Delhi Half Marathon

1. Merga Deriba    (ETH) 59:15
2. Wilson Kipsang  (KEN) 59:16
3. Wilson Chebet   (KEN) 59:34
6. Dieudonne Disi (RWA) 1:01:47

Olympian Dieudonne Disi failed to defend his Delhi Half Marathon title after finishing sixth in a race that was dominated by Ethiopians and Kenyans.

Disi clocked one hour, one minute and forty seven seconds, 86 seconds off the pace.

Ethiopia’s Deriba Merga set the course a blaze, clocking 59.14 minutes to set a new meet record and emerge as the fastest half marathon athlete while Kenya’s pair of Wilson Kipsang and Wilson Chebet finished second and third after clocking 59.16 and 59.34 respectively.

Deriba bagged $25,000 worth of prize money while Kipsang and Chebet settled for $15,000 and $10,000 respectively.

Ethiopia’s Aselefech Mergia beat off a stiff challenge from Genet Getenet to claim gold in the ladies’ category.

Mergia clocked 68.17 beating Getenet by one second. Kenya’s Peninah Arusei finished third.

Disi is having a tough time on the international scene. Back in August, the national ace could only manage a 19th spot finish in the 10.000m of the Beijing Olympic Games which were held in China.

Ethiopia’s Kenenisa Bekele won the race.

Disi is now expected to switch his focus to next month’s half marathon races in Nigeria and Cote d’Ivoire.

Ends