New Delhi, Sep 26 (IANS): The Delhi Half Marathon, World Athletics Gold Label Road Race, with prize money of USD 2,60,000, will be flagged off from Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on October 20. Top athletes from around the globe will join India’s finest and amateur runners will vie for glory in the #AaRangDeDilli spirit. Ugandan sensation Joshua Cheptegei and Kenya’s former Half-Marathon World record-holder Peres Jepchirchir are all set to light up the streets of Delhi.

Joshua is the current world record holder for both the 5000-meter and 10,000-meter and holds the world's best time over the 15-kilometer distance. He is the reigning Olympic champion in the 10,000 meters and won the gold with a new Olympic record of 26:43.14.

Joshua is also a three-time World champion in the 10,000 meters and claimed gold in both the 5000 meters and 10,000 meters at the 2018 Commonwealth Games and the 2019 IAAF World Cross Country Championships. Notably, Cheptegei is only the tenth man in history to simultaneously hold the 5000-meter and 10,000-meter world records, both of which he set in 2020.

Interestingly, Cheptegei made his international debut in India at the TCS World 10K Bengaluru 2014, finishing second. His return to India for the Delhi Half Marathon promises to be a highlight of this year’s race.

Speaking about his return to India Joshua said, “This country holds a special place in my heart, as it’s where I made my international debut in 2014. It’s been a good season for me, and I am certainly looking at a course-record timing at the Delhi Half Marathon. The energy and passion of the Indian running community are truly inspiring, and I’m excited to be part of this prestigious event.”

Kenya’s former Half-Marathon World record holder and three-time world half-marathon winner Peres Jepchirchir will lead the women's contingent. Peres won the London Marathon 2024 with a time of 2:16:16 secs, breaking the women’s only Marathon world record. She also won the 2021 New York City and 2022 Boston Marathons.

Defending Champions Abhishek Pal and Kavita Yadav will lead the Indian challenge.

Among the other notable participants, Asian Championship bronze medallist Sanjivani Jadhav stands out in the women’s category. Sanjivani, who won the 10,000-meter Portland Track Festival in the USA with a personal best of 32:22:77, recently claimed a silver medal at the 5000-meter event at the National Open Athletics Championships in Bangalore.

She has previously won gold at the Delhi Half Marathon in 2018 and 2022 and took silver in 2016 and 2020. Defending champion Kavita Yadav will provide Sanjivani with tough competition in pursuing the title. “This will be my third Delhi Half Marathon, and my aim will be to win this race once again. I have been training hard and I will try my best to break and create as many records as I can,” said Sanjivani Jadhav.

In the men’s category, defending champion and talented youngster Abhishek Pal, who recently won the 10,000-meter title in the National Open Athletics Championships 2024 in Bangalore, will take the lead. He will face tough competition from another youngster and Asian Games 2023 silver medallist in the 10,000 meters, Kartik Kumar. He recently triumphed at the 10,000 meter USA Championship Track Fest 2024 with a remarkable time of 28:07:66. Kartik is also the DHM 2022 and 2023 editions silver medallist.

“I am aiming to break the national record in what will be my fifth Delhi Half Marathon. I have won the competition, but while I am once again, my mind is set on breaking the national record and going under 60 minutes,” said the defending champion Abhishek Pal.