Sutume Shines, Kissa Upsets Ebenyo at Tata Steel World 25K Kolkata 2024

Kolkata, Dec 15: Ethiopian Sutume Kebede successfully defended her title in the ninth edition of the Tata Steel World 25K, the first World Athletics Gold Label Road Race over this distance, held in the West Bengal capital. Ugandan Stephen Kissa triumphed in the men’s race, dethroning the defending champion, Kenya’s Daniel Ebenyo.

• View Results Tata Steel World 25K

Indian elite runners also delivered outstanding performances. Gulveer Singh set a new event record, while Sanjivani Jadhav claimed the women’s title in the Indian category.

The historic Red Road in Kolkata came alive as the city woke up to 14°C and a festive atmosphere. Over 20,500 participants across various categories made the event one of the most popular races in the country.

Kebede Defends Title Despite Challenges

Confirming her participation just two weeks before the race, Kebede overcame a recent stomach ailment to retain her crown with a time of 1:19:17. Last year, she set a World Best for 25K with a time of 1:18:47. Starting 2024 on a high, Kebede had already achieved personal bests in the half-marathon (1:04:37) and marathon (2:15:55), winning in Houston and Tokyo respectively. Her Tokyo timing places her as the 8th fastest woman marathoner in history.

Despite a strong field, including Bahrain’s Desi Jisa (2022 winner) and Kenya’s Viola Chepngeno (third in the Delhi Half-Marathon last year), Kebede established her dominance after the 23K mark. Chepngeno, who started strong, faded towards the final stages, allowing Kebede to take a decisive lead. Kebede's time could have been faster had Chepngeno sustained the pace longer.

Chepngeno finished second in 1:19:44, while Jisa secured third in 1:21:29.

Expressing her happiness, Kebede said, “I am very happy to win again. I wanted to break the course record but was a bit tired from traveling. I’m training for next year and will participate in marathons.”

Chepngeno remarked, “I am happy with second place. It was not easy; everyone was strong today. I gave my best and am proud of my performance.”

Jisa added, “I am pleased to be on the podium. Thanks to everyone who cheered me on.”

Kissa Redeems Himself in Men’s Race

Stephen Kissa celebrated his first international win in five years, overcoming past disappointments, including DNFs at the Tokyo Olympics (10,000m) and the Paris Marathon. His victory on debut at the 25K distance marked a significant milestone.

The men’s race began briskly, with the lead pack—Ebenyo, Benson Kipruto, Kissa, and Haymanot Alew—crossing 10K in 28:42. Ebenyo and Kissa remained neck-and-neck for most of the race, exchanging leads frequently.

At 20K, Kissa surged ahead, clocking 57:50, with Ebenyo close behind. However, in the final stretch, Kissa’s strong finish secured him the win in 1:12:33, earning the USD 15,000 prize. Ebenyo followed four seconds later, while Anthony Kipchirchir claimed third in 1:12:55.

Kissa reflected, “I am very happy. India is a wonderful country, and this is my third time here. I felt strong today and knew this could be my day. In the last kilometer, I was confident I could win.”

Ebenyo congratulated his rival, saying, “Last year, I was the champion. This year, Kissa deserved it. I was fatigued after the Chicago Marathon but will take a break and come back stronger.”

Kipchirchir, making his first podium appearance, shared, “I loved the course and the crowd. I’ll return next year, aiming for the win.”

Gulveer and Sanjivani Excel Among Indian Elites

Gulveer Singh continued his stellar year by setting another Indian Best in the 25K with a time of 1:14:10. The 26-year-old, already a record-holder in the 5000m and 10,000m, broke away from Asian Half-Marathon bronze medalist Sawan Barwal in the final stretch. Barwal finished just one second behind in 1:14:11, while Gaurav Mathur secured third place.

“I’m in great form and thrilled to win. Training with my teammates pushed me to achieve this record. I’m now focusing on the Asian and World Championships,” Gulveer said.

