Minister for Youth Affairs & Sports, Govt of India, Col. Rajyavardhan Rathore Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Independent charge, Ajit M Sharan – Sports Secreatry, Ajay Puri Director Market Operations, Bharti Airtel along with Event Ambassador - Paula Radcliffe, Face of the Event - Bipasha Basu, Gautam Gambhir and Tollywood star Jeet.
Following are the results:
Overall Athlete Men
Guye Adola (ETH) 00:59:06 (NCR); Geoffrey Kamworor (KEN) 00:59:07; Mosinet Geremew (ETH) 00:59:11; Cybrian Kotut (KEN) 00:59:12; Stanley Biwott (KEN) 00:59:18; Stephen Kibet (KEN) 00:59:21; Abraham Charoben (KEN) 00:59:21; Jonathan Maiyo (KEN) 00:59:28; Kenneth Kipkemoi (KEN) 00:59:43; Kinde Atanaw (ETH) 01:00:17.
Overall Athlete Women:
Florence Kiplagat (KEN) 01:10:04; Gladys Cherono (KEN) 01:10:05; Worknesh Degefa (ETH) 01:10:07; Belaynesh Olijira (ETH) 01:10:08; Cynthia Limo (KEN) 01:10:09; Lucy Kabuu (KEN) 01:10:10; Tatelech Bekele (ETH) 01:10:17; Beatrice Mutai (KEN) 01:10:26; Alice Kimutai (KEN) 01:13:46; Preeja Sreetharan (IND) 01:19:03.
Overall Indian Athlete Men:
Suresh Kumar (IND) 01:04:38 (Overall 13th); Nitender Singh Rawat (IND) 01:04:54 (Overall 14th); Kheta Ram (IND) 01:04:56 (Overall 15th); Soji Mathew (IND) 01:05:03 (Overall 16th); Anish Thapa (IND) 01:05:14 (Overall 17th); Gopi T (IND) 01:05:22 (Overall 18th); Man Singh (IND) 01:05:34 (Overall 19th); Vishram Meena (IND) 01:06:48 (Overall 20th); Anil Pawar (IND) 01:07:14; Ajay Vir Singh (IND) 01:07:27.
Overall Indian Athlete Women:
Preeja Sreedharan (IND) 01:19:03 (Overall 10th); Monika Athare (IND) 01:19:12 (Overall 11th); Sudha Singh (IND) 01:19:21(Overall 12th);
Kavita Raut (IND) 10:19:56 (Overall 13th); Swati Gadhave (IND) 01:19:56 (Overall 14th); Rohini Raut (IND) 01:20:15 (Overall 15th); Kiran Sahdev (IND) 01:22:39 (Overall 16th); Rashmi Gure (IND) 01:28:00 (Overall 17th); Amandeep Kaur (IND) 01:29:33 (Overall 18th); Manju Yadav (IND) 01:32:17 (Overall 19th).
Half Marathon: Men: (18 to u-25 yrs): Manoj Kumar Yadav 01:14:24; Aslesh Kumar 01:14:39; Awadh Narayan 01:16:40.
Women: (18 to u-25 yrs):Blaut Garance 01:26:08; Priyanka 01:35:19; Kateni Robviina 01:57:51.
Men: (25 to u-30 yrs): Nangundappa Muniyallappa 01:13:43; Bholaram Rajwade 01:17:25; Kulwant Maan 01:17:29.
Women: (25 to u-30 yrs): Eve Bugler (GBR) 01:20:29; Nivedita Samanta 01:49:49; Selina Haeny (SUI) 01:52:30.
Men: (30 to u-35 yrs): Tushar Waingankar 01:18:15; Atsushi Morishtia 01:20:42; Nipendra Singh 01:21:33.
Women: (30 to u-35 yrs): Shikha Pahwa 01:36:53; Shailja Sridhar 01:42:02; Sayuri Dalvi 01:43:43.
Men: (35 to u-40 yrs): Mahender Singh 01:19:44; Basant Pradhan 1:19:47; Sanjay Dasila 1:21:08.
Women: (35 to u-40 yrs): Jayanti Thapliyal 01:32:06; Lalita Madhwal 01:35:52; Akiko Bando 01:42:19
Men: (40 to u-45yrs): Suresh Kumar 01:18:42; Bhupender Singh 01:20:18; Pritam Singh 01:20:53.
Women: (40 to u-45yrs): Nirupma Singh 01:39:06; Aurea Mullier Dias 01:39:09; Shubha Bhargava 01:39:09.
Men: (45 to u-50yrs): Dinesh Kumar 01:21:07; Idris Mohamed 01:22:10; Mukesh Rana 01:23:00.
Women: (45 to u-50yrs): Vaishali Kasture 01:42:47; Maureen Enderby 01:46:07; Alison Clews 01:52:36
Men:(50 to u-55yrs):Alok Nath 01:25:22; Heeraman Singh 01:29:04; Maurizio Orlandini 01:31:06
Women: ( 50 to u-55yrs):- Khurshid Mistry 01:51:53; Taru Mateti 02:00:10; Neelam Vaid 02:05:47
Men: (55 to u-60yrs): Sabhjeet Yadav 01:28:29; William Halliday 01:37:25; Ashutosh Roy 01:43:02.
Women: ( 55 to u-60yrs):- Radhakrishna Swamy 02:04:18; Mala Bhambhani 02:23:03 ; Radhika Bahl 02:40:47.
Men ( 60 to u-65 yrs):- Rugha Vir 01:37:49; Subhash Chand Khatri 01:39:53; Bhasker Desai 01:41:57.
Women( 60 to u-65 yrs):- Rachel Chatterjee 02:03:48; Pervin Batliwala 02:05:16; Mala Honnatti 02:09:49.
Men(65 to u-70yrs):– Parameet Singh 01:53:48; Virendra Singh Rawat 01:54:19
Men (70 years and above):- Guru Dayal Yadav 01:47:16 ; Mahadev Samjiskar 02:05:32 ; Dharm Singh 02:06:05
DHL Corporate Champion Winners:
1st TCS IMMORTALA – 04:33:34; 2nd INFOSYS – 04:37:37; 3rd CSAV RUNNERS – 05:02:09; 4th BCG TEAM ‘A’ – 05:07:20; 5th METLIFE C – 05:10:53.
Kingfisher Ishtyle Wale Winner:
1st (Theme) Nature-Anushka( Individual); 2nd (Theme) Stop Natural Disaster-Vanshika Sahni (Individual); 3rd (Theme) Don’t Drink & Drive- Bhavya Narula-(Individual).
Kingfisher Sensation Squad Winner:
1st (Theme) Super Women-Adarsh Public School; 2nd (theme) Brutalised Childwood-Sirmacs Consultancy Services.
