Indian elite men’s champion Bugatha confident of Paris Olympic qualification

Indian elite men’s winner Srinu Bugatha. Pic/Sameer Markande

Srinu Bugatha clocked 2:17:29 to beat Gopi Thonakal (02:18:37) to the gold medal in Indian elite men's category of the Mumbai Marathon on Sunday. Sher Singh Tanwar (02:19:37) stood third.

Bugatha, who hails from Andhra Pradesh and has a personal best of 2:14:59 which he registered in the 2021 Delhi Marathon, is now keen to do well in Europe to secure a place at the 2024 Paris Olympics which demands a qualification time of two hours, eight minutes.

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"I wanted to give my best there in Mumbai and get the Paris Olympics qualification, but now I will focus on doing well in Germany. There is a race there in April this year. That will be my last chance to get that Olympic qualification. I'm confident of running under two hours, eight minutes," Bugatha, who also won the
Indian elite field in the 2020 edition here, told mid-day.