World Athletics Elite Label Road Race, the Tata Steel Kolkata 25K, today created history yet again with Kenya’s Daniel Simiu Ebenyo and Ethiopian Sutume Asefa Kebede smashing the event records in the men’s and women’s categories as they set up a blistering pace to finish with a timing of 1.11:13 and 1.18:47 respectively.
Incidentally, the winning timings turned out to be the “World Bests” for a stand-alone 25K race!
Although the 25K is not a listed distance for the official world records at present, the earlier world bests for the stand-alone 25K race were 1:11:18 by Dennis Kimetto (2012) and 1:19:53 by Mary Jepkosgei Keitany (2010), both from Kenya.
The event record of Tata Steel Kolkata 25K in the Men’s category stood in the name of Kenya’s Leonard Barsoton with a timing of 1:12:49 while the Women’s record was in the name of Bahrain’s Desi Jisa with a timing of 1:21:04.
With today’s win, Ebenyo and Kebede took home a winner’s cheque of $7500 plus a bonus of USD 3000 each in the US $100,000 prize money race.
Finishing behind Ebenyo, Victor Kipruto Togom (Kenya) in the second spot also bettered the previous event record with 1:12:26 followed by Ethopia’s Tesfaye Demeke (1:13:36) in the third spot.
It was a nail-biting race between the two men’s International runners Ebenyo and Togom.
The two set the pace from the word go and together went neck-to-neck.
Ebenyo, who earlier this year secured two significant silver medals from Budapest Worlds (10,000m) and the World Half-Marathon championships in Riga, led the field on most occasions clocking 43:01 after crossing 15K.
Although Togom tried to overtake him during that stage, Ebenyo did not allow it to happen and increased his pace after 19K (59:12) and broke away from Togom to run a solo race thereafter.
For information, Ebenyo’s country-mate, the legendary Eliud Kipchoge, was officially timed 1:11:08 at 25K en route to his victory in the Berlin Marathon last year where he set a world record for marathon (2:01:09).
Speaking after the win, an emotional Ebenyo said, “With God’s grace I was able to do something special here to break the event record. I thank the authorities for inviting me here. I dedicate this win to my girlfriend, whose support and encouragement helped me reach where I am today.”
Kebede pushed Yehualaw to the second spot in the women’s race
Ethiopian Yalemzerf Yehualaw (24), the half-marathon world championships bronze medalist in 2020, made her debut at 25K in Kolkata and was tipped off to win here as a pre-race prediction.
However, her teammate Sutume Asefa Kebede had other plans in her mind. Kebede, who turned 29 recently, did not have any significant victories on the global stage like Yehualaw. Kebede etched her name as a victor in the Big-25 at Berlin eight years ago clocking 1:21:55, a time regarded as one of the best at that time.
Running only on her second race at this distance, Kebede remained in the lead together with her compatriot until the waning stages of the race and applied pressure at the last kilometre to win in 1:18:47. Yehualaw (1:19:26) and Kenya’s Betty Chepkemoi Kibet (1:21:43) finished behind her.
It was the fourth fastest time by women runners at this distance although the three women who achieved better timings before her did it en route to a marathon.
Thrilled after smashing the event record, Kebede said, “I wanted to run faster, but in the end, I am happy with my timing. It is a good course with good weather conditions which made it easier for me.”
Sawan & Reshma impress to grab Indian honours
While an equal prize money for the Indian Elite men and women winners saw the first three in each race taking home INR 2,75,000, 2,00,000 and INR 1,50,000/- respectively.
Sawan pushed Gaurav Mathur (1:20:33) to the second position followed by MD Aseem (1:42:08) in the third spot.
Speaking after a thrilling win, Sawan, who won the bronze medal at the Asian Half Marathon Championship 2023, said, “The weather was good, flat and cool so it was fantastic to race. I am happy with the timing and finish at the podium. Now my target will be to do well at the Mumbai Marathon in 2024.”
Reshma, who recently finished 19th with a timing of 34:38 at the TCS World 10K Bengaluru 2023, was thrilled to finish at the podium.
“It was good to run alongside the Indian men and pick up good pace. The weather was good but the competition was tough. Overall I am happy with my show,” Reshma said.
A total of 17,557 runners built the heat across the verdant greens of Kolkata maidan as they stood shoulder to shoulder, toe-to-toe in one of India’s biggest running spectacle on a chilly December morning today.
Following are the provisional results:
Overall International Men:
Daniel Ebenyo (Kenya) 1:11:13 (NEW EVENT RECORD);; Victor Kipruto Togom (Kenya) 1:12:26; Tesfaye Demeke (Ethiopia) 1:13:36; Haymanot Alew (Ethiopia) 1:13:44; ABE Gashahun (Ethiopia) 1:13:51; Bennard Biwott (Kenya) 1:13:57; Jackson Kipleting (Kenya) 1:15:44; Sawan Barwal (India) 1:17:49; Gaurav Mathur (India) 1:20:33; Genetu Molalign (Ethiopia) 1:31:39.
Overall International Women:
Sutume Asefa Kebede (Ethiopia) 1:18:47 (NEW EVENT RECORD); Yalemzerf Yehualaw (Ethiopia) 1:19:26; Betty Chepkemoi Kibet (Kenya) 1:21:43; Emebet Niguse (Ethiopia) 1:22:43; Nelly Jeptoo (Kenya) 1:23:00; Anchinalu Dessie (Ethiopia) 1:23:18; Mecyline Chelangat (Uganda) 1:25:37; Tsige Haileslase (Ethiopia) 1:28:37; Reshma Kevate (India) 1:30:38; Seema (India) 1:32:07.
Indian Men:
Sawan Barwal 1:17:49; Gaurav Mathur 1:20:33; M D Aseem 1:42:08.
Indian Women:
Reshma Kevate 1:30:38; Seema 1:32:07; Nirmaben Thakor Bharatjee 1:32:40; Tamsi Singh 1:35:33; Sanghamitra Mahata 1:35:54; Shyamali Singh 1:38:27; Phoolan Pal 1:40:09; Ekta Rawat 1:47:49.
Vijay Diwas Trophy
Indian Army 6 (Nisam A K, Jarpula Balu, Hemnant Singh)n 04:37:26; Indian Army 1 (Nazeem P, Savesh Kumar, Hemant Kumar) 04:39:49; Indian Army 2 (Dushyant, Dinesh Kumar, Deepak Kumar Thakur) 04:40:47.
Police Cup
Police Cup Men Team 126 (Manas Das, Joydev Dey, Hrishikesh Chakraborty) 1:43:22; Police Cup Men Team 34 (MD Wazed Ali, Rabindranath Maity, Amaresh Biswas) 2:04:56; Police Cup Men Team 102 (Bhim Prasad Chhetri, Kabindra Lama, Chandan Verma) 2:17:28.
Police Cup Women Team 3 (Moumita Khamrai, Puja Biswas, Tanushree Murmu) 2:45:40; Police Cup Women Team 1 (Rokeya Khatun, Banasri Roy, Muslima Khatun) 2:57:19; Police Cup Women Team 27 (Bina Sarkar, Jayashree Hansda, Jyotsna Kisku) 3;14:56.
Run In Costume-
Individual –
Winner - Souvik Mitra dressed as DC character, Red Hood
Runners up - Jasmine Kaur Anand dressed as DC character, Catwoman
Group-
Winner- Little Big Help India Trust (Boys) dressed as Marvel’s The Avengers
Runners up- Little Big Help India Trust (Girls) dressed as BTS
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