On Sunday, December 21, 2025, India’s long-distance runners Gulveer Singh and Seema set national records at the Tata Steel World 25K Kolkata. In the women’s 25k race, Seema finished with a timing of 1:26:04 and went on to win her maiden 25km gold.
The victory placed her as the top Indian female racer of the event. With that, she has also set a new national record, surpassing L Suriya’s mark of 1:26:53. Meanwhile, Sanjivani Jadhav finished second with a time of 1:30:34 to take the silver medal. Nirmaben Thakor took the bronze.
Ethiopia’s Degitu Azimeraw bagged the women’s elite title, clocking 1:19:36. This was her second win of the tournament, having previously won in 2017. Her compatriots Sutume Kebede finished second with a timing of 1:20:28 to win the silver, whereas Meselech Alemayehu bagged the bronze with a time of 1:20:48.
In the men’s elite section, India’s Gulveer finished in fifth place while competing among the international stars with a timing of 1:12:06. With that, he improved his national record of 1:14:10 by two minutes scored in the same event last year.
The Indian male runner holds the national record in the 3000m, 5000m, and 10000m categories. Other Indian men’s elite runners include Harmanjot Singh and Sawan Barwal, who also made podium finishes.
On the other hand, Uganda’s two-time Olympic champion Joshua Cheptegei bagged the elite men’s title at the event. He finished the race with a time of 1:11:49. He also holds the world record in the men’s 5000m and 10000m events categories. Following him with the second-place finish was Tanzania’s Alphonce Felix Simbu, while Lesotho’s Tebello Ramakongoana took the bronze.
Tata Steel Kolkata 25K Results
Women’s elite 25k
- Degitu Azimeraw – 1:19:36 (gold)
- Sutume Kebede – 1:20:28 (silver)
- Meselech Alemayehu – 1:20:48 (bronze)
- Kuftu Tahir (ETH) – 1:23:32
- Demilew Zemenaw (ETH) – 1:23:34
Indian women’s elite 25k
- Seema – 1:26:04 (gold)
- Sanjivani Jadhav – 1:30:34 (silver)
- Nirmaben Thakor – 1:32:02 (bronze)
- Ujala – 1:32:49
- Bhagirathi – 1:33:23
Men’s elite 25k
- Joshua Cheptegei – 1:11:49 (gold)
- Alphonse Felix Simbu – 1:11:56 (silver)
- Tebello Ramakongoana – 1:11:59 (bronze)
- Collins Kipkorir – 1:12:02
- Gulveer Singh – 1:12:06
- Fikadu Liche – 1:12:09
Indian men’s elite 25k
- Gulveer Singh – 1:12:06* (gold)
- Harmanjot Singh – 1:15:11 (silver)
- Sawan Barwal – 1:15:25 (bronze)
