Charles Matata Smashes Delhi Half Marathon Course Record, Wudinesh Alemu Wins Women’s Race

Kenya’s Charles Matata produced a record-breaking performance to win the men’s elite title at the Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon 2026, while Ethiopia’s Wudinesh Alemu claimed the women’s crown as nearly 40,000 participants turned the national capital into a celebration of distance running on Sunday.

Matata completed the 21.097-km race in 58 minutes and 52 seconds, breaking the previous course record of 58:53 set by Ethiopia’s Amedework Walelegn in 2020 by one second. The 29-year-old also improved his personal best of 59:15, recorded at the Riga Half Marathon in May.

Despite challenging conditions, with humidity hovering around 90 per cent and temperatures near 21 degrees Celsius, Matata delivered a remarkable run.

“I came to Delhi well prepared, having maintained my fitness,” he said, adding that favourable weather and his familiarity with the course helped him achieve the record.

Matata earned USD 27,000 as the winner, along with an additional USD 12,000 for breaking the course record. Kenya completed a clean sweep of the men’s podium, with Samwel Nyamai Mailu finishing second in 59:24 and Stanley Waithaka Mburu third in 59:33.

In the women’s elite race, Alemu clocked 1:06:35 to secure the title. Kenya’s Selah Businei (1:07:01) and Cynthia Chelangat Chepkwony (1:07:32) finished second and third. Alemu said she had improved her personal best by almost two minutes despite competing in only her second international half marathon.

India’s Shailesh Kushwaha won the men’s elite category in 1:05:05, narrowly beating Gaurav Mathur (1:05:11) and Hemant Kumar (1:05:37).

In the women’s Indian elite category, Ankita Dhyani triumphed in 1:12:46, ahead of Soniya (1:14:56) and Bhagirathi (1:15:51).

The World Athletics Gold Label event offered a total prize purse of USD 275,732. Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah also participated in the race, while Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta flagged off the Great Delhi Run.