Preparations have reached their final stretch in the national capital for the 21st edition of the prestigious Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon. Scheduled to take place on Sunday, October 18, the final roster of Indian elite runners has been officially confirmed for this World Athletics Gold Label Road Race. A total of 42 elite distance runners from across the country will compete in this marquee running event, featuring 22 men and 20 women aiming for top podium finishes.
Intense Rivalry in Men's Field with Harmanjot, Matre and Karkera
The men's category is primed for a fierce contest, highlighted by the debut of Harmanjot Singh. Having secured the Indian elite crown at the TCS World 10K Bengaluru and a silver medal at the 2026 Asian Cross Country Championships, Harmanjot brings significant credentials to the Delhi course. With a personal best of 1:01:46 set at the Alwar Tiger International Half Marathon, he enters the lineup as the fastest runner on paper and will be expected to dictate the tempo early.
However, securing victory will require overcoming last year's runner-up Kiran Matre, who clocked a personal best of 1:04:57 during the previous edition. Pushing both runners will be Dr. Kartik Karkera, the champion of the 2026 Tata Mumbai Marathon, who finished on the podium in third place at last year's Delhi race.
Comeback of Track Specialist Prince Kumar
Adding further depth to the men's field is track specialist Prince Kumar from Uttar Pradesh, who is making a competitive return to half marathon distance running after an extended hiatus. Prince demonstrated exceptional endurance and speed during the 2025 Open National Athletics Championships, where he clinched gold in both the 5,000-metre and 10,000-metre track events, making him a dark horse contender on the tarmac.
Past Champions and International Athletes Headline Women's Race
The women's division will see a battle between established champions seeking to reclaim dominance. The 2024 winner Lily Das and the 2023 champion Kavita Yadav are back on the starting line to challenge each other for another crown. Standing in their way is steeplechase specialist Ankita Dhyani, who has represented India on the grandest stages of track and field, including the Olympic Games and the World Championships. Dhyani marked her half marathon debut in 2025 with an impressive fifth-place finish.
The competition is further elevated by Priti Lamba, the bronze medalist from the 2023 Asian Games, who will be striving to convert her international middle-distance endurance into a podium finish in Delhi.
Introduction of 'Pride' Incentive Framework and Elite Records
Organizers have introduced 'Pride' for this year's edition, a performance-driven reward framework structured to honor, incentivize, and elevate elite long-distance running within the nation. Under this prize purse structure, the top three finishers in both the men's and women's elite categories will be awarded prize money of Rs 3.50 lakh, Rs 2.50 lakh, and Rs 1.50 lakh respectively.
Additionally, an extra incentive of Rs 1 lakh will be awarded to any athlete who sets a new Indian elite course record. The current benchmark in the men's category belongs to Avinash Sable, who logged an exceptional time of 60:30 in 2020. In the women's category, the elite record has remained unbroken since 2017, when L. Suriya registered an impressive time of 70:31.
