Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon gears to welcome World & Olympic champion Joshua Cheptegei to lead the elite field
Registrations for the World’s most prestigious Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon (VDHM) are in full swing. The World Athletics Gold Label Road Race, with a prize money of USD 260,000, will be flagged off from Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on Sunday, October 20. Top athletes from around the globe will join India’s finest and amateur runners will vie for glory in the AaRangDeDilli spirit.
Ugandan sensation Joshua Cheptegei and Kenya’s former Half-Marathon World record holder Peres Jepchirchir are all set to light up the streets of Delhi!
Joshua is the current world record holder for both the 5000 meters and 10,000 meters and holds the world’s best time over the 15-kilometer distance. He is the reigning Olympic champion in the 10,000 meters and won the gold with a new Olympic record of 26:43.14. Joshua is also a three-time World champion in the 10,000 meters and claimed gold in both the 5000 meters and 10,000 meters at the 2018 Commonwealth Games and the 2019 IAAF World Cross Country Championships.
Joshua said, “This country holds a special place in my heart, as it’s where I made my international debut in 2014. It’s been a good season for me, and I am certainly looking at a course-record timing at the Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon. Kenya’s former Half-Marathon World record holder and three-time world half-marathon winner Peres Jepchirchir will lead the women’s contingent. Peres won the London Marathon 2024 with a time of 2:16:16 secs, breaking the women’s only Marathon world record. She also won the 2021 New York City and 2022 Boston Marathons.
Priya Agarwal Hebbar, Chairperson, Hindustan Zinc & Non-Executive Director, Vedanta Limited, said, “The Vedanta family is absolutely delighted to welcome the incredible Olympic and World Champion Joshua Cheptegei to the Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon 2024. With his remarkable achievements and unstoppable spirit, we are certain that Joshua’s presence will spark a wave of inspiration, encouraging even more people to hit the track and run for a cause closest to our hearts – Run for Zero Hunger. Together, we can race towards a healthier, malnutrition-free India!”
Naarayan TV, CMO, IDFC FIRST Bank, Said, “IDFC FIRST Bank is thrilled to be the Associate Sponsor of the Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon for the third consecutive year. This association reflects the bank’s commitment to promoting physical & financial well-being. We continue with our marathon theme of #JourneyToTheStart, motivating people to take their first step towards a better life.
Defending Champions Abhishek Pal & Kavita Yadav will lead the Indian challenge Among the other notable participants, PUMA athlete and Asian Championship Bronze Medallist Sanjivani Jadhav stands out in the women’s category. Sanjivani, who won the 10,000 meters Portland Track Festival in the USA with a personal best of 32:22:77, recently claimed a silver medal at the 5000 meters event at the National Open Athletics Championships in Bangalore. She has previously won gold at the Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon in 2018 and 2022 and took silver in 2016 and 2020. Defending champion Kavita Yadav will provide Sanjivani with tough competition in pursuing the title.
“This will be my third Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon, and my aim will be to win this race once again. I have been training hard and I will try my best to break and create as many records as I can,” said Sanjivani Jadhav.
