Category: Athletics

by Abhishek Shukla

Rudisha announced as ambassador for WIC Glasgow 24

Middle distance legend David Rudisha has been named as the World Athletics ambassador for the World Athletics Indoor Championships Glasgow 24, which will be held from 1-3 March.

The Kenyan great is a double Olympic gold medallist and two-time world champion over 800m. He is familiar with the city of Glasgow as he competed there in 2014 for the Commonwealth Games, where he earned silver.

“I am looking forward to going back to Glasgow for this major competition in our calendar. I am really excited,” he said.

“Sport is what has made me who I am today and anything to do with sport, it makes me feel very happy. I am looking forward to meeting the fans and promoting the sport.”

Rudisha has other fond memories of competing on UK soil; the most iconic performance of his career – his world record-breaking performance of 1:40.91 – came when winning Olympic gold in London in 2012.

Now aged 35, Rudisha is delighted to take up an ambassador role for the first global championships of 2024.

“I really feel honoured,” said Rudisha, who competed at six global championships during his career, winning gold at five of them. “As an athlete, anything I can do to inspire younger athletes to win medals on the world stage really makes me feel special.

“The 2014 Commonwealth Games was very special, I have beautiful memories of my experience in Glasgow. The people were very kind and supportive. I got silver in that race, but it was clear that the crowd supported and cheered for every athlete, regardless of the position they finished.”

As a double Olympic champion in the No.1 Olympic sport, Rudisha knows just how important it is for athletes to get off to a strong start this year ahead of the Paris 2024 Games.

“The Olympics is at the helm of any sport,” he said. “To participate at the Olympics means a lot. It’s not always easy, so I wish athletes the best as they work hard for this season and try to make their name and write their history in this sport.”

While he is looking forward to witnessing all the action in Glasgow, understandably Rudisha’s eye will be drawn to one event in particular.

“The 800m of course is my favourite,” he said. “I’m also looking forward to seeing the 400m, with the times they are posting already.

“Femke Bol, running 49 seconds in the early season indoors is really amazing. We’re looking forward to watching these athletes doing their best on the world indoor stage.”

Taking place from 1-3 March, the World Indoor Championships will feature more than 700 athletes from about 130 nations as they compete for medals across 26 disciplines.

by Abhishek Shukla

Harshad Mhatre and Arati Patil win the Federal Bank Kochi Marathon 2024

Kochi (Kerala) February 2024: Harshad Mhatre, who hails from Maharashtra, and represents India Railways, won the Federal Bank Kochi Marathon 2024, organised by CleoSportz.

28-year-old Harshad Mhatre finished the full marathon in the men’s category in what was a photo finish after clocking a time of 2:35:50 hours. Dinesh Kisan Patil, who also hails from Maharashtra finished second with the same timing in the Federal Bank Kochi Marathon, a coveted event in the country. Meanwhile, Ramavath Ramesh Chandra, who is a native of Telangana, finished third after clocking a time of 2:38:37 hours. 

In the women’s category, it was once again a Maharashtra woman, who dominated the race from the start to the end. Arati Patil was crowned as the champion as she finished the marathon with a time of 03:37:03 hours. Kerela’s Anju Murukan, who clocked a timing of 04:25:17, finished second in the full marathon.

In the Half Marathon (21.097 KM), it was Nabeel Shah, who emerged victorious in the men’s category. Nabeel Shah clocked a finish time of 1:17:43 hours. Sajith KM, with a finish time of 1:19:56 hours, and Rajesh Thankachan, with a finish time of 01:22:47 hours, finished second and third respectively in the men’s half marathon.

In the women’s half marathon, it was Jolsana Anthony, who bagged the first prize with a timing of 1:38:25 hours. Neena Katwal, with a timing of 1:40:47 hours, and Gayathri G, who clocked the finish time of 1:45:00 hours, finished second and third respectively.

Commenting on the success of the Federal Bank Kochi Marathon, M V S Murthy, Chief Marketing Officer, Federal Bank, said, “We would have clocked close to a 100,000 km in the 2nd Edition of the Federal Bank Kochi Marathon. Super proud that we hosted runners from 10 different countries / 21 states / ~500 specially-abled athletes and brought the World to Kochi in #GodsOwnCountry for the #GodsOwnMarathon.

The journey of a mile begins with the first step. We will continue to build the running community across the country by offering them and their families Kochi, as a reason to travel and experience the God’s Own Country in a run or simply walking around town.”

Meanwhile, in the 10K Run, in the men’s category, it was Sreerag AS, who emerged triumphant with a timing of 00:33:35 hours. Prabhakar K, who clocked a finish time of 00:39:57 hours, and Ravi A, with a finish time of 00:40:13 hours, finished in second and third place respectively.

In the women’s category of the 10K Run, it was Beena George, who finished first with a timing of 00:40:41 hours. The second place was bagged by Akshaya K with a finish time of 00:46:25 hours. Tesna Joseph clocked a finish time of 00:46:55 timing.

A 3 km Green Run and 1.3 km ‘The Special Run’ for the differently-abled was held in association with the Raksha Society.

