[ad_1]
New Delhi [India], Nov 29 (ANI): Ethiopia’s Yalemzerf Yehualaw produced an impressive run over in the 2020 Airtel Delhi Half Marathon, a World Athletics gold tag road race, to record the second fastest women’s time in the distance when she crossed the line in the Indian Capital at 64:46.
The 21-year-old, who had to settle for third place at the World Championships in Athletics Half Marathon last month when she slid some 80 meters from the line, recovered with poise to take the first prize of USD 27,000 and USD 10,000 additional as an event. record bonus.
In the men’s race, the event’s record, with a turnaround from previous years, also fell as Amdework Walelegn edged out fellow Ethiopian and two-time defending champion Andamlak Belihu to win in 58:53, the latter returning home. at 58: 54.
Kenyan male pacemaker Alex Kibarus set a dizzying pace in the women’s race and several of the elite were quickly abandoned. Six women, three Kenyans: Irene Cheptai, 2019 world marathon champion Ruth Chepngetich and world marathon record holder Brigid Kosgei; and three Ethiopians – two-time defending champion and event record holder Teshay Gemechu, world record holder Ababel Yeshaneh and Yalemzerf Yehualaw – followed Kibarus for 5km in 15:27.
World marathon record holder and recent London Marathon winner Kosgei was forced to drop out in the middle of the eighth kilometer, holding her leg as she limped to the side of the road. A kilometer later, Gemechu also began to suffer and lost contact with the leaders, although she held on to finish fifth.
Yehualaw won in 64:46, but Chepngetich also ran the race of his life to finish with his personal best of 65:06 and climb to sixth place on the all-time world list.
“My training since the world championship told me that maybe I could break the course record while running 65:19 there, but this was more than I expected, and I was hoping to win here after losing by a second a year ago,”, Yehualaw said in an official statement.
In the men’s race, three pacemakers took the field for 3 km in 8:22 and then 5 km in 13:57, well below 59 minutes, with Belihu always at the forefront. The main pacemaker, Abel Sikowo from Uganda, kept moving forward and passed 8km 22:17 and then 10km in 27:50, with eight men still directly behind Sikowo, who was doing an admirable job of keeping the pace high and low. 59 times definitely in sight.
Just after 12km, Sikowo retired and Belihu, along with Leonard Barsoton from Kenya, dictated things up front for the next two kilometers, although, as he later admitted, this decision could have cost the defending champion dearly in the latter. stages of the competition. race.
Avinash Sable, holder of India’s national 3,000 meter steeplechase record, also broke the event record. The Olympics-bound athlete raced to first place in India’s elite men’s category in 1:00:30, beating the previous national record of 1: 03.46 held by Kalidas Nirave. In addition to the cash prize of Rs 3.5 lakh, Avinash will also receive a record event bonus of Rs 1 lakh.
“It’s great to break the national record. I haven’t competed in any tournaments for a year and I’ve only been practicing, so I wanted to compete in an event. ADHM has certainly helped me prepare for the Olympics next year. The race, I wanted to. breaking the national record and staying as close as possible to the international riders during the race. I’m happy I was able to do it, “Sable said.
Around 13,500 people from around the world participated in ADHM 2020, in three categories: Half Marathon (21,097 km), Open 10K (10 km) and Great Delhi Run (5 km), from their respective locations.
As elite runners raced from the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, thousands of people from around the world joined them through the exclusive ADHM mobile app. (AND ME)
