Sanjivani Jadhav seals hat-trick, Harmanjot Singh shines among Indians at Bengaluru World 10K

Bengaluru: The 18th edition of the World 10K, a prestigious World Athletics Gold Label Race, saw thrilling performances on Sunday, with new international champions crowned and Indian runners delivering standout results.

In the men’s elite race, Burundi’s Rodrigue Kwizera fulfilled a long-standing promise by clinching the title after narrowly missing out three years ago. The 26-year-old surged ahead after the 8 km mark and held his lead to finish in a new event record time of 27:31, surpassing the previous mark by seven seconds. Kenya’s Sebastian Sawe had earlier denied him victory in a close finish, but this time Kwizera dominated the field.

Kenya’s rising talent Kibet finished second in 27:39, while Gilbert Kipkosgei Kiprotich secured third place in 27:43. Kwizera walked away with USD 34,000, including a bonus for setting the event record, and credited his strategy of pushing after the halfway mark for the win despite challenging weather conditions.

The women’s race was equally competitive, with Rwanda’s Florence Niyonkuru emerging as a surprise winner in her debut 10K. She clocked 30:45, holding off strong competition from Kenya’s Brenda Jepchirchir (30:59) and Ethiopia’s Chaltu Dida Diriba (31:03). Niyonkuru maintained a steady pace throughout and expressed confidence in returning next year to challenge the event record.

Among Indian athletes, Harmanjot Singh and Sanjivani Jadhav delivered headline performances.

Harmanjot emerged as the fastest Indian in the men’s category, finishing in 29:13—just one second shy of the event record. His effort earned him top national honours and a prize of ?3 lakh. He was followed by Shailesh Kushwaha (29:21) and Deepak Bhatt (29:52), who completed the Indian podium.

In the women’s category, Sanjivani Jadhav continued her dominance by clinching her third consecutive title and fifth overall, clocking 35:01. Soniya secured second place in 35:31, narrowly edging past Bhagirathi (35:32).

Reflecting on his performance, Harmanjot said he aimed to stay with the international elite pack for as long as possible before relying on his own pace. Shailesh Kushwaha highlighted the advantage of running alongside top international athletes, which helped him push for a podium finish.

Sanjivani, meanwhile, expressed pride in her consistent performances in Bengaluru, calling it one of her favourite cities to compete in. Despite not specifically training for road races, she once again proved her dominance in the event.

The race once again showcased high-quality international competition while highlighting the growing strength of Indian long-distance runners on the global stage.

With inputs from IANS