The winners were felicitated by V. Abdurahiman, Minister for Sports, Govt. of Kerala; Justice Devan Ramachandran, Kerala High Court Judge were the chief guests at the prize distribution ceremony. N. Ravi, DIG, Indian Coast Guard; Indian former netball and basketball player and actress Prachi Tehlan; Cine Actor Hakim Shah, Federal Bank Executive Director Shalini Warrier, Chief Mentor Ashuthosh Khajuria, Aster Medcity Kochi Operations Head Dhanya Shyamalan and Lulu Group India Commercial Manager Sadhik Kasim.

The marathon was flagged off at 4 AM at the Maharajas College Ground here by V.K. Raju, Assistant Commissioner of Police and M.V.S. Murthy, Chief Marketing Officer, Federal Bank. Former sports persons Sathish Pillai, T.C. Yohannan, Indian Volleyball player Rajanpreet Singh, Federal Bank MD and CEO Shyam Srinivasan, Assistant Commissioner of Police Jayakumar, official Medical Director of the marathon Dr. Johnson K. Varghese, Gardenia Cosmotrade LLP (Tiger Balm) Partner Puneet Motiani and Haw Par India Pvt. Ltd. (Tiger Balm) Country Head Dipanjan Ghosh were present on the occasion.

by Abhishek Shukla

Tata Consultancy Services World 10K Bengaluru scheduled for Sunday, 28th April 2024

Bengaluru, 14 February 2024: Procam International, pioneers of globally-renowned distance-running events in India, have announced the 16th edition of the World Athletics Gold Label Road Race Tata Consultancy Services World 10K Bengaluru (TCS W 10K), scheduled for Sunday, 28th April.**

TCS World 10K Bengaluru, is a mirror of the myriad parts – where you can compete with the world’s best in one of the fastest courses, colour up your life while changing another’s, and bond with friends and peers in the city’s most vaunted running celebration while achieving your personal running goals. 

Always A Step Ahead, Spectacularly Scenic, Incredibly Fast, Endlessly Magical, Truly Inclusive; simply – #EndendiguBengaluru – Forever Bengaluru.

Runners and the running experience are at the core of the event. Each year, the TCS World 10K Bengaluru strives to offer the best race day experience. The 2024 edition sets off on a new adventure promising equal fervour with exciting enhancements, including a new start and finish line.

With support from the Indian Army, Karnataka & Kerala Sub Area, Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw Parade Ground will be the new home for the TCS World 10K Bengaluru. The participants will traverse Bengaluru’s prominent landmarks Cubbon Park, Ulsoor Lake, and Chinnaswamy Stadium immersing themselves in the city’s spirit.

Sunil Deshpande, Regional Head, TCS Bengaluru, said “TCS World 10K Bengaluru fosters a remarkable spirit of unity in our city. TCS has been associated with the World 10K Bengaluru since 2011 and we are extremely proud that the event has grown in popularity and stature to become the city’s premier running event. TCS is honoured to be part of an occasion that brings people together from all walks of life. From seasoned athletes to first-time runners, this event celebrates the joy of achievement and the power of collective support for causes close to our hearts. We eagerly look forward to seeing the streets of Bengaluru reverberating, once again, with the rhythm of determination and triumph.” 

The World’s Premier 10K with a total prize money of USD 210,000, attracts some of the leading Indian and international athletes along with amateur runners from across the globe.  

Registration for all race categories, including the Open 10K, Majja Run (5.1km), Silvers’ Run, and Champions with Disability (4.2km), will commence on Thursday, February 15th, starting at 7:00 am. The registration period will conclude on Friday, March 29th, at 11:59 pm, or as soon as running places are filled, whichever is earlier. Register now at https://tcsworld10k.procam.in

To encourage women’s participation, a limited number of spots are set aside for women who do not possess a timing certificate. Registration under these criteria will be based on a first-come, first-served basis. 

Naarayan TV, CMO, IDFC FIRST Bank, said “This is IDFC FIRST Bank’s third year partnering with TCS World 10K Bengaluru, that celebrates the city of Bangalore and its people. Our association with the marathon is a fitting one as it ties in with our Customer First philosophy and helps us be involved with our customer’s journey, both fitness and financial. we look forward to an event that radiates energy and celebrates the runners’ #JourneyToTheStart”-

Speaking about the event, Major General Ravi Murugan, AVSM – GOC, Karnataka & Kerala Sub Area said, “I believe the TCS World 10k Bengaluru is the flagship race of the country. I must say we are extremely happy to be associated with this event – for it symbolizes excellence which I’d like to believe is synonymous with the Army. While fitness is a lifestyle choice, it is a foundational requirement for a soldier in the Army for the functional role he or she performs. The 10k exemplifies dedication, determination and passion. We would like to believe these are core values of the Army too. Lastly we were extremely happy when Procam approached us with respect to a change of venue and now the race to start from one of our grounds- the beloved Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw Parade ground. We offer our full support for the conduct of this event.”

Run from anywhere in the world via the TCS World 10K Bengaluru app

Runners from anywhere in the world can experience the magic of the event and run in the 10K and 5K via the exclusive TCS World 10K Bengaluru app. Registration for the virtual run opens on Thursday, February 15th, and will close on Tuesday, April 23rd, 2024, or till available spots are taken, whichever comes first. 

Sobisco comes on board to fuel runners with nutrition 

Sobisco has teamed up with the TCS World 10K Bengaluru 2024 as the official Refreshment Partner. For over a decade, Sobisco has been on a mission to provide the nation and beyond with top-quality, nutritious snacks. Their commitment to excellence has led to remarkable success. 

