Disi eyes New Delhi half marathon glory

AFTER a positive display on the European athletic-event-circuit last month that culminated in a second place finish in the Marseille-Cassis title last weekend, Rwanda’s long distance ace Dieudonne Disi has switched focus to the 4th edition of the New Delhi half marathon due in India on November 9. On October 26, Disi participated in the Marseille-Cassis International Classic, an IAAF Silver Label Road Race, and he clocked 1:00:16 to finish in second position winning his first silver medal this year. Disi has now strengthened his preparations to redeem himself by defending the New Delhi half marathon title whose top cash prize has been hiked from $20,000 to $50,000. Disi, the best Rwandan performer of the field at Half-Marathon with a 59:32 career best told Sunday Sport in e-mail yesterday that nothing will stop him from winning again the New Delhi half marathon. Disi, who has run marginally faster with 59:23, is expected to face serious challenge again from Kenyans Chebet, Kiplagat, Uganda’s Kosgei and Tanzanian Shauri among other top class athletes. A sixth place finisher at World Half Marathon Championships in 2007 and 2008, Disi 30, claimed an impressive collection of victories with a success in New Delhi and two successive wins in Reims during the last couple of years. Ends