The Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon (VDHM) once again lived up to its billing as one of Asia’s premier road races, blending world-class competition with inspiring domestic performances.
Held under humid early-morning skies in the Indian capital, this year’s edition reaffirmed both the event’s global prestige and the evolving competitive depth within India’s distance running scene. The race, which holds World Athletics Gold Label status, attracted elite athletes from across Kenya, Ethiopia, and India. Despite challenging weather conditions typical of Delhi’s post-monsoon October the top-tier athletes produced captivating races, marked by tactical intelligence and impressive finishing bursts across both international and Indian categories.
International Elite Men: Alex Matata’s Tactical Masterclass
Kenya’s Alex Matata captured the international men’s title in a time of 59:50, executing a near-perfect tactical race that combined patience with precision. Known for his even-paced strategy and powerful finishing, Matata managed to stay tucked into the lead pack until the final kilometers before launching a decisive surge that none of his rivals could match. His time, while 30 seconds slower than his personal best (59:20), was still extraordinary given the tough humidity and warm air temperatures. The 59:50 result underscored his consistency in delivering sub-60-minute performances a benchmark that separates the world’s very best half marathoners.
Ethiopia’s Bayelign Teshager followed closely, clocking 1:00:22 to claim silver, while Kenya’s James Kipkogei took bronze just three seconds later in 1:00:25. The narrow 35-second spread among the top three highlighted the competitive intensity of the field. For Teshager, this result marked an upward trajectory; after finishing ninth in the 2022 edition, his near-podium time here confirmed his development into one of Ethiopia’s most consistent half marathoners.
The close battle also reaffirmed Delhi’s appeal as a proving ground for emerging East African stars seeking to earn global ranking points and prize money. While none approached the course record (58:53) set in 2020, the Delhi course remains one of the fastest in Asia. Yet, the early-morning humidity, which hovered near 80%, prevented outright record assaults, forcing a shift toward tactical racing rather than pure time trials.
International Elite Women: A Photo-Finish for the Ages
The women’s elite race produced one of the tightest finishes in the event’s history. Kenya’s Lilian Rengeruk triumphed in 1:07:20, edging Ethiopia’s Melal Biratu by a single second (1:07:21), with Mulat Tekle completing the podium in 1:07:29. Rengeruk, a world-class track athlete with a 5000m personal best of 14:23, converted her track sharpness into road dominance. Despite a field that included athletes with faster personal bests, her closing sprint made the difference. The near-identical splits between her and Biratu reflected a race that was strategic from start to finish conservative pacing early, followed by a furious final 2km in which Rengeruk’s leg speed proved decisive.
Her finishing time, nearly four minutes slower than her career best (1:03:32), was evidence of how taxing Delhi’s conditions can be, even for the world’s best. Yet, the thrilling finish with the top three separated by just nine seconds reaffirmed the VDHM’s status as one of the most competitive half marathons on the global calendar.
Indian Elite Men: Abhishek Pal Reigns Supreme
In the Indian men’s field, Abhishek Pal continued his reign as the country’s most consistent road runner, taking the national title in 1:04:17. This was Pal’s third VDHM title and another confirmation of his reliability in the 1:04 zone he clocked 1:04:07 last year and 1:04:08 in 2023.
Trailing him were Kiran Matre (1:04:57) and Kartik Karkera (1:05:16), both of whom put in gritty performances. The domestic men’s competition remains tightly clustered, with the top trio finishing within a minute of each other. However, the time gap to the Indian national record (1:00:30 by Avinash Sable) remains substantial nearly four minutes. This suggests that while the domestic field has grown deeper and more consistent, it has plateaued around the 1:04 mark. Breaking that barrier will require structured pacing support, international exposure, and higher-risk racing that prioritizes time over tactical safety.
Still, Pal’s performance underlines his professionalism and race management. In Delhi’s energy-sapping humidity, his ability to maintain pace without major drop-offs after 15km showed superior conditioning. “I focused on rhythm and control rather than chasing a split,” he said post-race a pragmatic approach that again earned him top national honors.
Indian Elite Women: Seema’s Surge Towards History
If Pal’s victory represented consistency, Seema’s win in the women’s Indian elite category represented promise and proximity to history. Clocking 1:11:23, she came within just 52 seconds of the national record (1:10:31 by Suriya Loganathan, 2017), signaling a new era in Indian women’s distance running. Behind her, Ujala (1:15:41) and Sanjivani Jadhav (1:15:52) rounded out the podium, forming one of the most competitive domestic women’s fields in recent memory. For Seema, the result was the culmination of a disciplined training block focusing on heat adaptation and pacing.
Her time stands as the second-fastest ever by an Indian woman in Delhi Half Marathon history, and her near-record effort is proof of tangible progress in Indian women’s distance running a field that, unlike the men’s, is closing in on its national record ceiling. Seema’s performance also carried symbolic weight: it demonstrated that the investment in structured domestic training camps and better nutrition programs for elite women is beginning to yield measurable returns. If her form continues into the 2026 season, a new national record may well be imminent.
Despite the excitement on the road, the financial disparity between international and Indian categories remains stark. The international winner took home roughly $27,000 (₹22.2 lakh), while the Indian elite winner earned ₹3.5 lakh less than one-sixth of the international purse. This disparity affects racing psychology. As elite runner Avinash Sable previously noted, “There’s little incentive for Indians to chase 1:01 or 1:02 if winning the domestic title with 1:04 pays the same.” Without higher financial rewards for record-breaking efforts, athletes often prioritize secure victories over riskier, record-attempting pacing.
Addressing this imbalance perhaps through National Record bonuses or performance-based incentives could motivate runners like Pal and Seema to target historical milestones rather than simply domestic dominance. The 2025 Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon reinforced two truths: India’s flagship road race remains globally relevant, and Indian distance running is on the cusp of a breakthrough. For the international elites, the event was another showcase of East African dominance, where tactical nous mattered more than pure speed. For Indian athletes, it was a test of consistency, resilience, and potential especially for Seema, whose performance may well be the spark for a new generation of Indian road runners.
The VDHM 2025 edition was not about record-breaking; it was about benchmark-setting. From Alex Matata’s 59:50 tactical triumph to Seema’s near-record 1:11:23, the race proved that excellence can be measured not only in minutes and seconds, but in how athletes adapt, compete, and evolve under the toughest conditions.