Sobisco’s goal has always been to promote health and wellness through nutrition. As part of this collaboration, Sobisco will provide healthy refreshments in the post-race bags, and all registered participants will receive exclusive product hampers. 

Finisher Tee by ASICS Sports Goods Partner

As a token of recognition for their efforts and achievements, Japanese sports performance brand ASICS will present the exclusive Finisher Tee for the top 1000 finishers each, across men and women in the Open 10K.

Talking about the 16th edition, Vivek Singh, Joint MD, Procam International said, “For the past 16 years, the TCS World 10K Bengaluru has been the pride of this city – bringing everyone together on a common platform . As we kickstart the registrations for the 2024 edition, our special thanks to the Indian Army, Karnataka, and Kerala Sub Area for giving us a new start and finish.

Our thanks to the Government of Karnataka, who have been supporting this event since its inception. Our gratitude to our Sponsors, Partners and the running community, you have made this event an integral part of Bengaluru, and this legacy will continue to grow from strength to strength each year…. Forever Bengaluru #EndendiguBengaluru.”

Tata Consultancy Services World 10K Bengaluru has continued support from the Government of Karnataka, Karnataka Athletic Association, Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports, Ministry of External Affairs, Ministry of Home Affairs, Bengaluru Police, Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike, Department of Horticulture, Sports Authority of India, Athletics Federation of India, World Athletics, Association of International Marathons & Distance Races and Global Sports Communication.

The TCS World 10K Bengaluru is strengthened by partnerships from-    

Title Sponsor — Tata Consultancy Services

Associate Sponsor — IDFC FIRST Bank 

Sports Goods Partner — ASICS 

Driven by — TATA.ev 

Snacking Partner — Cadbury FUSE 

Hydration Partner — Bisleri 

Energy Drink Partner — FAST&UP 

Social Connect Partner – Vedanta 

Print Partner — The Times of India 

Entertainment Partner — Mirchi 

Telecast Partner – SONY Sports 1

Refreshment Partner – Sobisco

Medical Services Partner — Fortis 

Philanthropy Partner — aidbees 

Hospitality Partner — ITC Windsor Bengaluru

Silvers’ Run Facilitator — Vayah Vikas

Inclusion Ally — ABBF

**The Race date of the TCS World 10 K Bengaluru, i.e. Sunday 28th April 2024, may undergo a change on account of elections to the 18th Lok Sabha. 

In case there is a conflict of dates, the new event date will be intimated to all immediately. 

by Abhishek Shukla

Charlton breaks world 60m hurdles record in New York with 7.67

Just minutes into the main programme of the Millrose Games, Devynne Charlton blazed to a stunning world 60m hurdles record*, clocking 7.67 at the World Athletics Indoor Tour Gold meeting in New York on Sunday (11).

The Bahamian sprint hurdler had been in superb form since opening her 2024 campaign one month ago. A 7.88 run in Louisville was followed one week later with a national record of 7.75. She came close to that mark with 7.76 at the World Indoor Tour Gold meeting in Boston last weekend.

In New York on Sunday, though, she nailed her start and stole a march on her rivals from the start. Drawn in between two-time world indoor champion Nia Ali and two-time world champion Danielle Williams, Charlton eased away from the field and crossed the line in 7.67.

Her time takes 0.01 off the previous world record set by Susanna Kallur exactly 16 years and one day ago.

Williams was second in 7.79, while Tia Jones – who clocked a big PB of 7.72 to win in Boston last week – was given the same time was Williams for third place.

“I heard the announcer say something that sounded like ‘world record’, but it didn’t hit me until I saw my name and time on the clock,” said Charlton, who took world indoor silver in 2022. “I can’t describe that moment.

“When I saw that clock, I felt relief. When you set a goal and work towards it all year, and then you achieve it, it makes you feel you’re on top of the world.”

*Subject to the usual ratification procedure

by Abhishek Shukla

Ratified: Kiptum’s world marathon record

Kelvin Kiptum’s world marathon record of 2:00:35 set in Chicago last year has been ratified.

Kenya’s Kiptum became the first athlete to break 2:01 in a record-eligible marathon, taking 34 seconds off the world record at the Bank of America Chicago Marathon on 8 October.

With that performance, Kiptum improved his PB by 50 seconds to surpass the world record of 2:01:09 set by his compatriot Eliud Kipchoge in Berlin on 25 September 2022.

Kiptum pushed the pace throughout the race in Chicago. He broke away from a seven-strong lead group after reaching 5km in 14:26, joined by his compatriot Daniel Mateiko. They were on world record pace at 10km, passed in 28:42, but the tempo dropped a little and they reached half way in 1:00:48.

After 30km was passed in 1:26:31, Kiptum kicked and dropped Mateiko. A blistering 5km split of 13:51 took him to the 35km checkpoint in 1:40:22 and he was on sub-2:01 pace, 49 seconds ahead of Mateiko.

Continuing to run with urgency, Kiptum passed 40km in 1:54:23 – after a 27:52 10km split. He went on to win the race by almost three and a half minutes, crossing the finish line in 2:00:35.

“I knew I was coming for a course record, but a world record – I am so happy,” he said. “A world record was not on my mind today, but I knew one day I would be a world record-holder.”

by Abhishek Shukla

Stunning World Athletics Indoor Championships medals revealed

With less than four weeks to go until the first champion is crowned, organisers have today revealed the medals specially commissioned for the World Athletics Indoor Championships Glasgow 24 following a design competition.

