Eyayu surprises, beats favourite Limo to win Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon women’s title

Alemaddis Eyayu extended the Ethiopian winning streak in Delhi. Kenya’s Cynthia Limo, the pre-race favourite, led the field right from the beginning while Scotland’s Commonwealth Champion Eilish McColgan trailed behind all the time.

McColgan had the fastest and only sub-66 minute timing among the elite women who took the starting lineup today. However, two Ethiopians, Eyayu and Tiruye Mesfin, stuck with Limo for the entire part.

Cynthia Limo, who won the women’s title here in 2015, had returned to Delhi after nine years. Following her victory in the Indian capital, the Kenyan runner secured a silver medal in Cardiff’s 2016 World Half Marathon championships.

Eyayu and Limo passed the 10K mark together and remained the sole leaders in the women’s race. However, the Ethiopian runner pulled ahead in the second phase of the race, leaving Limo 10-15 seconds behind.

It was a crucial deciding factor at the end as Eyayu crossed the finish line 68:17 for the top spot, while Limo did so 10 seconds later. Mesfin clocked 69:42 for third and McColgan 69:55 to finish fourth and outside the podium.

‘I had a good race, tried to keep my pace and aimed to finish well. I am happy to have achieved it,’ Eyayu said during the post-event press conference.

Limo said she was happy to join the Delhi podium after nine years.

‘Securing second place is incredible, one that fills me with pride. The atmosphere was electric, with people lining the streets and cheering us. It’s heartwarming to see how the city comes together.

‘This experience has been truly special; the support from the spectators, their enthusiasm, and the overall energy of the event have made this return to Delhi unforgettable,’ was Limo’s reaction to the race.

The total prize purse for the Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon is USD 260,000. The podium finishers both men and women will take home USD 27,000, USD 20,000 and USD 13,000 respectively.