Kenyans Matata and Rengeruk Capture Memorable Victories at Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon
New Delhi, October 12, 2025: Kenyan stars Alex Nzioka Matata and Lilian Kasait Rengeruk delivered commanding performances to secure impressive title wins at the 20th Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon, a World Athletics Gold Label Road Race, held in the Indian capital on Sunday.
It marked only the second time in event history that Kenyan athletes triumphed in both the men’s and women’s categories in the same edition. The feat was last achieved in 2006 by Francis Kibiwott and Lineth Chepkurui.
Matata Dominates with Solo Run
Runner-up last year behind Uganda’s Joshua Cheptegei, Alex Nzioka Matata was determined to go one better this time. The Kenyan took charge early, breaking away after the halfway mark to cruise to victory in 59:50, earning his fifth half-marathon title of 2025.
Matata, who won the RAK Half Marathon earlier this year in 59:20, boasts seven sub-60-minute finishes in his career, including 59:53 in Delhi last year. Though the course record of 58:53 remained untouched, his dominance was undisputed — with no rival within 60 meters over the final stretch.
He crossed the 10K mark in 28:43 alongside teammate Reuben Rono, before surging ahead in the second half. Ethiopia’s Bayelign Teshager (1:00:22) and Kenya’s James Kipkogei (1:00:25) completed the podium, while Birhanu Legese settled for fourth (1:00:54).
“I’m thrilled with this victory,” said Matata. “Last year I was second, so my goal was to improve. I know the course well, and the weather helped — cool and perfect for racing. The record wasn’t my target; I just wanted to win and run without pressure.”
Rengeruk Sprints to Thrilling Women’s Victory
The women’s race unfolded with a more tactical narrative. Lilian Rengeruk ran patiently within a leading pack featuring Ethiopians Mulat Tekle and Melal Biratu, crossing 10K in 32:10 and 15K in 48:11. As the race neared the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Rengeruk unleashed a powerful sprint to edge out 19-year-old Biratu by a single second, clocking 1:07:20 to claim the title.
Tekle took third in 1:07:28, while defending champion Alemaddis Eyayu faded to seventh in 1:10:51.
“It was a tough race — everyone was strong,” Rengeruk said. “I told myself to stay patient and fight until the end. I’m happy with the time, especially since I’ve just come back from injury.”
Biratu, who set a personal best in her debut at the distance, added:
“I’m proud of my performance. The humidity was higher than expected, but I pushed myself to the finish.”
Both winners received US$27,000 each from the total US$260,000 prize purse.
Indian Elite Races: Pal Takes Third Title, Seema Impresses on Debut
In the Indian Elite category, Abhishek Pal and Seema delivered standout performances, each earning INR 4,00,000 in prize money.
Pal claimed his third Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon title, crossing the line in 1:04:17, while Seema shone on debut with 1:11:23, dominating the women’s field.
“I’m feeling great,” said Pal. “The road was perfect — flat and fast. My coach and brother guided me on pacing. People say I usually run from behind, but today I led from the start. Now the focus is on improving my timing.”
Seema reflected on her strong debut:
“I’m happy with the result, though I wanted the record. With two to three more months of training, I know I can do better.”
Pal and Kiran Matre (1:04:57) ran together through 10K in 33:16 and 15K in 43:58, before Pal surged ahead in the final stretch. Mohd Aleem (1:05:20) and Manoj Kumar (1:05:25) were close behind, but Karthik Karkera broke clear late to snatch bronze.
In the women’s race, Seema steadily extended her lead throughout, finishing comfortably ahead of Ujala (1:15:41) and Sanjivani Jadhav (1:15:52). Defending champion Lili Das clocked 1:16:27 for fourth.
