Sudha Singh, Srinu Bugatha confident amongst tough field

Indian elite athletes Jigmet Dolma (extreme left), Sudha Singh, Srinu Bugatha and Gopi T during a press interaction at the media centre in Azad Maidan on Saturday. Pic/Sayyed Sameer Abedi

By the time you read this, the Tata Mumbai Marathon (TMM) will be done and dusted. At the press conference on Saturday evening at the media centre at Azad Maidan, both Sudha Singh and Srinu Bugatha, headlining the Indian challenge at the event, expressed confidence of a good show, saying that preparation has been "adequate."

Defending champion and Padma Shri recipient Singh, who has a Personal Best (PB) of 2:34:55 said, "I have not been in the national camp, but training in Rae Bareilly. I am going to try and defend my title."

When asked how she stayed motivated at 36 years, Singh said, "I am self-motivated. If I can do the steeplechase and marathon for so many years, so can anybody. I do not see too many women taking up marathon running, coming up the ranks. I want to tell them, they need to keep trying only then they will progress." Singh had clocked 2:45:30 in 2020 here.

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Challenger Jigmet Dolma from Ladakh said training has been good after Ladakh got a track recently. The Special Police Officer (SPO) from Ladakh, cited "substantial support" from the police to enable her to juggle running and work. She said she was prepared for "warmer weather" here, coming from high-altitude Ladakh.

The men's section has Gopi Thonakkal, Asian Marathon Champion 2017. Gopi stressed, mental strength and added, "I need to keep a very strong mind through the race. I see a tough field though I am prepared. There are at least 10 to 14 runners running below 2:20 this time."

Defending champion Srinu Bugatha won here in 2020 in 2:18:44. The army man said, "I am going to try and better my TMM time. The race performance will speak whether my preparations are spot on."

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