Prestigious Delhi Half Marathon returns to domestic road racing circuit after a one-year gap

India’s prestigious Delhi Half Marathon will return to the domestic road racing circuit after a one-year gap, an official from Procam International, the organizers of the event, said on Thursday. The previous edition was organized in 2020 as the 2021 edition was scrapped due to lack of sponsors.

The Delhi Half Marathon, a road race sanctioned by World Athletics, has a new sponsor for this edition. An official from Procam International told Sportskeeda:

“We have a signed new sponsor for the next five years.”

The organizer added:

"The entries for the 21km-race are expected to be open from Thursday and will close on October 4. The race will be held on October 16.”

The organizers also stated that the entries could be restricted due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The 2022 edition will be both virtual as well as physical, said an official associated with the race.

Apart from elite athletes from across the globe, leading distance runners from India are expected to compete in the road race in New Delhi, which comes with prize money. While there will be no change in the prize money structure, the top 10 in the elite foreign as well as Indian category will be entitled to cash incentives, apart from the course record bonus. The main 21km run will have both men and women’s groups.

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Leading Indian runners to take part in the Delhi Half Marathon

India’s Birmingham Commonwealth Games silver medallist in men’s steeplechase, Avinash Sable, will be the biggest draw of the competition.

In the 2020 edition of the race, Sable broke the 61-minute barrier for the 21km run. The Tokyo Olympian finished the race in 60:30 to become the first Indian athlete to clock below 61 minutes in a half-marathon.

Top road runners of the Services team, including the army, are also expected to compete in the Delhi Half Marathon. Olympian Nitendra Singh Rawat and Srinu Bugatha are among India’s leading marathon runners who will be seen in action during the 21km race in October.

However, some of the track runners will skip the prize money road race as it will clash with the dates of the 61st National Open Athletics Championships. The tournament is scheduled to be held in Bengaluru, Karnataka, from October 15 to 19.