New Delhi [India], October 7 (ANI): Olympic medallist and six-time world champion MC Mary Kom launched the Race Day Tee of Delhi Half Marathon which will be given to all registered runners, including men and women, for the showpiece event to be held on October 16.

Excitement and anticipation around the world's prestigious 17th Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon are steadily building to a crescendo as the much-loved running festival will celebrate the different hues of the capital city.

The USD 2,68,000 prize money World Athletics Elite Label Road Race, to be flagged off from the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on Sunday will see tens of thousands of amateurs join the world's best elites in a race that has stood as a pinnacle of sporting glory.

A thrilling Indian line-up will be spearheaded by Avinash Sable, who returns to the venue of his heroics in the 2020 edition that saw him become the first Indian to complete the half marathon in under 61 minutes -- finishing in a sensational 60:30 for the Indian crown and 10th place overall.

The Indian elite category will also see Abhishek Pal, the winner of the 2018 edition. He is part of the Elite Distance Running Program driven by Procam International and was also the winner of the World 10K this year in the Indian elite category. Not just that, Pal was newly crowned champion in 5,000m with a time of 14:07.25 and clinched the Silver medal in 10,000m with a time of 28:54.98 at the ongoing National Games in Gujarat.

The Indian women's field will be headed by Sanjivani Jadhav, a former champion as well as the 2020 edition's silver medallist. Sanjivani, who won 10,000 m gold at the 2022 Federation Cup athletics, will be challenged by Monika Athare, also a former champion.

Sportswear brand, PUMA will be celebrating the success and dedication of runners at Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon with specially designed tees for the race day.

Considered one of India's largest sporting philanthropy platforms, the half marathon has inspired and impacted millions of lives. This year, in order to motivate the runners, all the registered participants will be given 'yellow' tees.

And, further, they will also give 'blue' coloured tees to the first 500 men and women runners, who will successfully complete the race.

Commenting on the occasion, the boxing legend Mary Kom said the tees are designed to make the runners comfortable during the race.

"It makes me proud to unveil the PUMA Race Day Tee for the Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon. The high-performance jersey is comfortable and will effectively support the runners during the race. I see a lot of positive change towards sports and fitness, especially running as a trend. It is wonderful to see PUMA rallying for sports and fitness culture across disciplines such as boxing, cricket, table tennis, hockey and running. I wish the runners of Delhi Half Marathon all the best. Enjoy this race with passion and fun," Mary Kom said.

Besides close association with star India cricketers Virat Kohli, KL Rahul and IPL franchise Royal Challengers Bangalore.

For the first time ever, limited on-the-spot registrations will be available at the Expo to encourage more runners to participate in the celebration.

The Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon will be telecast live by Sony Ten 1, Sony Ten 1 HD and Sony Liv on October 16 from 6:30 am to 10:30 am.

Vivek Singh, Jt. MD, Procam International, said: "The wait is finally over, the much-loved Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon is back in all its glory to inspire the people of Delhi and India and encourage social transformation for a better tomorrow. With the support from all our sponsors and partners, we have left no stone unturned to create a magical experience for our running community. See you all on race day!"(ANI)