Cheptegei, the double Olympic champion, stamped his authority early, dictating the pace from the flag-off and never relinquishing control. He crossed the line in 1:11:49 to win his maiden title, finishing ahead of Tanzania\u2019s Alphonce Felix Siumbu (1:11:56) and Lesotho\u2019s Tebello Ramakongoana (1:11:59) in a tightly contested podium finish. Though he fell short of the course record of 1:11:13 set by Daniel Simiu Ebenyo in 2023, Cheptegei\u2019s composed and commanding run reaffirmed his stranglehold over the event. For a major part of the race, the trio kept in a close pack with nothing separating them at the 15 km or 20 km mark. But Joshua, at par with others at 01:00:49 at the 21.1 km half-marathon distance, pulled away the last four kilometres to leave his stamp on the course.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Joshua Cheptegei said, \u201cWinning mattered more than the record for me. Coming back to Kolkata and winning is special for me. I have won in Bangalore, and this was a big race with world-class athletes. This victory gives me confidence and positivity as I prepare for my next marathon.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
In the international elite women\u2019s race, Ethiopia\u2019s Degitu Azimeraw produced a clinical performance to dethrone defending champion Sutume Asefa Kebede. Running the Kolkata course for the third time, Azimeraw, the winner here in 2017 and a fourth-placer a year later, broke away decisively and led from start to finish, clocking 1:19:36. Sutume settled for second in 1:20:28, while Meselech Alemayehu completed an Ethiopian clean sweep in 1:20:48. Despite Azimeraw\u2019s victory, the course record remained with Sutume. In the women\u2019s race, Degitu showed her intention to grab the course by its scruff and control it from the minute they flagged off. She always led the pack at the 10, 15 and 20 km marks by a good few seconds, but that turned into a minute\u2019s difference by the 22 km mark, and when she won the race, she was a good 500 mts ahead of her closest competitor.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
After the race, Degitu said, \u201cIt wasn't the plan before for me. It was a little crazy. My legs were a little stiff, so I just focused on going strong. But after 10km, my legs got better, and then I continued to build my race and speed, and with that, I won. I am very happy.\"<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The Indian elite races, however, provided the most compelling narratives of the day. Gulveer Singh delivered a statement run of rare authority, slicing more than two minutes off his own Indian course record. With smooth, fluid strides, Gulveer surged to the front of the Indian pack early, briefly mixing it with the international elite before powering home in 1:12:06. He eclipsed the previous mark of 1:14:10, set by himself in 2024, underlining the remarkable progress he has made over the past two seasons. Harmanjot Singh (1:15:11) and Sawan Barwal (1:15:25) followed him onto the podium. Gulveer ran the race on a different level from the beginning. He always had a minute over his closest competitor from the 15 km mark; it steadily progressed to a difference of two minutes, and by the time he crossed the 21.1 km mark, he was at 01:00:58, to Harmanjot\u2019s 01:03:17.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Talking about the win, the Asian long-distance double gold medallist Gulveer Singh said, \u201cRecords aren\u2019t created just like that. They come from consistency. With strong support, dedicated coaches, and relentless training, the only goal is to be better than yesterday. I don\u2019t believe in fixing ceilings for myself. Diet, workout, and rest is all I do. Nothing else matters. Progress takes time. There are no shortcuts. India is rising, step by step, race by race. The journey is long, and I\u2019m just getting started.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The Indian elite races, however, provided the most compelling narratives of the day. Gulveer Singh delivered a statement run of rare authority, slicing more than two minutes off his own Indian course record. With smooth, fluid strides, Gulveer surged to the front of the Indian pack early, briefly mixing it with the international elite before powering home in 1:12:06. He eclipsed the previous mark of 1:14:10, set by himself in 2024, underlining the remarkable progress he has made over the past two seasons. Harmanjot Singh (1:15:11) and Sawan Barwal (1:15:25) followed him onto the podium. Gulveer ran the race on a different level from the beginning. He always had a minute over his closest competitor from the 15 km mark; it steadily progressed to a difference of two minutes, and by the time he crossed the 21.1 km mark, he was at 01:00:58, to Harmanjot\u2019s 01:03:17.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Talking about the race, Seema said, \u201cThe course route has been changed, and it has now become a more challenging course. But I had come here with the mindset of winning. I am very happy to have been able to set the course record here, but had the course been like it was previously, I think I could have done better. To win needs a lot of discipline and sacrifice, and as an athlete, I have been doing it. Now my target is to qualify for the Asian and Commonwealth Games next year.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n