New Delhi, October 19: Podium contender Priti Lamba admitted facing "breathing problems" ahead of Sunday's Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon due to worsening air quality in the city but sought to play it down, saying "only Indians are concerned about air pollution while foreign athletes think about winning races".

Priti, who has competed several times in the Delhi Half Marathon earlier, is vying for a top-three finish among the elite Indian runners. She finished third among Indians in 2022. She had also competed in 2015, 2016 and 2020. Her pet event, though, is the 3000m steeplechase in which she won a bronze medal in Hangzhou Asian Games last year. Delhi Weather AQI Update: Thin Layer of Smog Engulfs National Capital As Air Quality Index Drops to 226; Residents Face Breathing Issues (Watch Video).

"There were dust (in Delhi) in the evening, no doubt. Because of dust in the throat, I had some breathing problem. But in two days here, it's all right. I have adjusted to the conditions," said the 28-year-old Priti said at the pre-event press conference on Saturday.

"It is not much of a concern and not new also. Foreign athletes are also competing and why it's a concern for us? We Indians always think about air pollution or heat while the foreigners think  only about winning races," she added. Delhi's air quality remained in the 'poor' category in the past three days.Sawan Barwal, who finished third in 2023, also said he experience dust on Friday evening due to pollution. Delhi Weather AQI Update: Layer of Smog Engulfs National Capital; Overall Air Quality Index Drops to 293 (Watch Videos).

The Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon, which is into its 19th edition, is a World Athletics gold label road race event. It has a prize purse of USD 260,000 and will be flagged off from Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.

Priti said she even will think of running in the full marathon in the future. "Half marathon is not my pet event but I have been taking part in Delhi Half Marathon for many years. So, I will give my best and try to be on podium.

"I know some foreign athletes who run from 1500m to marathon, so I want to do like that. Moreover, running longer distances will give me more endurance while running 3000m steeplechase. "It's off season (for track) now, so I am competing in half marathon. My focus next year will be in 3000m steeplechase as there is Asian Championships and World Championships.

"My sports career almost ended in 2017 because of an injury. After a break of a couple of years, I decided to get married. Then, my husband pushed me back into the field, and he trained me for a year, and since then there has been no turning back and I won Asian Games medal."

Defending champion Kavita Yadav also exuded confidence of winning the title once again. She said she will be satisfied if she betters her personal best. "It will be a tough race and there is more pressure. Priti didi is a senior athlete with a lot of experience, and so anything can happen. But I have prepared very well, trained very well, so I am looking to win once again.

"It's a flat and fast course and I will try to do my personal best. If that is achieved I will be satisfied," said the 25-year-old Kavita who had won the race in 2023 with a time of 1:17:42. Asked why Indian elite runners are far behind their international counterparts in timing, she quipped with a laugh, "I always wonder how they (foreign athletes) run so fast."

Another title contender in the Indian women's elite field is Nirma Thakore, a farmer's daughter from Hajipur village in Patan taluka of Gujarat. Nirma secured victory at the 19th Tata Mumbai Full Marathon in the Indian elite women's category this year, completing the gruelling 41.195 km course in an impressive 2 hours, 47 minutes and 11 seconds. Among top contenders in the Indian men's elite race will be Kiran Matre, Sawan Barwal and Kalidas Hirve.

The 23-year-old Matre won the Indian men's elite category at the TCS World 10K in Bengaluru and a half marathon silver in Tata Mumbai Marathon this year. He has a personal best of 1 hour 5 minute 29 seconds. "As a part of the army, we are taught to stay focused and dedicated. I have brought this into my practice for half marathons and it has helped me improve as an athlete.

"I suffered an injury a month back and it was literally a 'race' against time to get fit for the Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon," he said. Barwal won a bronze medal in the Delhi Half Marathon in 2023. He also won a bronze medal in the inaugural Asian Half Marathon in 2023.

"I will try for my personal best (1:04:17). But it depends on the day. If start of the race is fast, there is always a chance of doing personal best," said the 26-year-old Barwal. "Outside India, pace-setters help us improve as athletes. If we introduce this concept in India, we can expect the standard to improve massively.”