Andamlak Belihu will compete in the prestigious Tata Steel Kolkata 25K 2022 on Sunday, December 18, alongside a star-studded international elite men’s field for a prize pool of USD 100,000.

The Ethiopian superstar is no stranger to India. Andamlak won the prestigious Delhi Half Marathon in 2018 and 2019 and placed second in 2020 in 58:54 after clocking the third-fastest time in the city’s history. With a personal best time of 2:06:40, Belihu finished an impressive fourth at the Berlin Marathon this year. He was able to stay up with the legendary EliudKipchoge, who broke his own world record by slashing 30 seconds from his time for a stunning 2:01:09.

The 2022 Commonwealth Games marathon champion Victor Kiplangat of Uganda, the current champion and course record holder Leonard Barsoton of Kenya, and the two-time Tokyo Marathon champion and former champion Berhanu Legese of Ethiopia were all previously confirmed by the TSK 25K race’s organizer, Procam International.

Twelve international elite male runners, including Djibouti’s national half-marathon record holder Ibrahim Hassan (59:41), Turkey’s multiple European cross-country champions Aras Kaya, and Eritrea’s Berhane Tesfay—who placed third at this year’s Munich Marathon in an impressive 2:08:10—will toe the starting line in the eagerly anticipated seventh edition.

The 2022 Commonwealth Games marathon champion Victor Kiplangat of Uganda, the current champion and course record holder Leonard Barsoton of Kenya, and the two-time Tokyo Marathon champion and former champion Berhanu Legese of Ethiopia were all previously confirmed by the TSK 25K race’s organizer, Procam International.

Twelve international elite male runners, including Djibouti’s national half-marathon record holder Ibrahim Hassan (59:41), Turkey’s multiple European cross-country champions Aras Kaya, and Eritrea’s Berhane Tesfay—who placed third at this year’s Munich Marathon in an impressive 2:08:10—will toe the starting line in the eagerly anticipated seventh edition.

Ashete Bekere of Ethiopia, who finished second in the 2022 Tokyo Marathon, and Desi Jisa of Bahrain, who finished second in the 2019 TSK 25K, are among the intriguing women’s international elite line-up.

These include former Ugandan national half marathon record holder Mercyline Chelangat, Zeineba Yimer of Ethiopia, who is returning from injury and finished an impressive eighth in the 2021 London Marathon, Natsnet Amanuel of Eritrea, who ran the second-fastest time ever for an Eritrean woman while finishing fourth in the Amsterdam Marathon in October, and Senait Getachew of Ethiopia, who won the 2022 Porto Half Marathon on her debut in international competition.

Each of the top men’s and women’s champions will get USD 7,500. An additional incentive for the runners will be a $3,000 Event Record Bonus.

On-the-spot registrations will be available during the first two days of the three-day Mirchi Get Active Expo at the Khudiram Anushilan Kendra, Sahid Khudiram Bose Road, BBD Bagh, Subhash Chandra Stadium, on December 15 and 16 to encourage and allow for more runners to be a part of the celebration.

The race will be telecast live by Sony Ten 1, Sony Ten 1 HD, and Sony Liv on December 18 from 6:00 am to 10:00 am.