Sable sets natl mark; Walelegn, Yehualaw win Delhi half-marathon titles

Avinash Sable ran a blistering tempo to set a nationwide file, clocking 60 minutes, 30 secs to high the chart amongst Indian runners within the Airtel Delhi Half Marathon right here on Sunday.

Unlike earlier years, the race was confined to the elite runners, worldwide and home. And like yearly, the main focus was on distance runners from Africa’s rift valley, together with Ethiopian two-time 5,000m world champion, Muktar Edris, who made his half-marathon debut.

The coronavirus pandemic meant the elite athletes tackled the course with out many spectators or the excitement of 1000’s of enthusiastic novice members. They have been nonetheless motivated to go all out because the course file was smashed within the males’s and ladies’s races by a good margin.

Ethiopia’s Amdework Walelegn outsprinted compatriot and twice champion Andamlak Belihu within the final 200m, profitable an exhilarating males’s race with a meet file of 58 min, 53 secs. Belihu clocked 58:54. Uganda’s Stephen Kissa was third in 58:56. Edris got here fourth at 59:04. All went below the course file of 59:06 set by Guye Adola in 2014. Walelegn took the highest prize of $27,000 (approx. R20 lakh).

The males’s world file stands at 58.01. The runners have been helped by a course with fewer turns this time with good pace-setting serving to them go all out.

Sable supreme

Sable turned out to be the scene-stealer for India. The highlight was on the Army runner, who has certified in 3000m steeplechase for the Tokyo Olympics however starved of competitors as a result of pandemic-forced lockdown, he entered right here to test the essential work he had put in. He displayed coronary heart, first holding tempo with the main bunch after which comfortably discovering his personal gear behind, manner forward of the opposite Indian runners. Sable ran his personal race and the TV digicam solely noticed him as he was about to cross the end line. He improved Kalidas Nirave’s nationwide mark of 63:46. The course mark for Indian runners was 63:54.

“I wanted to set a new standard for Indian runners. I was determined to change something. For the last 16 years, every year it is asked why no Indian is winning. The target was to run a sub-61 and I’m happy I was able to do it,” Sable mentioned.

“I like road running. I’ve been training well but there was hardly any competition in the last one year. I wanted to test my endurance before the Olympics. I was prepared to run with the pack of international athletes. I stayed as close as possible to them for the first 7-8km and then ran at my pace. I was comfortable and maintained my pace after crossing 10km.”

Neatly paced

Sable ran an excellent opening 5km in 13 min 58 secs. As the race wore on, he trailed 17 seconds off the main packing, masking 10km in 28 min, 08 sec. While the main runners averaged 2 min 48 secs for the race, Sable’s was a powerful 2min 53 secs as he got here in 10th total.

As Sable crossed the end line, England’s Tim Hutchings, Olympian and seasoned TV commentator, was all reward. “This is a world class effort from Sable, which has come from an Indian runner after 15 years of Delhi half marathon. This would enable him to smash his 3000m steeplechase time in Tokyo,” he mentioned.

Sable’s scorching tempo left behind the subsequent two Indians—Srinu Bugatha (64:16) and Durga Bahadur (64:19)—manner behind. Sable gained a prize cash of R4.5 lakh, together with an occasion file bonus of R1 lakh.

“My focus will now shift exclusively to steeplechase as the Olympics is just months away. I won’t take part in any more half marathons. I’m confident I can give an even better performance in the Olympics,” mentioned Sable, the steeplechase nationwide file holder.

His coach Amrish Kumar had predicted a quick time and is assured his ward is on the right track for the Olympics. “We are on track. Today’s performance would certainly help in further improving Avinash’s steeplechase time of 8 min, 21.7 secs,” he mentioned.

Athletics Federation of India president, Adille Sumariwalla, was delighted. “It’s good start for us. It will be a big boost for Indian athletics and set a good example for the next generation of distance runners.”

Yehualaw scorches course

Ethiopia’s Yalemzerf Yehualaw gained the ladies’s race in 64:46 secs, the second quickest over the space, simply 15 seconds in need of the world file. Kenyan 2019 world marathon champion Ruth Chepngetich (65:06) got here second and Ethiopian world file holder Ababel Yeshaneh (1:05.21) was third.

Kenya’s male runner Alex Kibarus appeared to set too sizzling a tempo as pace-setter. Many within the elite discipline fell behind, together with 2019 champion and former file holder Teshay Gemechu and Yeshaneh.

Women’s marathon world file holder Brigid Kosgei, additionally the 2019 and 2020 London marathon champion, limped out halfway by way of the race.

In the Indian ladies’s class, Parul Chaudhary gained at 72:18 with Sanjivani second (73:00).