The national capital gears up for Delhi Half Marathon, which is set to take place on Sunday, October 18. The 21st edition of the World Athletics Gold Label Road Race will feature some prominent runners from around the world, along with thousands of Indian participants.
More than 41,000 runners are expected to participate across categories, making it a record-breaking edition of the event.
In this article, we will explore the key details of the event, its route, the prominent runners to watch out for and the changes in Delhi Metro timings.
Delhi Half Marathon 2026: Key Details
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Detail
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Information
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Event
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Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon 2026
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Edition
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21st
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Date
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Sunday, October 18, 2026
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Venue
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Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, New Delhi
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Main race distance
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21.097 km
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Expected participation
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More than 41,000 runners
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Delhi Half Marathon 2026: Schedule and Start Times
The marathon features several categories, which will start at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in the morning.
Below are the different race categories and their start times.
Related Stories
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Race Category
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Start Time (IST)
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Half Marathon – Elite Men
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5:18 AM
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Half Marathon – Elite Women
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5:20 AM
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Half Marathon and Police Cup
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5:30 AM
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Champions with Disability Run
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6:30 AM
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Senior Citizens' Run
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6:30 AM
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Open 10K Run
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7:35 AM
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Corporate Run
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9:00 AM
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Great Delhi Run
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9:05 AM
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Delhi Half Marathon 2026 Route Map: Which Areas Will It Cover?
The 21.097 km half marathon will start and finish at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium. The route will cover several prominent areas of New Delhi, including Lodhi Road, India Gate and Kartavya Path.
Route: JLN Stadium → Lodhi Road → Mathura Road Flyover → India Gate (C-Hexagon) → Kartavya Path → Seva Teerth Circle → Maulana Azad Road (U-turn) → Kartavya Path → JLN Stadium .
Delhi Metro Timings Changed for Half Marathon 2026
The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has already announced special early morning services for Sunday, to help participants reach the venue on time. Here are the key details participants and commuters should know:
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Early services: Trains will start at 3:30 AM from the starting stations of the Red, Yellow, Blue and Violet lines.
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Train frequency: Metro Trains will operate every 15 minutes from 3:30 AM to 4:15 AM. From 4:15 AM to 6:00 AM, trains will run every 20 minutes.
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Free Metro travel: Registered participants can travel free of charge. They must collect special QR-code wristbands along with their race bibs from the organisers.
Participants should collect their QR code wristbands and plan their journeys in advance to avoid last-minute delays.
Delhi Half Marathon 2026: Key Runners to Watch Out For
The 2026 edition will feature leading international as well as some Indian runners. Below are their list as well as their respective countries.
International Runners
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Birhanu Legese – Ethiopia
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Irine Cheptai – Kenya
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Charles Matata – Kenya
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Deriba Tesfaye – Ethiopia
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Melaku Belachew – Ethiopia
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Melal Siyoum Biratu – Ethiopia
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Cynthia Limo – Kenya
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Lonah Chemtai Salpeter – Israel
Indian Runners
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Harmanjot Singh
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Kiran Matre
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Lili Das
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Kavita Yadav
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Kartik Karkera
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Prince Kumar
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Ankita Dhyan
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Preeti Lamba
Where to Watch Delhi Half Marathon 2026 Live?
Indian audiences can watch the Delhi Half Marathon Event Live. The live coverage is scheduled to begin at 5:00 AM IST.
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Procam International YouTube channel
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World Athletics YouTube channel