Daniel Simiu Ebenyo, Sutume Asefa Kebede win in Men's and Women's 25K 2023 Marathon in Kolkata

Kenya's Daniel clocked 01:11:13 to make his place in the top place. Meanwhile, Victor Kipruto Togom bagged the silver medal with 01:12:26 time. Ethiopia's Tesfaye Demeke won the bronze medal in the Men's 25K race with 01:13:36.

Sutume clocked 01:18:47 to win the gold in the Women's 25K race. Her teammate Yalemzerf Yehualaw had to settle for silver at 01:19:26. Meanwhile, Kenya's Betty Chepkemoi Kibet won third place at 01:21:43.

"Missed the world record for three seconds. My goal is to go back to Kenya and prepare. I dedicate this win to my girlfriend who graduated yesterday. Work hard, pray to god, and sacrifice for yourself, and hard work to achieve success. I will be participating in the Paris Olympics 10000 m marathon," Daniel Simiu Ebenyo from Kenya told ANI.

"The race was very good. I prepared myself well for the marathon race. It's been a very nice race for me that's why I won the race. In the last 25K marathon, I dropped out and couldn't finish," Sutume Asefa Kebede from Ethiopia told ANI.

Earlier in the day, the eighth edition of the 25K Marathon flagged off in Kolkata with the presence of West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose, Lt General R P Kalita and other dignitaries like Brig R K Singh, Principal Secretary Rajesh Kumar Sinha, Olympic medalist Colin Jackson, Tata Steel Vice President Chanakya Choudhary, WB Fire Minister Sujit Bose, and TMC MLA Debasish Kumar.

The 25K marathon is supported by the Government of West Bengal, the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, the Government of India, the Indian Army - Eastern Command and Bengal Sub-Area, Kolkata Municipal Corporation, and the Kolkata Police. The event will be conducted under the auspices of the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) and the aegis of the West Bengal Athletics Association (WBAA) and certified by the Association of International Marathons and Distance Races (AIMS). (ANI)