The Kolkata 25K, a World Athletics Elite Label Road Race and one of India’s largest running festivals, will feature two world champions from Kenya, Daniel Simiyu Ebenyo in the men’s category and Ethiopian Yalemzerf Yehualaw in the women’s, holding the 10K world record.
With a time of 1:12:49 for the men’s event, Kenya’s Leonard Barsoton holds the current record, and Bahrain’s Desi Jisa holds the record for the women’s event with a timing of 1:21:04.
Yehualaw, who set a world record for the 10K in 2022 with a time of 29:14, is the top female runner to watch in this 25K.
In the half marathon, she holds the second-best time ever recorded in the world with a 2021 time of 1:03:51.
Yehualaw set a new world record for the 10km race last year when he ran the Castellon 10K in 29:14 at the World Athletics Label Road race in the seaside city of Spain. By doing this, the bronze medallist for the world half marathon beat the officially recognised time of 29:43 set by Joyciline Jepkosgei and the unofficially timed record of 29:38 set by Kalkidan Gezahegne of Bahrain. She also made history by being the first female to cross the 29:30 and 29:20 road barriers.
Yehualaw became the youngest female winner of the London Marathon in 2022 after winning her first World Marathon Major.
“I’m excited to compete in India once more. I’ve had some incredible experiences thus far, and I hope to have even more at TSK 25K in Kolkata. Yehualaw stated, “I am excited to compete in the TSK 25K on December 17th and I am coming to Kolkata to run quickly.”
Yehualaw’s principal rivals are Kenya’s Betty Chepkemoi Kibet and her teammate Anchinalu Dessie. Dessie, who is only 20 years old, ran a half-marathon PR of 1:07:30 in Milan this year, while Kibet’s best time was 1:06:37, which he achieved at the Roma-Ostia event in 2021. Furthermore, Mercyline Chelangat of Uganda, who finished third in Kolkata the previous year, and Ethiopia’s Emebet Niguse, who won the Drammen Half Marathon in 2023, are anticipated to offer fierce competition in the women’s race.
This year, Daniel Simiyu Ebenyo of Kenya won two silver medals at world championships: one in the 10,000m in Budapest in August and another in the half marathon at the first World Road Running Championships in Riga. He then went on to win the Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon with ease in October.
It will be his first time competing at the 25-kilometer distance in Kolkata.
With sub-60 minute half marathon bests, Ebenyo’s countrymen Roncer Kipkorir Konga and Bernard Biwott are anticipated to challenge him for the top podium spot. Biwott set an early world record in January when he won in Santa Pola, Spain, with a time of 59:44, while Roncer placed seventh in the Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon, having improved his personal best to 59:08 while winning in Buenos Aires in August.
Hiske Tewelde, an expert in multiple-distance running and holder of the national record for the Eritrean marathon, is another competitor in the stacked men’s field and is expected to be the dark horse.
Vivek Singh, Joint MD, Procam International, commented on the fiercely competitive roster of international athletes in the elite category, saying: “We are thrilled that our elite race continues to grow every year, and the roster speaks for itself. The TSK 25K is one of the most sought-after races at this distance because it attracts some of the world’s top distance runners. In addition to raising the bar for the competition, the presence of seasoned winners like Daniel Ebenyo and Yalemzerf Yehualaw will provide our Indian distance runners with much-needed exposure to some of the top distance athletes in the world.”
This year’s running festival is expected to break more records on the banks of the Hooghly when thousands of runners take on the 25K distance on December 17, 2023, thanks to an incredible lineup.
Top Field for the 2023 Kolkata 25K:
Men: Kenyans Daniel Ebenyo, Eric Kiptanui, Roncer Konga, Bernard Biwott, Abe Gashahun, Victor Kipruto Togom, Hiskel Tewelde, Afewerki Berhane, Jackson Kipleting, Mulugeta Debasu, Victor Chumo, Eritrean Abe Gashahun, and Kenyan Victor Kipruto Togom
Women: Aberash Minsewo (Ethiopia), Tsige Haileslase (Ethiopia), Emebet Niguse (Ethiopia), Nelly Jeptoo (Kenya), Betty Chepkemoi Kibet (Kenya), Sutume Asefa Kebede (Ethiopia), Mercyline Chelangat (Uganda), and Luuk Maas (Netherlands).
