New Delhi, Oct 11 (NationPress) The momentous 20th edition of the Delhi Half Marathon will be ceremoniously inaugurated by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena, as more than 40,500 participants hit the streets for Asia's foremost road race. This globally acclaimed half-marathon will commence from the iconic Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on Sunday.

With an impressive total prize pool of USD 260,000, some of the world’s top international and Indian elite runners will be competing. Moreover, athletes who break the event record of 58 minutes and 53 seconds (set by Ethiopia's Amedework Walelegn) will receive a bonus, alongside an additional USD 2,000 for finishing under 60 minutes.

For Indian competitors, a reward of Rs 2 lakh awaits any runner who establishes a new event record, currently at 1 hour and 30 seconds (held by Avinash Sable).

This year marks a proud first, as all three Defence Forces will participate in the Half Marathon category, with senior officers like Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh (Air Force), Lt Gen Rahul R Singh (Army), and Vice Admiral LS Pathania (Navy) joining in.

The Chief of Defence Staff, Gen Anil Chauhan, will also attend the event. Additionally, Jammu & Kashmir Chief Minister Shri Omar Abdullah will participate in the Half Marathon with his sons, who will run the 10K category.

Excitingly, Olympic icon Carl Lewis, the International Event Ambassador, will be present to encourage participants during this landmark event.

He will be accompanied by Olympic bronze medallist Sarabjot Singh and Commonwealth Games bronze winner Tejasvin Shankar.

The Indian elite line-up features Gulveer Singh, an Asian Champion and multiple national record holder, along with Abhishek Pal and Kiran Matre. Lili Das will return to defend her title, facing competition from Sanjivani Jadhav and Ankita Dhyani.

The international elite field at the Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon 2025 includes renowned champions. Benard Biwott, winner of the 2025 Paris Marathon, headlines the men’s category, alongside Olympic 5000m silver medallist Ronald Kwemoi, who is making his half-marathon debut.

In the women's race, defending champion Alemaddis Eyayu seeks back-to-back titles, joined by Kenyan Lilian Rengeruk, a world cross-country medallist and Olympic finalist, promising another thrilling contest.

The Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon remains a celebration of community spirit, featuring diverse categories: The Half Marathon, Open 10K, Great Delhi Run, Senior Citizens Run, and the Champions with Disability (with Buddy) Run.

Race Day will kick off with the Half Marathon (21.097 km) and the Police Cup at 5:00 a.m. from the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium. The Elite Athlete Men and Women Half Marathon will follow at 6:50 a.m., with the Champions with Disability and Senior Citizens’ Run (2.5 km) starting at 7:00 a.m. The Open 10K Run will commence at 7:30 a.m. from Sansad Marg, leading into the Great Delhi Run (4.5 km) at 9:00 a.m.

Notably, nearly 10,000 women will participate this year, a remarkable increase from the inaugural edition that featured about 85 women, showcasing the event's impact on inclusion and progress over two decades.

The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation will provide complimentary metro travel on Race Day for all registered runners, with services starting at 3:15 a.m. on the Red (Line 1), Yellow (Line 2), Blue (Line 3/4), and Violet (Line 6) corridors on Sunday, ensuring convenient access for participants citywide.

The Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon will be broadcast live on Sony Sports 1 & Sony Sports 1 HD on October 12 from 6:15 a.m. onwards.