Delhi Half Marathon: Matata creates course record, defeats Asian Games runner

Kushwaha finished ahead of Kartik Karkera, who represented India in the men’s marathon at the 2026 Asian Games. Karkera recorded a time of 1:07:05, placing him behind the top three Indian finishers.

In the Indian elite women’s category, Ankita Dhyani claimed first place with a timing of 1:12:46. Soniya secured the second position in 1:14:56, while Bhagirathi finished third with a time of 1:15:51.

The 2026 Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon featured a total prize pool of USD 275,732. The winners of the men’s and women’s elite races were each awarded USD 27,000.

In both the Indian elite men’s and women’s categories, the top three athletes were set to receive prize money of Rs 3.5 lakh, Rs 2.5 lakh and Rs 1.5 lakh, respectively.

More than 40,000 runners and participants took part in the World Athletics Gold Label event, filling the streets of the national capital.

This year’s edition also introduced a revised course, with major events, including the Half Marathon and the Open 10K, beginning and ending at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.