Eliud Kipchoge wins Delhi Half Marathon

Kenya’s Olympic marathon champion Eliud Kipchoge on Sunday won the 2016 Airtel Delhi Half Marathon leading compatriot Augustine Choge also to a podium finish in New Delhi, India.

Kipchoge clocked 59 minutes and 44 seconds to reclaim the title Kenya won last in 2012. The win comes just three months after Kipchoge won the country its second marathon gold at the Olympics during the Rio Summer Games.

Kipchoge accelerated away from his last remaining challenger, Ethiopia’s Yigrem Demelash, with one kilometre to go as 2003 World 5,000m champion won to end Ethiopia’s three-year dominance in the race by four seconds.

However, Kipchoge fell short in improving his personal best of 59:25 from Lille 2012 and course record time of 59:06 held by Guye Adola from 2014.

Demelash, the 2012 World Junior 10,000m champion, settled for second as Choge, who was running his second half marathon race, finished third in a personal best 1:00:01.

Choge had staged a victorious debut over the distances with a personal best of 1:03:25 at Rock ‘n’ Roll Philadelphia Half Marathon in September.

Kenyan women’s three-year reign at the race came to a halt when Ethiopia’s Worknesh Degefa stunned World Half Marathon champion Peris Jepchirchir and World marathon silver medallist Helah Kiprop all from Kenya to win in  1:07:42. 

Kiprop settled for third in 1:08:11 while another Kenyan, World Half Marathon silver medallist Mary Wacera finished sixth in 1:09:06.

The contest for the 12th edition of India’s leading half marathon race – and the US$27,000 (Sh2.73million) first prize, was reduced to three contenders after just five kilometres, with Kipchoge, Demelash and Choge, the 2016 World Indoor 3,000m bronze medallist in contention.

Pacemakers John Langat and Ronald Kirui, both from Kenya, took the trio through the first 10km in 28:33, provoking hopes that with a slight quickening of pace in the second half of the race, the Airtel Delhi Half Marathon course record of 59:06, set by Ethiopia’s Guye Adola in 2014, might fall.

However, 12km was reached in 34:16 as the pacemakers started to struggle. The leading trio were left out on their own and it was becoming clear that Adola’s record was likely to survive for another year.

Just after 17km, Choge was unable to stay with his two rivals and started to slip back while Kipchoge continued to force the pace.

In the final kilometre, Kipchoge found another gear but was clearly worried by the potential sprint finish of Demelash, who had also finished fourth in the Rio 10,000m.

However, the experienced Kipchoge had planned his decisive move to perfection and completed a victorious return to Delhi after taking the 2010 Commonwealth Games 5000m silver medal in the same city six years ago.

“The running conditions were good, my training was good and with the right guidance from my coach (1992 Olympic Games 3000m steeplechase silver medallist Patrick Sang), I was able to win the race. Along the route the crowd was also cheering us and that helped to further motivate us,” said Kipchoge.

MEN

1. Eliud Kipchoge (KEN) 59:44

2. Yigrem Demelash (ETH) 59:48

3. Augustine Choge (KEN) 1:00:01

4. Ronald Kirui (KEN) 1:01:43

5. Sibusiso Nzima (RSA) 1:01:44

6. Ezekiel Chepkorom (UGA) 1:01:46

7. Alphonce Felix Sambu (TAN) 1:01:59

8. Elias Kibret (ETH) 1:02:00

9. Jackson Kiprop (UGA) 1:02:46

10. G Lakshmanan (IND) 1:04:37

WOMEN

1. Worknesh Degefa (ETH) 1:07:42

2. Ababel Yeshaneh (ETH) 1:07:52

3. Helah Kiprop (KEN) 1:08:11

4. Gladys Chesir (KEN) 1:08:23

5. Peres Jepchirchir (KEN) 1:08:28

6. Mary Wacera (KEN) 1:09:06

7. Gelete Burka (ETH) 1:09:32

8. Netsanet Gudeta (ETH) 1:10:05

9. Rose Chelimo (BRN) 1:10:17

10. Afera Godfay (ETH) 1:13:49