NEW DELHI: Ethiopian Tsehay Gemechu, who recently made history at the Copenhagen Half Marathon breaking the course record at the World Athletics Elite Label Road Race with a timing of 1:05:08, has said that the Airtel Delhi Half Marathon (ADHM) played a major contributing role in her success in international long-distance running events over the last few years.
Gemechu, the ADHM champion in 2018 and 2019, has credited the ADHM for instilling belief in her abilities and boosting her confidence.
Gemechu first broke onto the ADHM scene in 2018. The Ethiopian smashed the course record on her debut with a timing of 1:06:50 and then bettered the mark in the next year with a timing of 1:06:00. Her stunning performances in the ADHM have certainly laid the foundation for her to achieve many other feats on the international stage in the last few years.
Speaking about her victory at the Copenhagen Half Marathon, Gemechu, 22, said, “It was amazing to break the course record at the Copenhagen Half Marathon (on September 19). It was really special to shave off 52 seconds from my previous best timing. Running regularly in big events has certainly helped me to be consistent in all the international events. Doing well in races such as the Airtel Delhi Half Marathon has given me a huge boost of confidence and belief in myself. I always look forward to races such as the one held in Delhi each year."
Another ADHM champion in the men’s event and course record holder in 2020, Amedework Walelegn, also emerged victorious at the Copenhagen meet. The Ethiopian recorded a timing of 59:10 and credited the ADHM for his success on the international circuit.
Earlier in August 2021, the ADHM women’s champion in 2020, Ethiopia's Yalemzerf Yehualaw, broke the women's half marathon world record at the Antrim Coast event in Northern Ireland. Yehualaw recorded a timing of 1:03:43, bettering the previous record by 19 seconds. Yehualaw had also broken the course record at the ADHM last year with a timing of 1:04:46.
Speaking about the brilliant performances by the ADHM champions in recent months, Vivek Singh, joint MD Procam International said, “It’s absolutely fantastic to see our Delhi winners set world records in long-distance running. They have been an inspiration for athletes across disciplines and they keep finding ways to better themselves with each race. It’s an honour and privilege for Procam to host the best runners in Delhi each year and provide them a platform from where they can scale greater heights."