Taking place from 1-3 March this year, the World Athletics Indoor Championships will feature more than 700 athletes as they compete across 26 events, aiming to come out victorious and secure a coveted medal, with up to 108 medals being awarded (allowing for up to six in a relay team).

The pinnacle of every athlete’s career is to stand on the podium at a major championship and be presented with a unique medal, one that recognises and reflects the magnitude of their achievement at the highest level.

Although this is the 19th edition of the championships, this is the first time the event has been held in Scotland. This is reflected in the design of the medal, which incorporates the thistle inspired event brand, complemented by a selection of well-known Glasgow landmarks around its outer rim, giving athletes a little piece of Glasgow to remember their triumph, long after they leave the city.

Event organisers launched an open call last summer, giving Scottish artists the chance to submit their designs in a bid to become a part of history. Winning artist, Graeme Clark, from Edinburgh is proud to see his illustrations transformed into a stunning creation that will be presented to all the medallists.

Speaking about his design and inspiration, Clark said: “As a man from Edinburgh, I’ve always enjoyed trips through to Glasgow for various exhibitions, gigs, and shopping. It’s a city full of culture and serves as a great creative inspiration for designers like me.

“It’s also a place full of inspiring talent and iconic architecture. I’ve worked with many Glaswegian brands over the years and the city always seems to birth amazing things. The city has a lot of iconic monuments and structures, that served as the inspiration for the design.”

Bailie Annette Christie, Chair of Glasgow Life who co-ordinated the design competition, said: “When we issued a callout to the Scottish craft and design community, we knew the standard of submissions would be high, but we were hugely impressed with the quality of the response.

“While we had a tough decision to make, Graeme’s design stood out as the clear winner, and we are delighted to be able to create a medal that incorporates so much of Glasgow’s iconic skyline and has a distinctly Scottish feel.

“Glasgow is proud to be hosting one of the biggest sports events in Scotland this year, and I can’t wait to see the medals presented at the Championships next month. I am sure the winning athletes will all treasure the small part of Glasgow they take home with them.”

Among the first to set eyes on the medals were young athletes from the team that represented Glasgow at the European City Challenge last October, as well as Shettleston Harriers and Victoria Park Glasgow Athletics Club. They were given a sneak peek by event ambassador, world and Olympic medallist and European champion Eilidh Doyle, and three other Scottish athletics legends, 1980 Olympic 100m champion Allan Wells, and 1993 world indoor champions Yvonne Murray-Mooney (3000m) and Tom McKean (800m).

Doyle said: “As an athlete it is always exciting when the medals are revealed as you know the championships are getting close, so it creates a real buzz. And when you see them for real, it really makes you want one and spurs you on that little bit more.

“The medals are all quite different, and it is great to see a strong Scottish and Glasgow theme on this one, creating a sense of place, for the championships that will be remembered.” 

The medals have been produced by specialist manufacturer Toye, Kenning and Spencer who have produced a range of high-quality championship medals including the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. In addition to the gold, silver, and bronze editions, a pewter coaches medal has been made to recognise the coaches of the winning relay teams. 

Looking forward to the Championship, Wellbeing Economy Secretary Neil Gray said: “The World Athletics Indoor Championships offers Glasgow – and Scotland – a further opportunity to shine on the world stage and showcase our reputation for hosting and delivering major international events.

“From the thistle-inspired medals to the warm welcome which will be extended to athletes and spectators coming from across the globe, I have no doubt that a successful and uniquely Scottish event will be taking place in March, one which will inspire a new generation of young people to join their local athletics clubs and perhaps become the future Scottish stars.”

Ian Beattie, Chair UK Athletics, said: “Every athlete competing in Glasgow will dream of winning a medal, and it is fantastic to see that those who are successful will have such a stunning memory of their achievement. 

“As the event gets nearer the excitement is increasing, and I know the Glasgow crowd will create an electric atmosphere within the arena that will support the world class Scottish and British athletes to perform at the highest level.”

Paul Bush OBE, VisitScotland Director of Events, said: “Glasgow and Scotland will provide the perfect stage as the final countdown begins for next month’s 2024 World Athletics Indoor Championships at Emirates Arena.” 

by Abhishek Shukla

World Athletics and Sony announce new sponsorship agreement

Three-year agreement includes the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25 and leverages technology to create emotion-filled sports experiences


World Athletics and Sony Corporation (Sony) today (23) announced a new three-year agreement that will see Sony sponsor World Athletics Series events from 2024 to 2026.

As part of the sponsorship, Sony will support all World Athletics Series events starting from the World Athletics Indoor Championships Glasgow 24 in March. The agreement will also include the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25 to be held in Tokyo, Japan, in September 2025.

Sony Corporation is a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Group Corporation and is responsible for the Entertainment, Technology & Services (ET&S) business. With the vision to “continue to deliver Kando and Anshin* to people and society across the world through the pursuit of technology and new challenges,” Sony Corporation supports the Sony Group with technology to create the entertainment of the future together with creators. 

Both parties came to this agreement based on a mutual understanding of each other’s philosophy.

Sony aims to work with creators and leverage the power of technology to generate emotion-filled experiences for sports fans across the globe and capture them on film and in photographs. 

