Published: October 26, 2026 at 1:02 pm
Skechers continues to strengthen its presence in India’s performance running space by signing elite athletes Priti Lamba, Dharmender Kumar, Lovepreet Singh and Aarti Pawara. All four distance runners compete in Skechers AERO Elite footwear, the brand’s first race-day super shoe. Following the athletes’ performances at the 2026 Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon on Sunday, the association reflects the brand’s commitment to competitive running and India’s growing running community.
The athletes bring diverse journeys and achievements to the running circuit. Priti Lamba, an Asian Games bronze medallist in the 3000m steeplechase, continues to pursue podium finishes on the road-running circuit. Dharmender Kumar enters the season as the reigning Adani Ahmedabad Marathon champion, having set a course record of 1:03:48 in 2025, while Lovepreet Singh is the reigning defence-category champion at the same event. Aarti Pawara, the youngest among the four, continues to build her presence on the national running circuit.
At the Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon 2026, Skechers-sponsored elite athletes delivered strong performances in the Indian Elite Half Marathon, while runners wearing Skechers footwear also participated across race categories. In the Indian Elite Men’s Half Marathon, Lovepreet Singh finished fourth in 1:05:43, followed by Dharmender Kumar in fifth place with a timing of 1:05:51. In the Women’s Elite Half Marathon, Priti Lamba secured fifth place in 1:16:40. Separately, Gaurav Mathur, who ran in Skechers footwear, secured the silver medal in the Indian Elite Men’s Half Marathon with a timing of 1:05:11. Bharti added to the achievements with a gold medal in the Open 10K category, finishing in 38:24. The performances resulted in two podium finishes for runners wearing Skechers footwear at one of India’s leading running events.
Harmanjot & Lili Das to headline Indian Elite field at Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon
The Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon is one of the key moments in the running season, which also includes the Adani Ahmedabad Marathon, Tata Steel Kolkata Marathon and Tata Mumbai Marathon, alongside other events planned for 2027. Through athlete-led storytelling and media engagement, Skechers will spotlight the journeys, ambitions and discipline behind competitive running while building a sustained narrative around the evolution of the sport in India.
Beyond running, Skechers continues to grow its performance lineup across basketball, football, golf, pickleball/padel and cricket for both elite and everyday athletes.
Rahul Vira, CEO of Skechers South Asia, said: “India’s running community is growing rapidly, with more people embracing the sport and athletes continually pushing the boundaries of performance. Through our association with elite runners, we aim to celebrate the dedication, discipline and ambition that drive these athletes while strengthening Skechers’ commitment to performance running in India. With our Skechers AERO Series, including the new AERO Elite worn by these new runners on our roster, we continue to bring together comfort, innovation and performance to support runners across different stages of their journey.”
The Skechers AERO Series is designed to support runners across different training needs and distances. The AERO Elite, Skechers’ race-day super shoe, is engineered to minimise weight and maximise responsiveness for competitive racers. The AERO Burst delivers soft, protective cushioning for long-distance endurance runs, helping runners stay comfortable over extended distances, while AERO Spark is designed for reliable daily training. Both AERO Burst and AERO Spark are available with Skechers Hands Free Slip-ins technology, offering an easy step-in fit with secure heel lockdown and support. For speed days, AERO Razor delivers a lighter, more responsive ride for tempo runs, workouts and runners looking to push the pace.
