Long distance runner Stephen Kissa finished third at the 2020 Airtel Delhi Half Marathon in India on Sunday.
Ethiopia’s Amdework Walelegn won the race with a course record of 58.53 minutes, beating the previous best of 59.06 set by Ethiopia’s Guye Adola in 2014.
Last year’s champion Andamlak Belihu who also won the title in 2018, came second with just a second behind in a nail-biting finish.
Kissa in third, clocked 58.56 seconds at an event where Elite Marathoners started at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, ran two loops of 6km before finishing outside the stadium via the same course.
Uganda’s other participant Victor Kiplagat was 7th at 59.26, while Mathew Chekwurui and Abel Sikowo were pacemakers.
Kissa had finished 19th at a time of 1:00:34 in World Half Marathon in Poland which was won by Jacob Kiplimo while Kiplagat came 16th then.
Kissa’s third place finish and time is the best placement any Ugandan has ever achieved in Delhi.
Moses Kurong was 8th last year, Abdallah Mande came 7th in 2018 while Ezekiel Chepkorom and Moses Kipsiro finished 6th and 8th in 2016 and 2015 in that order.
In the women’s race, Yalemzerf Yehualaw of Ethiopia won in 1:04:46 in another course record time, Kenya’s Ruth Chepngetich came while Ethiopian and World Half Marathon Record Holder Ababel Yeshaneh settled for third place.
