Season world leader Tsegay to take part in Delhi Half Marathon

New Delhi: The season`s world leader half marathoner Atsedu Tsegay of Ethiopia will take part in the Airtel Delhi Half Marathon to be held here on September 30, with the aim to lower the world record.

The 21-year-old Tsegay clocked 58.47 while winning the Prague half marathon in March, his attempt at the world record thwarted by the windy conditions there. However, a 6:30 am start in New Delhi and the flat course should give Tsegay perfect conditions to attempt to lower the world record that stands at 58.23, set by Zersenay Tadese of Eritrea in 2010. Tsegay will lead a talented field of fellow Ethiopians, among them defending champion Lelisa Desisa and course record holder Deriba Merga, who will be engaged in an exciting battle for supremacy with a super fast athletes field from Kenya. The eighth edition of the one of the world`s most prestigious half marathons will be flagged off from Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium. Besides a total prize money purse of USD 210,000, the Airtel Delhi Half Marathon will also offer a bonus of USD 25000 for a new world record and USD 10000 for a new course record. The Ethiopians and Kenyans lead a powerful field of men`s athletes, with representation also from Morocco, Tanzania, South Africa and Bahrain will 11 athletes have personal bests of sub-60 minutes. Desisa, who has a personal best of 59.30 and would be running his first half marathon this year, will also be attempting to lower the world record. Merga, two-time past winner of the event, holds the course record of 59.15, set in 2009, and on current form, which saw him clock 59.48 while finishing second in the New York City Half Marathon recently, is also one of the contenders for the top spots. PTI