Ebenyo and Kebede return to defend their Tata Steel World 25K crown World’s best line-up of champions to vie for the finish line in Kolkata/India

KOLKATA (India) – 3rd December 2024: Defending champions Daniel Ebenyo (Kenya) and Sutume Kebede (Ethiopia) will return to defend their titles in the world’s first World Gold Label 25 K Race, Tata Steel World 25K Kolkata, which is scheduled on Sunday, 15 December.

The current event record in the Men’s category is also held by Daniel Ebenyo, with a timing
of 1:11:13, and the Women’s record is held by Sutume Kebede, with a timing of 1:18:47.
#AamarKolkataShonarKolkata will witness some of the world’s best athletes take centre
stage at the US $142,214 prize money race. With equal prize money for the men and women
winners, the top three winners each stand to win $15000, $10000, and $7000, respectively.
The runners will be further incentivised by an Event Record Bonus of US $5,000.

The women’s line-up for 2024 also includes Desi Jisa from Bahrain, who won the 2022
edition here. Jisa was part of the Bahraini team that took a bronze medal in the World Cross-
country Championships in 2017 and placed second in the recent Doha (2023) and Seoul
(2024) marathons.

„I am always eager to run again in Kolkata and am happy to be part of the Tata Steel World
25K in 2024,“ said Jisa, returning here after a year’s absence.

past champion in Kolkata (2017), Degitu Azimeraw, hails from Jisa’s native nation,
Ethiopia. Earlier this year, she won the Barcelona Marathon, clocking 2:19:52. She made
an incredible comeback to place sixth in the recent edition of the Chicago Marathon in
October after a baby pause, and she will be another notable runner to watch in Kolkata. Her
country-mate Alemaddis Eyayu, the winner in this year’s Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon, is
making her debut in 25K.

Kenyan Viola Chepngeno, who finished third in Delhi last year, and Ethiopia’s cross-country
World bronze medalist Shintayehu Lewetegn confirmed their entries.
Early this year, Kebede improved her personal bests in the half marathon (1:04:37) and
marathon (2:15:55) to take initial world leads in both events in 2024. It set the tone for faster
timing and a keen contest among women runners.

Daniel Ebenyo is aiming to better his timing (1:11:13) from last year, which was just 5 seconds
slower than his country-mate Eliud Kipchoge’s 1:11:08, recorded while setting the World
Record 2:01:09 in the Berlin Marathon two years ago, to become the absolute owner of the
25K best.

„The Kolkata roads are fast, and conditions are ideal; it is a perfect opportunity for me to
defend my title and better my timing.“ the reigning champion Daniel Ebenyo revealed while
confirming his entry for 2024.

Kenya’s Benson Kipruto and Haymanot Alew of Ethiopia will make the men’s field
attractive. Earlier this year, Kipruto won the Tokyo Marathon with a season-leading time of
2:02:16. While doing so, he was officially timed 1:11:39 at 25K. He went on to win the bronze
medal in the Paris Olympics this summer.

Alew finished just outside the podium in Kolkata last year but was lucky to compensate for it
after a month with a second-place finish in the Tata Mumbai Marathon. The presence of
Kipruto and Alew alongside Ebenyo is already suggesting a great race in Bengal’s capital in
mid-December, and anticipation is high for some remarkable performances.

 

Sutume Kebede (Ethiopia) will return to defend her title – Photo: Procam International

Two other notable entries in the men’s section are Stephen Kissa and Diriba Girma. Kissa,
the Ugandan, finished fifth in the World Championships Marathon in Budapest last
year. Diriba (21), the younger brother of multiple world championship medalist Lamecha
Girma, is expecting a big break on his entry into the road running circuit.

Speaking about the immensely competitive international athlete line-up in the elite category,
Vivek Singh, Joint MD, Procam International, said, „The return of the defending champions
and course record holders, Ebenyo and Kebede, augurs well for the world’s first, World
Athletics Gold Label 25K race It underscores the event’s growing global stature.
Amateur registrations, across categories have soared as well to new highs, bearing testimony
to the widespread popularity of the event.

We wish all participants the very best as they prepare to go the distance on Sunday, December
15th.

Over 20,000 amateurs from India and around the world will participate in the ninth edition of
the Tata Steel World 25K Kolkata.

Elite Field for the Tata Steel World 25K Kolkata 2024

MEN
1. Daniel Ebenyo (KEN/1995) (25KM PB 1:11:13)
2. Benson Kipruto (KEN/1991) (HM PB 60.06)
3. Stephen Kissa (UGA/1988) (HM PB 58:56)
4. Haymanot Alew (ETH/1997) 1:13:44
5. Bravin Kiptoo (KEN/2001) (HM PB 59:37)
6. Samuel Kibet (UGA/2001) (HM PB 60:50)
7. Dejene Hailu (ETH/2003) (HM PB 61:16)
8. Teka Assefa (ETH) (HM PB 61:47)
9. Anthony Kipchirchir (KEN/2001) (HM PB 62:02)
10. Diriba Girma (ETH/2003) Debut
11. Alazar Tefera (ETH/2004) Debut
12. Asbel Rutto (KEN/2002) Debut
13. Bernard Cheptoch (UGA/1992) Debut
14. Emmanuel Kibet (UGA/2004) (PACER)
15. Rodgers Murei (KEN/2002) (PACER)

