New Delhi: Asian Games medallist and national record holder Gulveer Singh, and defending champion in the women’s section Lili Das, are set to lead the elite Indian field at the Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon (VDHM), scheduled to be flagged off from the JLN stadium on October 12. Promoted by Procam International, the 20th edition of the VDHM will witness over 40,000 runners from across the globe come together to soak in the vibrant colours of Delhi and celebrate the spirit of running. The world’s most prestigious half marathon boasts a prize purse of $2,60,000. To mark the 20th edition, a special performance bonus of Rs 2 lakh will be awarded to any Indian athlete who sets a new event record, along with an additional $2,000 for a sub-60 minute finish. Talking about the Indian field, the men’s race will see a high-voltage clash between Gulveer and an in-form Abhishek Pal, winner of the TCS World 10K Bengaluru 2025 and double gold medallist (men’s 5,000m and 10,000m) at the national inter-state senior athletics meet in Chennai last month. Commenting on his maiden participation, Gulveer said, “The competition here is tough and the course is great. My focus is on the half marathon national record. I am in good shape to try and break it.” Abhishek told TOI: “With Gulveer around, it will be a challenging race. My preparations are good. This season, my focus is more on track events and I haven’t done enough road racing. With the VDHM being this year’s last race day for me, I want to finish strong.”
