"Quite surprised by the way everything turned out": Gurpreet Singh Sandhu on Delhi Half-Marathon 2024

New Delhi [India], October 20 : Indian football team goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu expressed his delight and surprise at the overwhelming participation in the Delhi Half-Marathon 2024 on Sunday.
Reflecting on the event, he said, "I am quite surprised by the way everything turned out to be. I was so happy to be here. It's so good to see so many people coming here, participating actively, and letting go of the lazy Sunday feeling."
Sandhu highlighted the significance of such events in promoting well-being and community engagement.
"This is a testament that if such events are organised, people will show up for their well-being and also enjoy the run," he added while speaking to ANI, emphasizing the positive impact of the marathon on the participants and the community.
Transitioning from the excitement of the marathon to his professional commitments, Sandhu shared insights on Bengaluru FC's current Indian Super League (ISL) campaign.
"It's going good for us, it's only been five games, we are taking one game at a time," he remarked, indicating the team's cautious yet optimistic approach.
Reflecting on the previous season's challenges, Sandhu expressed a strong desire for improvement.
"Hopefully we get the desired results, that's what we want. We did not do well in the past, last year in the ISL, this time we want to do well," he stated, underlining the team's determination to make a mark this season.
Looking forward to international fixtures, Sandhu mentioned the upcoming game against Malaysia, set to take place at home next month.
"I think the next game is with Malaysia at our home ground next month. We will try to win and gain some experience," he said, highlighting the importance of the match for the national team's progress and development.
At the Delhi Half Marathon, Olympian Joshua Cheptegei emerged victorious in the men's race, while Alemaddis Eyayu shocked pre-race favourite Cynthia Limo to claim the women's title at the Delhi Half Marathon, a World Athletics Gold Label Road Race, held in the Indian capital.
Kenyan runner Alex Matata, 27, led much of the men's race alongside teammate Nicholas Kipkorir, who was competing in his first international half marathon. Kipkorir, a bronze medallist in last year's 5 km World Championships, stayed close to Matata, who had been unbeaten in three European races earlier this year, including two sub-60-minute finishes. The competition was fierce, with high expectations for a fast finish.
Matata held his lead until the runners approached the finish line at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, where the race had begun less than an hour earlier. However, Cheptegei, who had been trailing closely, seized his chance in the final moments, overtaking Matata to claim victory in 59 minutes 46 seconds. Matata finished second in 59:53, while Kipkorir completed the podium with a time of 59:59.
Known for its fast course, the Delhi Half Marathon once again delivered impressive performances. Ethiopian Deriba Merga was the first to break the 60-minute barrier at the event in 2008 when all the podium finishers finished within the hour. This record has been matched several times since, including in 2014, when a record nine runners finished in under 60 minutes.
Ethiopian runner Muktar Edris, a former world champion and another pre-race favourite, finished fifth with a time of 1:00:52, while Alphonce Simbu of Tanzania took fourth place, clocking 1:00:40.
In the women's race, Alemaddis Eyayu extended Ethiopia's dominance at the event, beating pre-race favourite Cynthia Limo of Kenya. Limo, who had won the title in 2015, led from the start, with Scotland's Commonwealth champion Eilish McColgan trailing behind. McColgan had the fastest pre-race time among the elite women, but Eyayu and fellow Ethiopian Tiruye Mesfin stayed close to Limo throughout the race.
Eyayu and Limo passed the 10 km mark together, but Eyayu took the lead in the second half, opening a 10-15 second gap that proved decisive. She crossed the finish line in 68 minutes 17 seconds, with Limo finishing 10 seconds later. Mesfin finished third with a time of 69:42, while McColgan came fourth in 69:55.
In the Indian Elite Men's category, Sawan Barwal secured gold after finishing on the podium for the second consecutive year. With a personal best time of 1:02:46, Barwal outpaced Puneet Yadav, while Kiran Matre took third place. Barwal, who won bronze in 2023, trailed Puneet at the 10 km mark but surged ahead in the final stages, ultimately finishing with a gap of over a minute.
In the Indian Elite Women's category, Lili Das made a dream debut, winning gold with a time of 1:18:12. Last year's winner, Kavita Yadav, finished second with a time of 1:19:44, securing a top-three finish for the second year in a row, while Asian Games bronze medallist Priti Lamba came third, finishing in 1:20:21.
Lili, who had been in ninth place at the 10 km mark, made a strong push to take the lead by the 15th kilometre, ultimately winning by a margin of 1 minute and 32 seconds.