Sony will further enhance emotion from athletes’ awe-inspiring achievements captured by content creators, including photographers, and deliver them to the world through cutting-edge technologies like the Alpha™ mirrorless interchangeable lens camera and versatile interchangeable lens including G Master™, system cameras and broadcast solutions.

In addition, Hawk-Eye Innovations, which has a proven track record of providing services for international events in a variety of sports, will contribute to fair competition management through its officiating services.

“We are entering an exciting few years for our sport and I can think of no better partner than Sony to help us capture the excitement, the thrill and the breathtaking performances our sport promises to bring,” said World Athletics President Sebastian Coe. “As the No.1 Olympic sport, the eyes of the world will be squarely focused on athletics this year as our athletes compete across our five World Athletics Series events, plus Paris. 

“We look forward to the outstanding photographs Sony will capture at our events to immortalise these many moments in our sport’s history.”

Hiroki Totoki, President, COO and CFO of Sony Group Corporation, said: “We are delighted to have reached an agreement with World Athletics to sponsor their World Athletics Series events, which are known as the world’s top competitions in athletics. 

“Based on our purpose to ‘fill the world with emotion, through the power of creativity and technology’, Sony will contribute to the development of sports by leveraging technology to enhance the emotion generated by sports and deliver it to sports fans around the world.”

by Abhishek Shukla

Lemi retains the crown while Aberash clinches the women’s title at the Tata Mumbai Marathon 2024

MUMBAI, 21 January 2024: Ethiopian Hayle Lemi Berhanu became only the second athlete to defend the men’s crown in the history of the Tata Mumbai Marathon, a World Athletics Gold Label Road Race, as he successfully crossed the finish line in 2:07:50.

With today’s victory, Lemi replicated the feat of the Kenyan runner John Kelai who won two back-to-back titles here during 2007-2008. 

After winning, Lemi, stated, “ It’s been an amazing run, am feeling extremely good. The best part is the support on the course. I was trying for the course record, but the last few kms were a little tough.  

Lemi was among the dozen athletes who set off together in the lead bunch with compatriots Kinde Atanaw, and Haymanot Alew as pacer Dominic Ngeno did the front running.  Kenya’s Dickson Kiptoo and Alew briefly took the lead slightly ahead of the others to cover the first 20K in 60:30.

At 30K, the leading group became thinner with Kenyan Joshua Kogo and Ethiopia’s Mitku Tafa remaining with Lemi, Alew and Kiptoo.  Both Lemi and Alew increased their pace and broke away from the rest thereafter.   Lemi, taking advantage of his previous experience on the Mumbai roads, started running fast and was alone in the last five kilometers.  With no one to push him, he had to make his assessment to run the waning stages of the race and hence missed an opportunity to improve his last year’s winning time and course record (2:07:32).  His teammates Haymnot Alew (2:09:03) and Mitku Tafa (2:09:58) took the next two places on the podium. 

Newcomer Aberash wins top prize on her debut

As in the previous edition, the Ethiopians dominated the scene once again and filled the podium spots in both men’s and women’s races.  While Lemi Berhanu was successful in defending the top spot among men, Anchialem Haymanot could not accomplish her ambition to win another title in Mumbai in the women’s race.

Haymanot, a pre-race favorite for the top spot, was running with the lead group of seven until midway and started showing fatigue thereafter to fall back to finish sixth (2:29:58).

Aberash Minsewo, who made her marathon debut here, started her career as a middle-distance runner and won the World Youth (U18) championships 3,000m gold in Nairobi in 2017.  Having pocketed a bronze medal at the same distance in the Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires the following year, she started taking part in the road races in 2021. 

She made her first appearance in India last year. Minsewo finished twelfth in the TCS World 10K in Bengaluru and barely missed the podium on her fourth-place finish in the Delhi Half-Marathon thereafter.

“I was so happy to win my first-ever marathon title on debut”, Minsewo said in the post-event press briefing.  With three Ethiopians with similar first names (Aberash) taking the starting line, no one imagined the grand prize would go to the 22-year-old runner.  However, Minsewo took the lead right from the beginning to the surprise of the rest and maintained her tempo throughout the race.  Her country-mates Ayinadis Teshome, Muluhabt Tsega, and Medhin Bejene trying to challenge her in the major part of the race.

With just 2K to go for the finish, Minsewo emerged as a clear leader with Tsega following her behind in a short distance.  The winner clocked 2:26:06 to become victorious on her debut with Tsega (2:26:51) and Bejene (2:27:34) completing the podium. 

Srinu, Nirmaben top Indian finishers        

Bugatha Srinu (2:17:29) and Thakor Nirmaben (2:47:11) were the top Indian finishers among men and women respectively.  

Srinu, who hails from Vijayanagaram in Andhra Pradesh, became the first Indian runner to finish within the top 10 in Mumbai with his eighth-place finish today.  Nirmaben from Gujarat, who finished 16th here last year improved her position with a 10th-place finish this time and rapidly improved her personal best to 2:47:11 from 3:08:33 last year.  The Indian winners took home INR 5,00,000 lakhs each. 

Sawan Barwal (1:05:07) and Amrita Patel (1:19:20) took the half-marathon titles in their respective categories.

Elite winners Hayle Lemi and Aberash Minsewo went home with USD 50,000 top prize from a total prize pot of USD 405,000.

