Double Olympic and triple world champion among 23000 runners for Kolkata event

Kolkata, Dec 9 (PTI) The 10th Tata Steel World 25K Kolkata will witness over 23,000 runners from across the world with double Olympic and triple world champion Joshua Cheptegei headlining the event.

Uganda's Cheptegei and women's defending champion Sutume Asefa Kebede will race to better world standings in the World Athletics Gold Label Road Race here on December 21.

Even promoter Procam International has this time announced a USD 25,000 bonus for any athlete who shatters the world record of 1:11:08. The race carries a total prize purse of USD 142,214 with equal offering for the men's and women's winners.

The top three winners stand to win USD 15000, USD 10000, and USD 7000, respectively. The runners will be further incentivised by an event record bonus of USD 5,000.

Cheptegei (29), won three consecutive world titles in 10,000m, had four world records to his credit, including the 5K and 10K on roads.

A winner of last year's Delhi Half Marathon and this year's TCS World 10K at Bengaluru, the Ugandan whose 5000 and 10000 world records still stands, revealed his interest in making a debut at 25K in Kolkata.

Another important entrant in the men's list will be Alphonce Felix Simbu from Tanzania. Simbu, who earned a thrilling victory in the World Championships Marathon in Tokyo in September, is all set to give Cheptegei a run for his money in Kolkata.

There are two more important names from the African continent popping up among the men's rosters. Ethiopian Haymanot Alew, who narrowly missed the podium in Kolkata during the 2023 race, will join hands with Lesotho's Tebello Ramakongoana, a runner-up in Xianmen Marathon earlier this year.

Ethiopian star Sutume Asefa Kebede, who first set the world record for 25K in 2015 at Berlin and conquered the Kolkata roads with yet another record time in 2023, is all set to come back for a hat-trick here.

Her teammate and the 2017 winner in Kolkata, Degitu Azimeraw, is ready to topple her at the top of the table this time.

Ugandan Olympic finalist Sarah Chelangat and Agnes Keino from Kenya will challenge the Ethiopian women for the top spot. PTI AH BS BS