Who is Almaz Ayana? World champion athlete to come to Delhi half marathon
Ethiopia’s Almaz Ayana, the 2016 Rio Olympics 10,000m gold medalist, is set to lead the lineup of elite athletes in…
The 13th edition of the Airtel Delhi Half Marathon will be bigger and better as 2017 world champions Geoffrey Kirui and Almaz Ayana have signed up to participate in the IAAF Gold Label Road Race.
“Bringing two global champions from London to this race shows our commitment to having the very best runners in the world compete at the Airtel Delhi Half Marathon,” Vivek Singh, the organiser and promoter of the race, said.
“This IAAF Gold Label event is deservedly one of the world’s most prestigious half marathon and with the appearance of Geoffrey and Almaz this year, it adds further lustre to its reputation. It is renowned among the world’s top distance runners for its fast course and comprehensive field,” Vivek added.
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Kirui won the men’s marathon at the IAAF World Championships in London this summer. The Kenyan runner is familiar with the Delhi circuit as he finished sixth in a high-quality race two years ago here. He set his current personal best timing of 59:38.
Ayana, the reigning world 10,000 m champions, will be setting her foot on Indian soil for the first time. It will also be her debut in the half marathon category.
The 25-year-old Ethiopian broke the 10,000 m world record when she won the gold medal over 25 laps of the track in the 2016 Rio Olympics.
All the runners will vie for the first prize cheque of USD 27,000. The total prize money purse (combined men and women) is USD 275,000 this year.
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