Bugatha, Nirmaben aim to defend Indian men's and women's crowns in Mumbai Marathon

Representational Image (Pic: File Pic)

Defending men's and women's champions Srinu Bugatha and Thakor Nirmaben will headline a star-studded Indian elite field for the Tata Mumbai Marathon (TMM) to be held on January 19.

Reigning Asian marathon champion Man Singh, Olympian Gopi T, a two-time winner and three-time runner-up, and the experienced Kalidas Hirve are among the leading contenders in the men's race.

Gopi won the 2024 New Delhi Marathon with a time of 2:14.40, pipping second-placed Army-mate Bugatha by one second.

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Maharashtra's Hirve, who finished third in the 2023 edition underlined his current form by winning the recent Vasai-Virar Mayor's Marathon.

The World Athletics Gold Label race will also see Kartik Kumar, the 2023 Asian Games 10,000m silver medallist, making his debut over the classic distance in Mumbai.

Kartik's best marathon time is 2:22:50, which he recorded in Bengaluru in October last year. Also in the mix is young Harshad Mahtre, who finished fifth in the last edition.

Challenging Nirmaben, runner-up at the 2024 New Delhi Marathon, will be Sonika Parmar and Reenu, winner and runner-up respectively at the 2024 Coal India Ranchi Marathon.

In the fray also is Mumbai Marathon regular Arati Patil, who finished second in the 2023 edition. The top three finishers in the Indian elite men's and women's categories will receive prize money of Rs 5 lakh, 4 lakh and 3 lakh respectively from the total prize fund of USD 390,238.

An incentive reward of Rs 2 lakh is up for grabs for setting a new TMM mark, which is currently held by Nitendra Singh Rawat in the men's 2016 edition (2:15:48) and Sudha Singh in the women's 2019 edition (2:34:56).

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