Delhi Half Marathon 2022: Avinash Sable wins tight Indian elite race to defend crown

Avinash Sable eked out a narrow win in the Indian elite race at the Delhi Half Marathon 2022 on Sunday after edging out Kartik Kumar by a margin of 0.04 seconds.

The 28-year-old Avinash Sable, who created history at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham by winning the silver medal in men’s 3000m steeplechase, and Kartik Kumar both clocked 1:04:00 seconds in what was a photo-finish in the Indian capital.

Avinash Sable was eventually declared the winner by the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) technical officials after reviewing the footage.

“It was overall a good race. We got off to a good start and stayed with the Elite group for the first 7-8 kilometres. Their pace wasn’t that fast and my plan was to stay together with Kartik, who maintained his pace with me through,” Avinash Sable said after the race.

Avinash Sable also won the last edition of the Delhi Half Marathon, held in 2020 with a national record timing of 1:00:30.

Srinu Bugatha clinched the bronze with a 1:05:25 run, beating out Man Singh (1:05:43) to the podium.

In the Indian women’s elite race, Sanjivani Jadhav bagged the crown with a timing of 1:17:53. Monika Athare, with 1:18:39, bagged the silver medal while Priti Lamba finished the course in 1:19:06 to take the bronze medal.

It was Jadhav’s first gold medal at the Delhi Half Marathon, having clinched the silver back in 2020.

Unlike the men’s race, Sanjivani Jadhav led the pack for the majority of the race and crossed the finish line unchallenged. “Soon after the first 2-3 kms, I went ahead and had to pace my own race. If I had a pacer I could have gone faster but I am still happy to finish first,” Sanjivani said.

Ethiopia’s Chala Regasa and Kenya’s Irine Cheptai, meanwhile, won the international men’s and women’s elite races, respectively.

Regasa won his race with a time of 1:00:30 while Cheptai clocked a personal best of 1:06:42.

Regasa, 25, came out on top of a thrilling three-man battle over the final kilometer in the Indian capital, sprinting away from Kenya’s Felix Kipkoech and fellow Ethiopian Boki Diriba with 400 meters to go.

Kipkeoch finished second in 1:00:33 while debutant Diriba, the 18-year-old Ethiopian U20 5000m champion, was third in 1:00:34. The leading trio passed the 20km mark in 57:31 and battled it out to the finish line at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.

“The final two kilometres were tough, but I knew I had the speed to come out in front as I have a good background at shorter distances on the track,” said Regasa.

The international women’s race was a one-woman show from just after halfway. Cheptai made a decisive move just after 12 kilometers and was never challenged before reducing her personal best by one second. Cheptai, who finished in fourth place the last time, beat Ethiopia’s 2022 World Athletics Championships 5000m bronze medallist Dawit Seyaum by almost a minute.

Stella Chesang set a Ugandan record of 1:08:11 to complete the podium.

Delhi Half Marathon 2022 results

International men’s elite race

1. Chala Regasa (ETH) - 1:00:30

2. Felix Kipkoech (KEN) - 1:00:33

3. Boki Diriba (ETH) - 1:00:34

4. Joshua Belet (KEN) - 1:00:43

5. Gemechu Dida (ETH) - 1:00:51

6. Moses Koech (KEN) - 1:00:56

7. Michel Kamau (KEN) - 1:01:02

8. Muktar Edris (ETH) - 1:01:05

9. Bayelign Teshager (ETH) - 1:01:18

10. Solomon Berihu (ETH) - 1:01:54

International women’s elite race

1. Irine Cheptai (KEN) - 1:06:42

2. Dawit Seyaum (ETH) - 1:08:02

3. Stella Chesang (UGA) - 1:08:11

4. Aminet Ahmed (ETH) - 1:08:34

5. Lemlem Hailu (ETH) - 1:08:50

6: Meseret Gebre (ETH) - 1:09:13

7. Fantaye Belanyeh (ETH) - 1:09:14

8. Anchinalu Dessie (ETH) - 1:09:53

9. Faith Chepkoech (KEN) - 1:10:34

10. Daniel Rediet (ETH) - 1:11:48

Indian men’s elite race

1. Avinash Sable - 1:04:00

2. Kartik Kumar - 1:04:00

3. Srinu Bugatha 1:05:25

Indian women’s elite race

1. Sanjivani Jadhav - 1:17:53

2. Monika Athare - 1:18:39

3. Priti Lamba - 1:19:06