Ethiopians Jemal Mekonen and Defending Champion Alemaddis Eyayu headline at the Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon -
Actor Ram Charan Ignites Archery Premiere League Opening, Elevating Indian Archery to New Heights. Co-owners Randeep Hooda & Lin Laishram onboard as Brand Ambassadors of Prithviraj Yodhas for Archery Premier League . Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports invites applications for National Sports Awards. India defeated Pakistan by five wickets to win the Asia Cup. Former Delhi Ranji Captain Mithun Manhas becomes President of Board of Control for Cricket in India.In the 94th Annual General Meeting of BCCI Mr. Rohan Jaitley, President of DDCA, has been appointed Chairperson of Infrastructure Committee. Mr. Mithun Manhas said, “It is a huge responsibility, and I give my assurance that I will be committed to doing it to the best of my abilities.”India Post Releases Special Postal Cover To Commemorate Sashtipoorthi of Delhi University’s Shyam Lal College. Team India clinches Gold and three Silver medals in Special Olympics Asia Pacific Badminton Competition at Malaysia.Young Shooting Talent Gathers in New Delhi for ISSF Junior World Cup. Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports brings out Selection Criteria for participation of Individuals and teams in Asian Games 2026 and other multi-sports events. BOLLYWOOD RALLIES BEHIND INDIAN TEAM AHEAD OF ICC WOMEN’S CRICKET WORLD CUP INDIA 2025: The real support will come when we cheer for our women’s team as much as we cheer for the men’s team: Akshay Kumar. Jersey same toh, Jazbaa bhi same: Kajol. श्याम लाल कॉलेज ने जीता बिट्स पिलानी हॉकी टूर्नामेंट का खिताब। Pramod Bhagat Wins Gold and Silver, Sukant Kadam Clinches Two Silvers, Krishna Nagar Shines with Silver at China Para Badminton International 2025. Cricketers, Coaches, Administrators and Supporters Honoured with “Divyam Cricket Awards: Physical Disability Annual Awards 2025” at Jaipur. Hockey India announces Indian Junior Women’s Squad for Australia Tour. Brilliant Bhullar Wins IGPL Delhi NCR Title; Makes it ‘Two in Two’. Hockey India announces Indian Junior Women’s Squad for Australia Tour. Tvesa leads Indian challenge with T-17 finish on Day 1 at La Sella Open. India Unveils Striking Medals for IndianOil New Delhi 2025 World Para Athletics Championships Ahead of Historic Event.

Ethiopians Jemal Mekonen and Defending Champion Alemaddis Eyayu headline at the Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon

Share us on
1,005 Views

Eight elite men with Sub-60 set to electrify Delhi

Alemaddis Eyayu of Ethiopia. 

Rakesh Thapliyal

New Delhi: Defending champion Alemaddis Eyayu, along with her Ethiopian teammate Jemal Mekonen, will headline the 20th edition of the Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon, a World Athletics Gold Label Road Race, scheduled to flag off on Sunday, 12th October 2025.

Jemal Mekonen, a key member of Ethiopia’s victorious team at the 2017 World Cross Country Championships in Kampala, will headline the men’s elite line-up at the Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon. Making his debut on Indian soil, the soon-to-be 29-year-old brings extensive international experience, including multiple sub-60-minute finishes and a personal best of 58:33.

Twice a fourth-place finisher at the World Half Marathon Championships in 2018 and 2023, Jemal Mekonen is also the 2018 African 10,000m champion and the reigning Seoul Marathon 2024 winner.

Voicing his excitement for the upcoming race in October, Jemal Mekonen said, “It is my first visit to India. I have heard a lot about the Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon, which my fellow runners often describe as fast and fabulous.”

In the men’s category, leading the charge from Kenya will be Benard Biwott, fresh from his Paris Marathon victory earlier this year. He will be joined by Paris Olympic 5000m silver medallist Ronald Kwemoi, making his half-marathon debut in Delhi, and their countryman Isaac Kipkemboi, who is poised to mount a strong challenge for a podium finish.

Birhanu Legese.

Among Ethiopia’s other notable entries is Birhanu Legese, who boasts a marathon personal best of 2:02:48 and back-to-back Tokyo Marathon titles in 2019 and 2020. A familiar name to Indian fans, Legese has previously secured podium finishes in Bengaluru, Kolkata, and Delhi. Strengthening Ethiopia’s challenge further are Bayelign Teshager and Melesse Birhan, both eager to make their mark in Delhi.

The elite men’s field boasts as many as eight sub-60-minute runners, promising a thrilling contest at the 20th edition of the Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon.

Lilian Kassait Rengeruk (Kenya).

In the women’s category, defending champion Alemaddis Eyayu will face strong competition from Kenya’s Lilian Rengeruk, a multiple world cross-country medallist who finished fifth in the 10,000m at the Paris Olympic Games. Rengeruk is among the top women runners with personal bests faster than the Delhi course record of 1:04:46.

“I’m very excited and looking forward to being back in Delhi for the 20th edition of the Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon 2025. Although it will by no means be an easy race, I look forward to pushing myself and defending my title,” Alemaddis Eyayu said.

Former half-marathon world record holder and Gold Label athlete Ethiopia’s Ababel Yeshanesh, the second-fastest in the women’s field with a personal best of 64:31, will be a key contender, along with Kenyan Catherine Amangole, the 2023 World Half Marathon bronze medallist.

With a total prize purse of USD 260,000, the Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon will witness some of the world’s finest athletes competing for top honours. Offering equal rewards for men and women, the champions in both categories will take home USD 27,000, while the second and third-place finishers will earn USD 20,000 and USD 13,000, respectively. Additionally, an event record bonus of USD 12,000 awaits any athlete who sets a new benchmark.

Vivek Singh

“It looks as if yesterday, but we already turned 20”, Vivek Singh, the Joint Managing Director of Procam International, referring to the twentieth edition of the top half-marathon race in the country.   “We wish to thank all our sponsors, past and present, and the supporters who made this possible, as well as the athletes who were taking part here for raising their achievement graph constantly upwards, as always”, he added further

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.