The Hindu : Sport : Kenyans start favourites

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Sunday, Oct 28, 2007
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Kenyans start favourites

Kirti Patil

Yadav, Saharan lead Indian challenge

We are here to win: Kiprotich
Kenyans will have to be wary of Diudone Disi

NEW DELHI: The Kenyans are here in numbers, to win what they are good at — road races. Led by World No. 3 Wilson Kiprotich, 16 Kenyans will strive to win both the men’s and women’s titles, in the Vodafone Delhi half-marathon here on Sunday.

“We are here to win and I would not be surprised if Kenya takes all the places on the podium,” said Kiprotich on the eve of the run.

The 27-year-old, who finished third in the 2006 World half marathon in Debrecan, Hungary, has a personal best time of 60.11 minutes.

Light work

Kiprotich arrived early this morning after missing his scheduled Thursday flight and had a light workout before taking a round of the course that traverses from the diplomatic areas to key roads in New Delhi then to India Gate, Rajpath and Janpath before taking the route back to finish at Central Secretariat ground.

Kiprotich will be challenged by the 2005 champion Philip Rugut, Issac Macharia, Patrick Mbuvi and Simon Kiprop as the Kenyans will go all out to grab the richest prize in the world for a half-marathon run.

The third edition of the Delhi half-marathon offers $160,000 with the men’s winner taking $20,000 and the women’s $18,000.

Top Indians

The Indians are also in for a bonanza as the top Indian finisher in both men’s and women’s section will earn $2500. The runner-up gets $2000 with prizes till the 10th place.

But the Kenyans will have to be wary of in-form Rwandan, Diudone Disi, who is ranked sixth in the world and has come here after a successful run at the World half marathon championships in Udine.

Disi clocked a personal best timing of 59.32 minutes, two weeks ago in Italy. His fine form makes him the biggest challenger to Kiprotich.

Perfect weather

With temperatures in Delhi hovering just around 20 degree Celsius, the weather is perfect for the race, unlike in the past two editions when high humidity played a big part in the final outcome.

Besides the big Kenyan team, Ethiopia has 13 runners, but none who can match the African counterparts in terms of achievements at international races.

On the women’s side, with World No. 5 Alice Timbillil, and World No. 7 Hellen Jemaiyo Kimutai in the fray, the Kenyans look formidable.

Irina Timofeyeva of Russia, the 2005 winner, who pulled out midway through the race in 2006, is back. She has three other Russians for company.

The Indian challenge is led by Ram Singh Yadav and Deep Chand Saharan in the men’s section.

Yadav was placed first among the Indians last year and has also won the 2007 Standard Chartered marathon in Mumbai. Saharan won the 2007 Standard Chartered half-marathon.

On the women’s side, defending champion Pampa Chanda and Reena Das, who finished third, start favourites.

Besides the half-marathon, there will be a senior citizen’s run, a wheelchair event and the Great Delhi Run, for which more than 18,000 runners have registered.

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