Following are the Provisional results:

Marathon Elite Male

RankNameCountryTime
1Hayle LemiEthiopia2:07:50
2Haymanot AlewEthiopia2:09:03
3Mitku TafaEthiopia2:09:58
4Joshua KogoKenya2:10:00
5Dickson KiptooKenya2:10:00
6Yohans MekashaEthiopia2:14:39
7Alex KibarusKenya2:16:09
9Mesele KirosEthiopia2:18:00
16Dawit BelachewEthiopia2:27:00

Marathon Elite Women

RankNameCountryTime
1Aberash MinsewoEthiopia2:26:06 
2Muluhabt TsegaEthiopia2:26:51 
3Medhin BejeneEthiopia2:27:34 
4Ayinadis TeshomeEthiopia2:27:58 
5Aberash DemisseEthiopia2:29:04 
6Anchialem HaymanotEthiopia2:29:58 
7Ayantu GemechuEthiopia2:30:19 
8Fantu GelasaEthiopia2:30:31 

IMAGICA Run In Costume Winners:

Individual:

1st – Sachin Dhavan

2nd – Ridhi Solanki

3rd – Supriya Gurung

Group:

1st – Udayan Care

2nd – Miten Shah

3rd – Assam Association Mumbai

Contest Judge – Sanjana Banerjee

Marathon Elite Men Indian

RankNameTime
1Srinu Bugatha2:17:29
2Gopi Thonakal2:18:37
3Sher Singh Tanwar2:19:37
4Kalidas Laxman Hirave2:24:25
5Harshad Mhatre2:25:58
6Tirtha Kumar Pun2:26:03
7Pradeep Singh2:26:44
8Durga Bahadur Budha2:28:19
9Manoj Kumar Yadav2:28:55
10Sarvesh Kumar2:30:24

Marathon Elite Women Indian

RankNameAward Time
1Thakor Nirmaben Bharatjee2:47:11
2Reshma Kevate3:03:34
3Shyamali Sing3:04:35
4Seema3:08:51
5Laxmi KM3:09:59
6Jigmet Dolma3:14:09
7Divyanka Chaudhary3:31:24
8Preeti3:42:41

Half Marathon Open Women

RankNameTime
1Amrita Patel1:19:20
2Poonam Dinkar1:19:20
3Kavita Yadav1:20:45
4Jyoti.1:22:32
5Tashi Ladol1:26:37

Half Marathon Open Men:

RankNameTime
1Sawan Barwal1:05:07
2Kiran Matre1:06:24
3Mohan Saini1:06:55
4Aftab Ansari1:07:08
5Chagan Maroti Bombale1:07:08

Half Marathon Age Category (Women)

RankNameCountryTime
18 to 24 yrs Female
1Amrita PatelIndia1:19:18
2Poonam DinkarIndia1:19:18
3Jyoti.India1:22:30
25 to 29 yrs Female
1Kavita YadavIndia1:20:44
2Stanzin ChondolIndia1:28:42
3Anshu PathakIndia1:40:27
30 to 34 yrs Female
1Vrinda BhandariIndia1:34:31
2Jyoti ThakreIndia1:39:38
3Priyanka PhatakIndia1:41:31
35 to 39 yrs Female
1Swara AhluwaliaIndia1:36:48
2Bhumika TripathiIndia1:45:06
3Raina ChaudhariIndia1:46:45
 40 to 44 yrs Female  
1Cicily ThomasIndia1:36:35
2ReenaIndia1:40:18
3Rajalakshmi SwaminathanIndia1:41:30
45 to 49 yrs Female
1Ketaki SatheIndia1:36:35
2Neera KatwalIndia1:40:18
3Komal SawhneyIndia1:40:18
50 to 54 yrs Male
1    Subhash SinghIndia1:52:41
2Rudreswar DekaIndia1:56:02
3Ravi KalsiIndia1:56:11

Half Marathon Age Category (Men)

RankNameCountryTime
18 to 24 yrs Male
1Kiran MatreIndia1:06:23
2Aftab AnsariIndia1:07:07
3Chagan Maroti BombaleIndia1:08:19
25 to 29 yrs Male
1Sawan BarwalIndia1:05:07
2Kiran MatreIndia1:06:23
3Mohan SainiIndia1:06:55
30 to 34 yrs Male
1Anil KorviIndia1:12:46
2Shailesh GangodaIndia1:13:51
3Ishan SharmaIndia1:16:39
35 to 39 yrs Male
1Seva RamIndia1:21:16
2Pawan PrajapatiIndia1:21:19
3Vijay ThakarIndia1:22:55
40 to 44 yrs Male
1Parshram BhoiIndia1:18:01
2Malikarjun PardeIndia1:18:32
3Provash DasIndia1:19:59
45 to 49 yrs Male
1Jaipal BhoyarIndia1:17:52
2Sunder PalIndia1:22:11
3Major Surendra PuniaIndia1:24:44
50 to 54 yrs Male
1Harish ChandraIndia1:28:00
2Suresh Chander SharmaIndia1:28:25
3Mukesh RanaIndia1:29:16

Police Cup Team Results (Men)

Team RankTeam MembersTeam Time
1Sagar Shinde, Damusheth Rathod, Parag Makde28:18.0
2Bhiva Zite, Umesh Gavhane, Ashish Patil32:13.0
3Vikas Bajgude, Santosh Patil, Kunal Bandhankar28:59.0

