Kenya's Kipchoge set to race at Delhi Half Marathon

On November 20, Kenya's Olympic champion Eliud Kipchoge will race at the Delhi Half Marathon, his first race since winning the gold in the men's marathon event at Rio.

Kipchoge has put together a winning streak of seven successive marathons.

Kenya’s Olympic Marathon champion Eliud Kipchoge will have his first race since his memorable triumph in Rio at the Airtel Delhi Half Marathon on November 20.

Kipchoge, who turns 32 on November 5, has put together a winning streak of seven successive marathons and is unbeaten over the classic distance in the last three years.

However, the marathon will be his first outing over a shorter distance since he finished sixth at the Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon in February 2015. “It’s six years down the line since the Commonwealth Games were held in Delhi, where I got the silver medal in the 5000m. I have great memories of my last visit to India and now I am ready to come back in a different capacity as a road racer,” commented Kipchoge.

He added: “India is one of the world’s biggest hubs of technology and business but I am looking forward to visiting the country and once again experiencing competitive sport in India.”

Kipchoge has a half marathon personal best of 59:25, which dates from 2012. Although he has not broken 60 minutes for the half marathon, he will still have in his sight the Delhi half marathon course record of 59:06 set by Ethiopia’s Guye Adola in 2014.

Kipchoge and the rest of the elite runners will be chasing men’s and women’s first prizes of US$27,000, with a total prize fund of US$270,000.

Airtel Delhi Half Marathon was inaugurated in 2005 and it is renowned among the world’s top distance runners for its fast course, which has seen seven of the last eight men’s races won under 60 minutes.