Joshua Kiprui Cheptegei headlines TCS World 10K Bengaluru

Joshua Kiprui Cheptegei, the reigning world record holder in both the 5000m and 10,000m, heads this year's lineup at the 17th edition of the TCS World 10K Bengaluru, which will be held on Sunday, April 27.

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The three-time Olympian, who has dominated long-distance running in recent years, returns to compete in Bengaluru after 11 years, adding to the excitement. He previously finished second at the TCS World 10K 2014, in a run that marked his international debut.

Indian challenge

The Indian challenge will be led by defending champions and event record holders Kiran Matre and Sanjivani Jadhav.

Registrations for the 10K category have been oversubscribed and other categories filling up fast. The World Athletics Gold Label Road Race, offering a total prize fund of $ 210,000, organisers said at a press conference on Wednesday (March 26) in Bengaluru.

Cheptegei’s record-breaking legacy and Olympic glory

Cheptegei, first broke the 5000m world record in 2020, running 12:35.36 at the Herculis Diamond League meeting in Monaco, shaving two seconds off the previous record held by Kenenisa Bekele, which had stood for over 16 years. He then set another milestone by breaking Bekele’s 15-year-old record of 26:17.53 in the 10,000m with a time of 26:11.00 at the NN Valencia World Record Day in Valencia, Spain.

Cheptegei is also a decorated Olympian, at the 2024 Paris Olympics, he further cemented his legacy by claiming gold in the 10,000m. Prior to that, he claimed the gold in the 5000m and silver in the 10,000m at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

The ace runner will undoubtedly be eyeing another stellar performance and the $8000 cash prize designated for a course record when he competes in Bengaluru. Notably, Kipkorir Kimeli is the current course record holder, clocking a formidable 27:38 in 2022.

Cheptegei, who took the crown at the Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon in 2024, highlighted his excitement about competing in Bengaluru. He said, "I'm excited to be racing at the TCS World 10K Bengaluru, a prestigious event that has consistently attracted top talent from around the world. Road racing has always been special to me, and I’m looking forward to giving my best on this course in front of India’s passionate running community. I would like to think India is lucky for me as I made my international debut here and I hope to deliver a strong performance."

Indian hockey player Manpreet Singh launched the TCS World 10K Bengaluru Finisher T-shirt at the press conference.

As a token of appreciation for their effort and hard work, the top 1,000 Open 10K finishers in each men's and women's category will be awarded this commemorative T-shirt.