Kolkata, Dec 9: With Tata Steel World 25K Kolkata becoming the World’s first World Athletic Gold Label Race at this distance, the Indian Elite field has swelled with 27 men and 13 women vying for the honours along the picturesque setting of the Red Road on Sunday, December 15, 2024.
#AamarKolkataShonarKolkata will witness some of India’s best athletes take center stage at the US $142,214 prize money race. With equal prize money for the Indian Elite men and women winners, the first three in each race stand to win INR 2,75,000, 2,00,000, and INR 1,50,000/- respectively. The Indian Elite men and women runners will also be further incentivised by an Event Record Bonus of INR 1,00,000/- each.
Avinash Sable holds the current event record in the Indian Elite Men’s category, with a time of
1:15:17, and L. Suriya holds the Indian Elite Women’s record, with a time of 1:26:53.
The well-stocked Men’s field will be led by the current sensation Gulveer Singh, who is in the
midst of a purple patch. He is the current 5000 m (13:11:82) and 10,000 m (27:14:88) national
record holder, and he also won a gold medal at the 17th Asian Cross-Country Championship
2024 held in Hong Kong recently. He is also the Asian Games 2022 Bronze medallist in 10,000m.
Sawan Barwal, the defending champion (1:17:49), returns to Kolkata after winning VDHM 2024 along with Abhishek Pal, the winner of the 2022 edition of TSK 25K. He also won a silver medal at the recently concluded Asian Cross-Country Championship and VDHM 2023. The men’s challenge will also see Kiran Matre looking to be a dark horse with a top-of-the-podium finish in TCS World 10K Bengaluru 2024 with a new Indian Course Record. He came third at VDHM 2024.
Gulveer Singh while recounting his recent exploits said, “The 2024 session was very good for me. I set 4 National records in this session, and I’m so motivated. International standards are very high as compared to India. We got a pacer there for doing our best. This is my first time in Tata Steel World 25K Kolkata and I will try to finish in the top three.”
Sanjeevani Jadhav will be the pre-race favourite in the women’s field. She recently won the TCS
World 10K Bengaluru 2024 and also earned a silver medal at the Asian Cross-Country
Championship. She was also the winner of the 2022 edition (1:34:23) of TSK 25K. She is in red
hot form, but she will get tough competition from Lilli Das, who won the VDHM 2024. Kavita
Yadav, winner of VDHM 2023 and second at VDHM 2024, will be no pushover either.
Sanjeevani Jadhav said, “I am well prepared for the Tata Steel World 25K Kolkata Race. The
2024 year was good for me individually, but I am more focused on 2025 because I am preparing
for the Asian and World Championships, and I want to do my best in these championships. TSW 25K is more important because we get a chance to compete with the world’s best athletes, and it’s a great opportunity to give our best performance individually and do my personal best in the race. This year, I will try to break the course record of my senior colleague L Suriya made earlier.”
With a bright line-up of athletes only one can imagine the competition in store when the flag waves on Sunday, December 15.
The Tata Steel World 25K Kolkata will be telecast live on Sony Sports 1 and Sony Sports 1 HD on Sunday, December 15 from 6:15 am onwards.
