Delhi turns festive; Rwandan Disi wins half marathon

New Delhi, Oct 28 (UNI) Diudone Disi of Rwanda won the Vodafone Delhi Half Marathon with a meet record of 60:43 minutes even as thousands of Delhiites thronged the streets to run or cheer the athletes to lend a festive mood in the 1,60,000 dollar total prize money event today.

Alemu Deriba of Ethiopia emerged overall winner in the women's section with an effort of 70:30 min to break the title monopoly by the Kenyans in the last two editions of the event.

Disi's effort, which fetched him 20,000 dollars, was a few seconds better than 61:36 min, clocked by last year's winner Francis Kibiwott who had pulled out of the event this time due to a tendon injury.

Kenya's Issac Macharia (60:48 min) and Dickson Marwa Mkami of Tanzania (62:03 min) came second and third to pocket 12,000 and 8,000 dollars respectively.

Dickson and fourth-place finisher Mbuvi Patrick of Kenya reached the finishing line on a photo finish but the Tanzanian was declared third.

Among women, Alemu's 70:30 min effort ahead of compatriot Habtamu Atsede (70:36 min) and Alice Timbili (70:40 min) of Kenya was just a few seconds better than Irina Timofeyeva's 70:35 min in 2005.

Alembu pocketed 18,500 dollars while Habtamu and Alice were richer by 12,500 and 8,000 dollars respectively.

Among Indians, defending champion Ram Singh Yadav (66:09 min) won the race while Deep Chand Saharan (66:10 min) and Mukesh Kumar (66:12) finishing second and third respectively.

Yadav's effort was also a meet record among Indians, bettering his own 66:52 min mark last year.

Kavita Raut (78:34 min) finished first among Indian women ahead of L Preethi Rao (80:38 min) and Vaishali Chatare (81:58 min).

Raut also bettered the meet record of 81:47 min among Indians, which stood in the name of last year's winner Pampa Chanda.

The Indian winners, in both men and women, got 2,500 dollars while the second and third-place finishers pocketed 2,000 and 1,500 dollars respectively.

UNI