New Delhi, Oct 18 (IANS) Kenya’s Charles Matata shattered the men’s course record to win the elite race at the Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon (VDHM) 2026 on Sunday, clocking 58:52 to finish one second faster than the previous mark. Ethiopia’s Wudinesh Alemu claimed the women’s elite title in 1:06:35 as nearly 40,000 runners took to the streets of the national capital for the World Athletics Gold Label event.
Matata’s performance also marked a personal best, underlining his dominant run in the men’s race. Fellow Kenyans Samwel Nyamai Mailu and Stanley Waithaka Mburu finished second and third, respectively, to complete an all-Kenyan podium.
In the women’s elite category, Alemu secured the top spot ahead of compatriot Selah Businei, while Kenya’s Cynthia Chelangat Chepkwony finished third.
India’s Shailesh Kushwaha and Ankita Dhyani emerged as the winners in the men’s and women’s Indian elite categories, respectively.
The races were flagged off by Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and Jammu & Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, along with Arun Misra, CEO of Vedanta Group. Vice Admiral Atul Anand was also present at the event. The dignitaries flagged off various categories, including the elite and mass-participation half marathons, Police Cup, Champions with Disability, Senior Citizens Run, Open 10K and Great Delhi Run.
Boxing legend Mary Kom, badminton Paralympic champion Pramod Bhagat and tennis player Mahesh Bhupathi also lent their support to the event, which brought together elite competitors and recreational runners in a celebration of sporting excellence and participation.
Beyond the racing action, the 2026 edition continued the event’s association with the #RunForZeroHunger initiative. Participants collectively contributed 50 lakh meals this year, taking the cumulative impact of the campaign to more than 2.7 crore meals across five editions and marking five years of Vedanta’s association with the Delhi Half Marathon.
Commenting on the occasion, Priya Agarwal Hebbar, Non-Executive Director, Vedanta, and Chairperson, Hindustan Zinc Ltd., said, “With 40,000 runners taking to the streets, the Delhi Half Marathon celebrated sporting excellence, personal determination and the power of collective action. From elite athletes to first-time runners, every participant demonstrated how sport can inspire us to go further for ourselves and others.”
–IANS
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