Police Cup Team Results (Women)

Team RankTEAM MEMBERSTEAM TIME
1Arati Dudhe, Bharati Dudhe, Gouri Raut11:53.0
2Komal Khandekar, Vrundawani Avhad, Shubhangi Jadhav36:17.0
3Vasundhara Vaidya, Deepali Jadhav, Smita Bhoite57:40.0
by Abhishek Shukla

Gopi T eyes event record at Tata Mumbai Marathon

Mumbai, 20th January 2024: Gopi is looking to get into the groove in his favourite race for two more marathons to come before Paris 2024. “I will aim for the course record at Tata Mumbai Marathon, my preparations have been good in the Sports Authority of India complex in Bengaluru. The temperatures were high there, Mumbai is hotter than last year so I don’t know what to expect.” He is running here after a 2:14:58 at the TCS Amsterdam Marathon last year, hoping to find form in Mumbai.  

The direct qualification time in the men’s marathon for Paris 2024 is 2:08. Gopi’s personal best of 2:13:39 was at the Seoul Marathon 2022, forcing the Army runner to aim for qualification via the average route. “Runners who don’t qualify automatically have the option to average the best five race timings. I feel 2:12 will be needed at Mumbai or in two races ahead for making the grade, one in India and one abroad.”  

Srinu Bugatha (PB 2:14:59 New Delhi Marathon 2021) and Kalidas Hirve are others running among the Indian men in the fray.  

The Indian elite winners stand a chance to win Rs 500,000 each for the champion in the men’s and women’s categories, down to the seventh position.   

Jigme Dolma, Aarti Patil, and Nirmaben Thakor are prominent names in the women’s marathon.  

Leh runner Jigmat trains in high altitude at home and will bank on endurance to perform. 

Nima said, “Women don’t believe in themselves. The thought that they can’t do it is stuck in their minds. Once people start believing in themselves anything is achievable.” 

Second runner-up at TMM 2023, Kalidas dwelt on the ethics aspect, in a message to amateur distance runners aiming for places and prize money. Kalidas added: “I get queries from young runners on social media about quick-fix solutions to winning races. My advice is to avoid short-cut methods and pay attention to continuous training, rest and recovery. Amateur runners should listen to their coach instead of getting swayed by shortcuts. There is no shortcut in long-distance running.”  

by Abhishek Shukla

Scottish greats Murray, McKean and Wells to open MOWA exhibition in Glasgow

A Scottish Olympic gold medallist and two world indoor champions will help to officially open the MOWA Indoor Athletics Exhibition Glasgow 24 in the St Enoch Centre shopping mall on the evening of Friday 2 February.

The latest Museum of World Athletics (MOWA) heritage exhibition marks the staging of the World Athletics Indoor Championships Glasgow 24 (1-3 March 2024) and celebrates more than 170 years of indoor track & field athletics history.

Along with distinguished guests at the opening ceremony from the City of Glasgow, British Athletics, the Local Organising Committee, Scottish Athletics and Team Scotland will be 1980 Olympic 100m champion Allan Wells as well as 1993 world indoor champions Yvonne Murray-Mooney (3000m) and Tom McKean (800m).

Joining this distinguished trio will be a Scottish star of a more recent vintage, WIC Glasgow 24 ambassador Eilidh Doyle, herself a world and Olympic medallist and European champion.

The month-long MOWA exhibition features World Athletics Heritage’s collection of indoor athletics competition artefacts dating from the 1880s. The displays contain clothing, shoes, equipment, trophies and medals donated by more than 30 world champions and/or record-breakers.

The exhibits are supported by giant wall graphics, text, photographs and videos which take the visitor on a journey from the world’s first ‘indoor’ meeting in 1849 to the present day.

Appropriately, given the exhibition’s location, the displays have a distinctly Scottish feel. As well as competition items that the opening ceremony guests will be providing on the night, running spikes from Scottish world champions Liz McColgan (Tokyo 1991) and Jake Wightman (Oregon 2022) will be exhibited.

Life-sized photographs of Scotland’s two Olympic 400m champions Wyndham Halswelle (London 1908) and Eric Liddell (Paris 1924) will adorn the windows and walls of the exhibition. Greeting visitors at the entrance will be a large photograph of Laura Muir winning the first half of a 3000m and 1500m double at the European Indoor Championships in Glasgow in 2019.

As usual, stunning video material is incorporated into the displays including highlights of past editions of the World Athletics Indoor Championships and a cinematic edit of the Birmingham 2018 edition. For the first time in a MOWA exhibition, there will also be an experimental touch screen via which visitors can select videos from a small initial library of clips.

Usual MOWA favourites such as giant pole vault and high jump graphics set at their current world indoor record heights, and a colourful display of national athletics singlets, will also feature in the Glasgow exhibit.

During the final fortnight of the exhibition, there will be a free prize draw for visitors to enter. The prize will be unworn autographed clothing donated by Britain’s marathon world record-breaker Paula Radcliffe and combined events Olympic and world champion Jessica Ennis-Hill, who won the world indoor pentathlon title in 2010.

