New Delhi, Oct 12 (IANS): The, International Event Ambassador of the Delhi Half Marathon 2023, Ashton Eaton expressed that he is very excited to be a part of the World Athletics Gold Label Road Race, slated to be held on Sunday.

Speaking during a press meet here, Eaton said, "I'm excited to be here. I recently ran a half marathon and I just loved running with people from all walks of life."

The two-time Olympic Champion further added that events like the Delhi Half Marathon can help athletes prepare for mega quadrennial events such as the Asian Games.

"These kinds of events are the absolute catalysts for finding talent and I think inspiring generations. And sometimes you don't even see the benefit of these mass participative events until one has gone on to perform well. Just wait until you hear a young kid say that he or she is successful because of the Delhi Half Marathon. So, these types of events have a lot of benefits," said Eaton.

The only one to have exceeded 9,000 points twice in a decathlon event also said that he has always wanted to travel to India, "I love experiencing the world and learning about different cultures, and India has been a place I've always wanted to visit for an extremely long time. It's been such a bastion on our planet and has a rich culture. I have already experienced the food, the traffic and the culture. Hopefully, I can see a lot more."

The Delhi Half Marathon will be flagged off from the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on October 15.