Ethiopian Yehualaw and 2023 Okpekpe race 10k winner, Ebenyo to make headline debuts at the Tata Steel Kolkata 25K 2023
One of India’s biggest running festivals and the World Athletics Elite Label Road Race, the Tata Steel Kolkata 25K, will be headlined by 10K world record-holder Ethiopian Yalemzerf Yehualaw in the women’s category and two-time world championship silver medallist Kenyan Daniel Simiyu Ebenyo in the men’s category.
#AamarKolkataAamarRun will witness some of the world’s best athletes take centre stage at the US $100,000 prize money race on December 17, 2023..
With equal prize money for the men and women winners, the first three in each race stand to win $7500, $5000 and $3500. The International Elite runners will be further incentivised by an Event Record Bonus of US $3,000.
The current event record, in the Men’s category, stands in the name of Kenya’s Leonard Barsoton with a timing of 1:12:49 and the Women’s record in the name of Bahrain’s Desi Jisa with a timing of 1:21:04.
Yehualaw is the leading lady to watch among the women runners. She also sits second on the world all-time list at the half marathon with a time of 1:03:51 set in 2021.
Yehualaw broke the world 10km record in the Castellón 10K, clocking 29:14 at the World Athletics Label Road race held in the Spanish coastal city, last year.
In doing so, the world half marathon bronze medalist improved the ratified record of 29:43 by Joyciline Jepkosgei and the yet-to-be-ratified mark of 29:38 set by Bahrain’s Kalkidan Gezahegne.
She also became the first woman in history to dip under the 29:30 and 29:20 barriers on the roads.
Yehualaw took her first victory in a World Marathon Major at the 2022 London Marathon, becoming the youngest-ever female winner of the event.
“I’m happy to run in India once again. My experiences so far have been amazing, and I hope to add another great experience in Kolkata at TSK 25K.
‘I am coming to Kolkata to run fast and I look forward towards the race on December 17th” said Yehualaw about her participation in TSK 25K.
Kenya’s Ebenyo won two world championship silver medals this year, firstly at 10,000m in Budapest last August, and then at a half marathon in Riga at the inaugural World Road Running Championships.
His Kolkata appearance will be his debut at the 25K distance.
The 27 year old ran a new 28:28 course record to win the men’s title at the 2023 Okpekpe international 10km road race.
