Dieudonne Disi wins in Delhi in 2007 (© AFP / Getty Images)
The strongest ever field has been assembled for the Airtel Delhi Half Marathon to be held in the capital city on Sunday (9).
"On Sunday everything will be possible for everybody," says defending men's champion Dieudonne Disi, accepting the fact that there were too many classy runners in the fray for anyone to be named a favourite.
The race has a prize fund of US$210,000, and is an IAAF Gold Label Road Race, and more than 20,000 participants including 14,000 in the Great Delhi Run (7km) are expected to line up at the start at Vinay Marg.
"Apart from the prize money which of course is an attraction, they come to run good times," said Ian Ladbrooke, the race’s international athletes’ manager, at a meet-the-Press session on Thursday (6) about the good field.
On a flat course, with the weather turning chillier in the mornings, there should be some good timings, everyone agrees. The point is who could be taking home the top prize of 25,000 dollars each in the men and women's sections.
MEN
Disi stepped up the tempo in the middle stage of the race last year to canter home in 60:43. "There is a batch of athletes from Ethiopia and they are going to be tough to beat," says Disi about the challenge this time. But the 30-year-old from Rwanda, who finished sixth in the World Road Running Championships in Rio last month, is confident all the same. "I have beaten everybody in this field," he says.
Disi is just one of seven male runners in the international line-up who have a sub-60 personal best. The others are, Dickson Marwa of Tanzania who was third last year and who has a PB of 59:52, Ethiopians Deriba Merga (PB 59:16; fourth in the 2007 World Road Running Championships over the half marathon distance, and who was fourth in the Olympic marathon in Beijing this summer) and Tilahun Regassa (PB 59:36, winning time in Lille in Sept) and Kenyans Joseph Maregu (PB 59:45, ninth in Rio, sixth in Rotterdam in Sept), Wilson Chebet (PB 59:33, third in Rotterdam) and Robert Kipchumba (PB 59:28, second in Rotterdam; 2006 World Road Running silver medallist over 20km).
Kenyan Matthew Koech, sixth here last year, who is a 60:57 half marathoner, should also be among the front-runners.
Not among the front-runners by his own admission and yet attracting some attention on Thursday was South African Piet Jacobs. The man, back from a climbing accident 13 months ago that left him with a broken shoulder, a few bones fractured and his back bruised badly, is on road to recovery. "I am not in my best shape and will be happy if I make the top15-20," said Jacobs.
WOMEN
Women's defending champion Derebe Alemu of Ethiopia could not return because of an Achilles tendon injury. The field is formidable, however, with Ethiopian Mergia Aselefech, second in World Championships in Rio with a personal best 69:57, heading the list.
Aselefech, seventh here in 2006, can expect a clutch of Kenyans to keep her company for the better part of the race. Magdalene Mukunzi of Kenya, who finished second to Gete Wami in the Great North Run last month, should be one of the contenders.
"I will try my best. Anybody can win; maybe I win," said the 25-year-old Mukunzi.
Sally Barsosio, the 1997 World Champion in the 10,000 metres, is on a comeback after a break. The 30-year-old Kenyan, mother of two (she has adopted a third) who had a 72:58 finish for the seventh place here in 2005, said:" I am happy to be back. I have been back in training for nine months. I have been training hard; I hope to do well on Sunday." Barsosio, who had a second-place finish in Nairobi in a 10k event, is looking for a future in marathon. This will be her first major race this season.
Among the women who could be in the leading bunch would be another Kenyan Peninah Arusei. Winner in Berlin in a 68:22 that puts her at No. 3 in the season's list, Arusei had finished fifth (70:12) in Rio.
Local challengers in both men’s and women’s races
The Indians will be running for a separate category of prizes. Defending Indian champions Ram Singh Yadav and Kavita Raut are back. They have their task cut out, for, two strong Olympians, both better known for their track achievements, will be challenging them.
Surendra Kumar Singh, the Indian record holder in the 10,000 metres, is the man to beat. Preeja Sreedharan, the women's 10,000m record holder, should dominate just as she did in the Chennai half marathon last August.
There will be a senior citizens' run (4.3km) and a wheelchair event (3.5km) apart from the half marathon and the Great Delhi Run.
Jackie Joyner-Kersee – an 'event ambassador'
"Athletics is important, for, it helps in so many ways in building character, discipline and in achieving excellence," said Jackie Joyner-Kersee, one of the all-time great athletes, and the 'event ambassador' on Thursday. Joyner-Kersee is here to promote the event. Former New Zealand cricketer Richard Hadlee is the other 'event ambassador'.
By an IAAF Correspondent