WOMEN
1. Sutume Kebede (ETH/1999) (25KM PB 1:18:47)
2. Degitu Azimeraw (ETH/1999) (HM PB 66:07)
3. Desi Jisa (BRN/1997) (25KM PB 1:21:04)
4. Viola Chepngeno (KEN/2000) (HM PB 66:43)
5. Alemaddis Eyayu (ETH/1999) (HM PB 67:04)
6. Meseret Dinke (ETH/1996) (HM PB 69:53)
7. Annet Chelangat (UGA/1993) (HM PB 70:16)
8. Sintayehu Lewetegn (ETH/1996) (HM PB 70:23)
9. Misgane Alemayehu (ETH/2004) Debut
10. Thomas Higgs (GBR/1996) (PACER)
11. Abrham Kebede (ETH/1997) (PACER)

For more details, please contact Procam International
Neha Kandalgaonkar / Deepak M Pilankar
neha@procam.in/ deepak@procam.in
Carpe Diem Communique Pvt. Ltd
Dolon Dasbhaumik 9874272071 /Moumita Biswas 8777866266
For more information about the Tata Steel World 25K Kolkata, log on
https://www.instagram.com/tsw25k/
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https://x.com/tsw25k

ABOUT TATA STEEL
Tata Steel Group is among the top global steel companies with an annual crude steel capacity of 35
million tonnes per annum. It is one of the world’s most geographically diversified steel producers,
with operations and commercial presence across the world. The group recorded a consolidated
turnover of around US$27.7 billion in the financial year ending March 31, 2024.

A Great Place to Work-CertifiedTM organisation, Tata Steel Limited, together with its subsidiaries,
associates, and joint ventures, is spread across five continents with an employee base of over
78,000. Tata Steel has announced its major sustainability objectives including Net Zero by 2045.
The Company has been on a multi-year digital-enabled business transformation journey intending
to be the leader in ‘Digital Steel making’. The Company has received the World Economic Forum’s
Global Lighthouse recognition for its Jamshedpur, Kalinganagar, and IJmuiden Plants. Tata Steel
has also been recognised with the ‘Digital Enterprise of India – Steel’ Award 2024 by Economic

Times CIO.
Tata Steel aspires to have a 20% diverse workforce by 2025. The Company has been recognised
with the World Economic Forum’s Global Diversity Equity & Inclusion Lighthouse 2023. The
Company has been a part of the DJSI Emerging Markets Index since 2012 and has been consistently
ranked among the top 10 steel companies in the DJSI Corporate Sustainability Assessment since
2016. Tata Steel’s Jamshedpur Plant is India’s first site to receive ResponsibleSteelTM Certification.
Subsequently, its Kalinganagar and Meramandali plants have also received the certification. In India,
Tata Steel now has more than 90% of its steel production from ResponsibleSteelTM certified sites.
Received Prime Minister’s Trophy for the best performing integrated steel plant for 2016-17, 2024
Steel Sustainability Champion recognition from worldsteel for seven years in a row, 2023 Climate
Change Leadership Award by CDP, Top performer in Iron and Steel sector in Dun & Bradstreet’s
India’s top 500 companies 2022, Ranked as the 2024 most valuable Mining and Metals brand in
India by Brand Finance, ‘Most Ethical Company’ award 2021 from Ethisphere Institute, and ‘Best
Corporate for Promotion of Sports’ recognition at the Sportstar Aces Awards 2024. Received the
2023 Global ERM (Enterprise Risk Management) Award of Distinction at the RIMS ERM Conference
2023, ‘Masters of Risk’ – Metals & Mining Sector recognition at The India Risk Management Awards
for the eighth consecutive year, and ICSI Business Responsibility and Sustainability Award 2023 for
its first Business Responsibility and Sustainability Report (BRSR), Excellence in Financial Reporting
FY20 from ICAI, among several others.
Photographs: Management and Plant facilities | Logos: Files and usage guidelines
Website: www.tatasteel.com
Follow us on: Tata Steel | @TataSteeLtd | Tata Steel | Tata Steel |
tatasteelltd

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IDFC FIRST Bank is a new age Universal Bank in India built on the foundations of Ethical Banking,
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As part of the Bank’s ethical banking approach, it applies a „Near and Dear“ Test to its products,
so that the employees of the Bank serve only such products they’d want for their own loved ones. It
believes income earned unethically is not worth earning.
Therefore, the Bank avoids complicated descriptions, calculations, and legalese that customers don’t
understand. It abolished all charges on Savings Accounts including for Debit Cards, IMPS, RTGS,
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duplicate statement, and all such services that are usually charged in the market. It follows the
principle that it won’t touch its customers’ bank account for one reason or other. It is the first and only
bank in India till date to do so.

IDFC FIRST Bank is the first bank in India to offer monthly credit on savings accounts. The credit
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ABOUT PROCAM INTERNATIONAL
Since its inception in 1988, Procam International has been the driving force behind the growth and
development of sports management in India. Founded by the dynamic Singh brothers Anil and Vivek,
Procam is India’s premier sports management company and is involved in live events, sports
consultancy, and live television production.

With astute planning and exemplary execution, Procam has a track record of conceptualising and
promoting over 100 international events, across the disciplines of Powerboat Racing, Cricket, Football,
Tennis, Distance Running, Squash, WWE, Horse Racing, Volleyball, among others. These events have
elicited participation of the highest calibre of athletes and huge public interest and attendance.
Pioneers of the distance running movement in India, Procam International’s Big 4 – Tata Mumbai
Marathon, Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon, Tata Consultancy Services World 10K and Tata Steel World
25K Kolkata— are global leaders in their respective distances. They have ushered in a running
revolution that has helped redefine the health, fitness, and ‘giving’ paradigm of our country.
Website: procam.in

Ram. Murali Krishnan
Running India News Service