Simiu dedicates Tata Steel Kolkata victory to girlfriend

World Road Running Championships Half Marathon silver medalist Daniel Ebenyo Simiu has dedicated his recent triumph to the woman who has been his pillar of support and inspiration: his beloved girlfriend.

Ebenyo outclassed a strong contingent to win the Tata Steel Kolkata 25K, a World Athletics Elite Label road race, on Sunday, December 17.

The youngster won the race in 1:11:13 to miss the world mark by three seconds. He finished ahead of fellow Kenyan Victor Togom who ran under 1:12:26, while Ethiopian Tesfaye Demeke crossed the mark in 1:13:36 to complete the podium.

Without mentioning her name, Ebenyo expressed his deepest gratitude, acknowledging her unwavering support throughout his journey to victory.

“With God’s grace, I was able to do something special here to break the course record. I thank the authorities for inviting me here. I dedicate this win to my girlfriend, whose support and encouragement helped me reach where I am today,” Simiu said after the race.

The win was a bittersweet one for Simiu despite winning, the race fell short of the world half-marathon by only seconds. He has vowed to go for it.

“My focus now is to set a world half-marathon record very soon. I did not know I would run this well in Kolkata. It has been through the grace of God,” said Ebenyo, the world 10,000-meter silver medalist.

“I could have set the world record if I had managed to navigate the sharp corners with ease. This slowed me down but I am promising to break that record when I return here in the future."

Ebenyo further noted that his attempt to set a 25-kilometer record was hampered by the course's sharp turns, but he will be keen to apply the lessons learned to better his best.

Earlier this year, Ebenyo secured two silver medals from the World Championships in Budapest (10,000m) and the World Road Running Championships in Riga (half marathon).

Ethiopian Sutume Kebede won the women's race in 1:18:47, ahead of compatriot Yelmzerf Yehualaw (1:19:26) and Kenyan Betty Kibet (1:21:43).

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