Hail champion Lemi and newcomer Minsewo

Tata Mumbai Marathon winner Hayle Lemi. Pic/Shadab Khan; (right) women’s winner Aberash Minsewo

Lemi get this straight: We need to ‘Hayle' Tata Mumbai Marathon (TMM) men's winner Hayle Lemi, who defended his title in style on a Sunday, when the mercury showed little mercy.

The Ethiopian became only the second athlete to defend the men's crown in the history of the TMM, breaking the tape at 2:07:50. Kenya's John Kelai had previously won titles in 2007 and 2008.

The race began a trifle slow with a pace of 3.02 per km, but picked up after that. There were at least six men running together initially. Lemi was amongst half-a-dozen, running strongly with Kinde Atanaw, and Haymanot Alew, with Kenya's Dickson Kiptoo and Alew taking the lead for a while. The scenario changed immediately post 30km as the group thinned and the runners pulled apart. It was Lemi and Alew initially till the former broke away, looking like he owned Mumbai roads. He came in blistering with Alew (2:09:03) and Tafa (2:09:58) quite a distance behind. There were a few tantalising moments when one dared to dream of a new course record. Lemi himself had set it last year at 02:07:32, though it was not to be. "I'm feeling very good, the crowd support was amazing. It was slightly hot after 35km, so it was tough," said Lemi. Second-placed Alew said, "My body was tired though I am very happy with my second place." Mitku Tafa too said he had "diminished energy" post 35km.

Also Read: Bronze medal in Mumbai Marathon follows a battle with brain tumour for West Bengal's Shyamali Singh

Sunday was also the story of a debutant. Aberash Minsewo from Ethiopia headlined the treble for her nation, winning in 2:26:06, on her marathon debut. Minsewo had started her career as a middle-distance runner and won the 3,000m gold at the 2017 World Youth (U-18) championships in Nairobi. Winning a bronze at the same distance in the Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires the following year, she started running road races in 2021. Muluhabt Tsega (2:26:51) and Medhin Bejene (2:27:34) took the other two spots on the podium. Minsewo said she was "very surprised" to win. Minsewo took the lead early on, staying the course and though the women did look like they struggled a little in the weather and conditions, the feisty 22-year-old looked like she was in minimum trouble to be overtaken in the Maximum City. Both the champs took home USD 50,000 as prize money, approximately R41,56,336 each.