Barwal added, “The conditions were excellent, and I’m happy with my performance. Gulveer was outstanding today.”

In the women’s category, Sanjivani Jadhav returned to Kolkata after her top finish among Indians in 2022. She improved her personal best by over five minutes, finishing in 1:29:08. Lili Das (1:30:58) and Kavita Yadav (1:32:19) completed the podium.

Sanjivani shared, “Winning here again feels amazing. I’ve been training hard, and this victory motivates me for upcoming championships. With more international exposure, I believe we can close the gap with global elites.”

Following are the provisional results: 

Overall International Men

1. Stephen Kissa (Uganda) – 1:12:33
2. Daniel Ebenyo (Kenya) – 1:12:37
3. Anthony Kipchirchir (Kenya) – 1:12:55
4. Benson Kipruto (Kenya) – 1:13:25
5. Asbel Rutto (Kenya) – 1:13:36
6. Hillary Mosop (Kenya) – 1:13:56
7. Dejene Hailu (Ethiopia) – 1:14:10
8. Gulveer Singh (India) – 1:14:10
9. Sawan Barwal (India) – 1:14:11
10. Rodgers Murei (Kenya) – 1:15:37

Overall International Women

1. Sutume Kebede (Ethiopia) – 1:19:17
2. Viola Chepngeno (Kenya) – 1:19:44
3. Desi Jisa (Bahrain) – 1:21:29
4. Alemaddis Eyayu (Ethiopia) – 1:21:42
5. Degitu Azimeraw (Ethiopia) – 1:22:16
6. Misgane Alemayehu (Ethiopia) – 1:24:40
7. Sintayehu Lewetegn (Ethiopia) – 1:28:26
8. Sanjeevani Jadhav (India) – 1:29:08
9. Lili Das (India) – 1:30:58
10. Kavita Yadav (India) – 1:32:19

Indian Men

1. Gulveer Singh – 1:14:10 (NEW COURSE RECORD)
2. Sawan Barwal – 1:14:11
3. Gaurav Mathur – 1:16:59
4. Abhishek Pal – 1:19:00
5. Mohd Aleem – 1:19:00
6. Hemant Singh – 1:19:02
7. Kartik Jayraj Karkera – 1:19:03
8. Nikhil Singh – 1:19:07
9. Mayangam Lung Leng – 1:19:10
10. Manoj Kumar – 1:19:38

Indian Women

1. Sanjeevani Jadhav – 1:29:08
2. Lili Das – 1:30:58
3. Kavita Yadav – 1:32:19
4. Nirmaben Bharatjee Thakor – 1:35:14
5. Bhagirathi – 1:36:17
6. Sanghamitra Mahata – 1:38:22
7. Shyamali Sing – 1:39:45
8. Madina Paul – 1:40:54

Vijay Diwas Trophy

1. Indian Army 1 (Anand Singh Rawat, Manjit Singh, Hardeep Singh) – 4:08:52
2. Indian Army 2 (Bheem Singh, Dattatray Mahadev Tambe, Manoj Joshi) – 4:10:37
3. Indian Army 3 (Vagaram Prajapati, Pintu Sharma, Banee Singh) – 4:13:33

Police Cup Winners

Men's Teams

1. Police Cup Men Team 39 (Joydev, Rishikesh, Manas) – 1:47:53
2. Police Cup Men Team 54 (Md Wazed, Rabindranath, Prasanta) – 2:05:06
3. Police Cup Men Team 66 (Ardhendu, Kousik, Amresh) – 2:07:38

Women's Teams

1. Police Cup Women Team 7 (Mallika, Sabina Jasmina) – 2:20:01
2. Police Cup Women Team 8 (Puja, Moumita, Tanushree) – 2:48:17
3. Police Cup Women Team 11 (Madhumita, Jayashree, Priyanka) – 3:57:07