2017 Mumbai Marathon: Ethiopia's Ayele and Dinknesh to lead elite challenge

Ethiopian talent Ayele Abshero will be looking to make a big impact on his 14th edition of the Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon

Ayele Abshero

Ethiopian talent Ayele Abshero will be looking to make a big impact on his first trip to India for the 14th edition of the Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon on January 15 January.

Abshero, now 26, is a former world junior cross country champion and will be the fastest man on the start line.

He can boast of a marathon best of 2:04:23, which was set in 2012 when he won the Dubai Marathon on his spectacular debut over the distance. At the time, it was the fastest ever debut over the distance on a record-legal course.

The favourite for the women's race in Mumbai looks to be Ethiopia's Dinknesh Mekash, a two-time winner in Mumbai having triumphed in 2014 and 2015, who has a personal best of 2:23.12 when finishing second in the 2015 Frankfurt Marathon.

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