Kolkata: One of India’s biggest running
festivals and the World Athletics Elite Label Road Race, the Tata Steel Kolkata
25K, will be headlined by 10K world record-holder Ethiopian Yalemzerf Yehualaw
in the women’s category and two-time world championship silver medallist Kenyan
Daniel Simiyu Ebenyo in the men’s category.
#AamarKolkataAamarRun
will witness some of the world’s best athletes take
centre stage at the US $100,000 prize money race. With equal prize money for
the men and women winners, the first three in each race stand to win $7500,
$5000 and $3500. The International Elite runners will be further incentivised
by an Event Record Bonus of US $3,000.
The current event record, in the Men’s category, stands in the name
of Kenya’s Leonard Barsoton with a timing of 1:12:49 and the Women’s record in
the name of Bahrain’s Desi Jisa with a timing of 1:21:04.
Making her debut at the 25K here, 10K world record-holder (29:14 in
2022) Yehualaw is the leading lady to watch among the women runners. She also
sits second on the world all-time list at the half marathon with a time of
1:03:51 set in 2021.
Yehualaw broke the world 10km record in the Castellón 10K, clocking
29:14 at the World Athletics Label Road race held in the Spanish coastal city,
last year. In doing so, the world half marathon bronze medallist improved the
ratified record of 29:43 by Joyciline Jepkosgei and the yet-to-be- ratified
mark of 29:38 set by Bahrain’s Kalkidan Gezahegne. She also became the first
woman in history to dip under the 29:30 and 29:20 barriers on the roads.
Yehualaw took her first victory in a World Marathon Major at the
2022 London Marathon, becoming the youngest-ever female winner of the event.
“I’m happy to run in India once again. My experiences so far have been amazing,
and I hope to add another great experience in Kolkata at TSK 25K. I am coming
to Kolkata to run fast and I look forward towards the race on December 17th”
said Yehualaw about her
participation in TSK 25K.
Her teammate Anchinalu Dessie and Kenya's Betty Chepkemoi Kibet are
the main challengers for Yehualaw. Just 20 years old, Dessie set a half
marathon PB of 1:07:30 in Milan this year, while Kibet has a half marathon best
of 1:06:37, set in the 2021 Roma-Ostia event. In addition, Ethiopia’s Emebet
Niguse, winner of the Drammen Half Marathon 2023 edition, together with
Uganda's Mercyline Chelangat, the third placer in Kolkata last year, are
expected to provide stout competition in the women’s race.
Kenya’s Daniel Simiyu Ebenyo won two world championship silver
medals this year, firstly at 10,000m in Budapest last August, and then at a
half marathon in Riga at the inaugural World Road Running Championships, before
easily winning the Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon in October. His Kolkata
appearance will be his debut at the 25K distance.
His compatriots Roncer Kipkorir Konga and Bernard Biwott, with
sub-60-minute half marathon bests, are expected to push Ebenyo for the top
podium position. Roncer finished seventh in the Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon
after improving his PB to 59:08 while taking the title in Buenos Aires in
August, while Biwott posted an early world lead of 59:44 in January when
winning in Santa Pola, Spain.
The stacked men’s field also features, Eritrean marathon national record-holder and multiple- distance running specialist Hiske Tewelde, who will be the dark horse.
Speaking about the immensely competitive international athlete
line-up in the elite category Vivek
Singh, Joint MD, Procam International, said: “We are very happy that each
year we have grown as an elite race and the line-up speaks for itself. We have
some of the best distant runners in the world participating in the TSK 25K,
making it one of the most sought-after races at this distance. The presence of
seasoned winners like Daniel Ebenyo and Yalemzerf Yehualaw will not only raise
the bar for the race but also give our Indian distance runners much-needed
exposure to some of the world’s best distance athletes.”
With such a star-studded line-up this edition of the running
festival is looking at yet more records being set on the banks of the Hooghly
when the thousands of runners will tackle the 25K distance on December 17,
2023.
Elite Field
for the Tata Steel Kolkata 25K 2023 Men
Daniel Ebenyo (Kenya)
Eric Kiptanui
(Kenya) Roncer Konga (Kenya) Bernard Biwott (Kenya) Abe Gashahun (Ethiopia)
Victor Kipruto
Togom (Kenya) Hiskel Tewelde (Eritrea) Afewerki Berhane (Eritrea) Jackson
Kipleting (Kenya) Mulugeta Debasu (Ethiopia) Victor Chumo (Kenya) (Pacer) Women
Yalemzerf
Yehualaw (Ethiopia) Anchinalu Dessie (Ethiopia) Betty Chepkemoi Kibet (Kenya)
Sutume Asefa Kebede (Ethiopia) Mercyline Chelangat (Uganda) Tsige Haileslase
(Ethiopia) Aberash Minsewo (Ethiopia) Emebet Niguse (Ethiopia)
Nelly
Jeptoo (Kenya)
Luuk Maas (Netherlands) (Pacer)
No comments:
Post a Comment