Francis Kibiwott victorious at the New Delhi Half Marathon (© Rahul Pawar)
Asim Ghosh, Managing Director of Hutchison Essar, the main sponsor of the race looked at the Hutch Delhi Half-Marathon as a project to involve community development than a sporting event. The USD 150,000 prize money event saw its second running on Sunday (15).
Kenyan Francis Kibiwott, a pre-race favourite with a time of 60:29, played with his compatriots on the streets of Indian capital. Cuthbert Nyasango of Zimbabwe, 15th in the recently concluded World Road Running Championships at Debrecen, Hungary, briefly lead the race along with Martin Sulle of Tanzania, 2nd at the fabulous Stramilano race in Milan this year.
At the finishline Kibiwott, 29, had prevailed with a course record of 61:36. Kibiwott, based in the Netherlands, has a rich experience from the European road running circuit. Nyasango came second at 62:30 while John J. Korir of Kenya took third place in 63:16. Sulle was seventh with a time of 63:43.
Philip Rugut of Kenya and Irina Timofeyeva of Russia, the winners of the inaugural edition in 2005 with the timings of 61:55 and 70:35 respectively, finished fourth in this year’s races. They clocked 63:33 and 72:11 today.
Lineth Chepkirui upstaged teammate Dire Tune, 4th at this year’s IAAF world Road Running Championships and Ethiopian Erkesso Teyiba, short course bronze medalist at the world Cross Country Championships of 2004, to win the women’s race in 70:40.
Teyiba, with a personal best of 70:00, eventually finished second at Delhi clocking 71:22 while Tune was third, 13 seconds later.
Mr. Suresh Kalmadi, IAAF Council Member and President of Asian Athletics Association flagged off the races while Mrs. Sheila Dixit, Chief Minister of Delhi, gave away the prizes to the winners.
Ram. Murali Krishnan for the IAAF
Top results:
Men:
1. Francis Kibiwott (KEN) 61:36
2. Cuthbert Nyasango (ZIM) 62:30
3. John J. Korir (KEN) 63:16
4. Philip Rugut (KEN) 63:33
5. Tariku Jifar (ETH) 63:38
6. Evans Cheuiyot (KEN) 63:40
7. Martin Sulle (TAN) 63:43
8. Nicolas Monza (KEN) 63:49
9. Boniface Mbuvi (KEN) 63:52
10. Sammy Kiplimo (KEN) 63:53
Women:
1. Lineth Chepkirui (KEN) 70:40
2. Erkesso Teyiba (ETH) 71:22
3. Dire Tune (KEN) 71:35
4. Irina Timofeyeva (RUS) 72:11
5. Natalia Berkut (UKR) 72:25
6. Caroline Cheptanui (KEN) 73:39
7. Mergia Aselefech (ETH) 74:13
8. Helen Cherono (KEN) 74:42
9. Merima Denboba (Eth) 75:39
10. Emily Samoei (KEN) 75:53
