New Delhi : Kenya's Charles Matata shattered the men’s course record to win the elite race at the Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon (VDHM) 2026 on Sunday, clocking 58:52 to finish one second faster than the previous mark. Ethiopia’s Wudinesh Alemu claimed the women’s elite title in 1:06:35 as nearly 40,000 runners took to the streets of the national capital for the World Athletics Gold Label event.
Matata’s performance also marked a personal best, underlining his dominant run in the men’s race. Fellow Kenyans Samwel Nyamai Mailu and Stanley Waithaka Mburu finished second and third, respectively, to complete an all-Kenyan podium. In the women’s elite category, Alemu secured the top spot ahead of compatriot Selah Businei, while Kenya’s Cynthia Chelangat Chepkwony finished third. India’s Shailesh Kushwaha and Ankita Dhyani emerged as the winners in the men’s and women’s Indian elite categories, respectively. The races were flagged off by Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.
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