On a crisp winter morning in Kolkata, the 10th edition of the Tata Steel World 25K lived up to its growing reputation as one of Asia’s most compelling road races.
The 2025 edition delivered a layered narrative international pedigree at the front, Indian excellence rewriting benchmarks, and a course that once again demanded discipline as much as ambition. While Uganda’s Joshua Cheptegei validated his billing in the men’s international race, the day belonged just as much to India’s Gulveer Singh and Seema, both of whom dismantled course records in emphatic fashion.
Cheptegei’s victory in the international elite men’s race carried a sense of inevitability. The double Olympic champion imposed himself from the early kilometres, setting a controlled yet assertive tempo that kept a select group in contention deep into the race. Clocking 1:11:49, Cheptegei claimed his maiden Tata Steel World 25K title, finishing narrowly ahead of Tanzania’s Alphonce Felix Simbu (1:11:56) and Lesotho’s Tebello Ramakongoana (1:11:59). Though the course record of 1:11:13 remained intact, Cheptegei’s performance was a reminder that elite racing is often about authority rather than arithmetic.
For much of the race, the leading trio ran stride for stride, inseparable at the 15km and 20km checkpoints and still level at the half-marathon mark in 1:00:49. It was in the final four kilometres that Cheptegei made the decisive move, gradually stretching the elastic and asserting his superiority with trademark composure. “Winning mattered more than the record,” Cheptegei said after the race. “Coming back to Kolkata and winning is special. This gives me confidence as I prepare for my next marathon.”
If Cheptegei offered assurance at the top, the international women’s race delivered a controlled upset. Ethiopia’s Degitu Azimeraw produced a commanding front-running performance to dethrone two-time champion Sutume Asefa Kebede.
Azimeraw, racing in Kolkata for the third time, led virtually from gun to tape, finishing in 1:19:36. Sutume followed in 1:20:28, with Meselech Alemayehu completing an Ethiopian sweep in 1:20:48. While the course record stayed with Sutume, Azimeraw’s dominance was unmistakable by the 22km mark, she had built a lead of nearly a minute and crossed the line well clear of the field.
“It wasn’t the plan initially,” Azimeraw admitted. “My legs felt stiff early, so I focused on staying strong. After 10km, things improved and I kept building.” It was a performance defined by patience rather than pace-chasing, a hallmark of experienced distance running.
Yet, the most compelling stories unfolded in the Indian elite races. Gulveer Singh delivered a run that underlined his status as India’s premier long-distance athlete. Cutting more than two minutes off his own course record, Gulveer stormed to victory in 1:12:06, eclipsing the 1:14:10 mark he had set here in 2024. From the outset, he ran on a different plane briefly shadowing the international elites before settling into a relentless rhythm that distanced him from the domestic field.
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By the 15km mark, Gulveer already held a minute’s advantage, which steadily expanded. At halfway, he passed in 1:00:58, compared to Harmanjot Singh’s 1:03:17. The finish was a formality. Harmanjot (1:15:11) and Sawan Barwal (1:15:25) followed well behind. “Records come from consistency,” Gulveer said. “With the right support, coaching and discipline, the goal is simply to be better than yesterday. India is rising step by step.”
Equally decisive was Seema’s performance in the Indian elite women’s race. The Asian cross-country champion and World University Games silver medallist ran with clarity and confidence, stopping the clock at 1:26:04 to break the eight-year-old course record of 1:26:53 set by Suriya L in 2017. From the early kilometres, Seema asserted control, steadily extending her lead at every checkpoint. By halfway, the gap to second-placed Sanjivani Jadhav had grown to three minutes, and the remainder of the race became an exhibition of efficiency.
Sanjivani finished second in 1:30:34, with Nirmaben Thakor third in 1:32:02. Seema crossed the line with visible reserves of energy, reflecting both her preparation and growing maturity. “The course has become more challenging,” she noted. “But I came here to win. With discipline and sacrifice, these results come. My next goal is qualification for the Asian and Commonwealth Games.”
Beyond individual performances, the Tata Steel World 25K once again demonstrated its importance to Indian distance running. With international depth at the front and domestic athletes narrowing the gap through record-breaking performances, the race offered a snapshot of progress that feels sustainable rather than fleeting.
On a morning where records fell and reputations were reinforced, Kolkata once again provided the stage and Indian athletics responded with authority.