The MOWA Indoor Athletics Exhibition Glasgow 24, on the ground floor of the St Enoch Centre, 55 St Enoch Square, Glasgow G1 4BW, will be open daily to the public from 11am to 6pm from Saturday 3 February, closing on the final day of the World Athletics Indoor Championships Glasgow 24 (1-3 March 2024).

by Abhishek Shukla

Newcomers Kinde and Sofia reveal podium ambitions for Sunday’s race

Mumbai, 19 January 2024: Defending champions Hayle Lemi Berhanu and Anchialem Haymanot will face a tough challenge from their country-mates Kinde Atanaw and Sofia Assefa in the 19th edition of Tata Mumbai Marathon, a World Athletics Gold Label Road Race, to be held on Sunday (21 Jan).

Atanaw (30), is leading the men’s field with the fastest personal best time of 2:03:51 clocked four years ago in Valencia.  The Ethiopian runner, who finished third in the Bengaluru World 10K in 2014, is returning to run in India after nearly a decade.  He was not successful in his post-Covid outings in the last few years.  He could not finish the London Marathon last year after finishing fourth in 2022.  “I wanted to make a difference this time and looking for a big and memorable win here” he revealed.

Defending champion Lemi (29), however expressed he is confident of retaining the title as he showed a tremendous form while finishing fifth with a notable time of 2:05:48 in Amsterdam about three months ago.  Lemi, however, possesses the knowledge to act according to the situation as he is backed with much marathon experience among all competitors who entered here for this year’s race.

The 2019 World Champion Lelisa Desisa also showed more enthusiasm and optimism about his chances to win the men’s title on Sunday.      

Sofia will be the dark horse to look upon:

Sofia Assefa (36), the former World and Olympic medalist in steeplechase, had run her first marathon three months ago in Amsterdam.  Her teammate and defending women’s champion Anchialem Haymanot finished sixth in Amsterdam with a personal best 2:22:23, after winning her marathon debut in Mumbai last year (2:24:15).  Assefa, who finished eighth in that race, clocked 2:23:33 on debut which is better than that of Haymanot.    

Tadelech Bekele (32), credited with the fastest time of 2:21:40 that fetched her a bronze position in London in 2018 is returning to competition after a four-year break for a familiar purpose.  

Earlier, Meb Keflezighi, an Olympic medalist and winner of New York and Boston marathons who is here as a TMM ambassador shared his experience with the running community.  “In training, you need to give your 90% on fitness and 10% on mental preparations, while in the competition it will be the opposite as the mind is expected to give you the required strength to win a race”, he expressed.

Elite Field for the Tata Mumbai Marathon 2024

Men

Hayle Lemi (Ethiopia)
Kinde Atanaw (Ethiopia)
Lelisa Desisa (Ethiopia)
Haymanot Alew (Ethiopia)
Gebretsadik Abraha (Ethiopia)
Fikre Bekele (Ethiopia)
Merhawi Kesete (ERI)
Yohans Mekasha (ETH)
Mitku Tafa (ETH)
Dickson Kiptoo (KEN)
Joshua Kogo (KEN)
Mesele Kiros (ETH)
Demeke Tesfaye (ETH)
Shadrack Koech (Pace)
Selamihun Fenta (Pace)
Alex Kibarus (Pace)
Dominic Ngeno (Pace)
Bernard Cheptoch
Luuk Maas
Dawit Belachew
Tilahun Amsalu  

Women

Anchialem Haymanot (ETH)
Tadelech Bekele (ETH)
Sofia Aseefa (ETH)
Zenebu Bihonegn (ETH)
Muluhabt Tsega (ETH)
Ayantu Gemechu (ETH)
Aberash Fayesa (ETH)
Mulugojam Birhan (ETH)
Medhin Bejene (ETH)
Maritu Ketema (ETH)
Aberash Demisse (ETH)
Ayinadis Teshome (ETH)
Aberash Minsewo (ETH)

by Abhishek Shukla

‘Road to’ qualification tracking tool launches for Glasgow and Bahamas

World Athletics has launched ‘Road to Glasgow 24’ and ‘Road to Bahamas 24’ to help athletes, media and fans track the qualification process for the World Athletics Indoor Championships Glasgow 24 in March and the World Athletics Relays Bahamas 24 in May.

Searchable by discipline, country and qualification status, the online tool provides a real-time view of each event over the course of the qualification periods for the two World Athletics Series events.

The qualification period for WIC Glasgow 24 ends on 18 February, while for WRE Bahamas 24 it ends on 7 April.

The qualification system for WIC Glasgow 24 was released in April.

It is the first time that the ‘Road to’ qualification tracking tool has been used for the World Indoor Championships or the World Athletics Relays, following the launch of the tool for the World Athletics Championships in 2022 and 2023 and the Olympic Games in 2021 and 2024.

The ‘Road to’ tool is only intended to give an overview of which athletes and teams are in qualifying positions; it doesn’t, and will not, indicate which athletes or teams have been selected for entry by their member federation. Final entries will be published nearer to the time of the events in Glasgow and Bahamas.

by Abhishek Shukla

Hemraj Gurjar and Ankita Clinch Senior Titles at 58th National Cross Country Championships in Gaya

Gaya, 15th January 2024: In a remarkable display of endurance and skill, athletes Hemraj Gurjar and Ankita secured the senior titles at the 58th National Cross Country Championships, held in Gaya. Representing the Railway Sports Promotion Board (RSPB), both runners showcased exceptional performances in their respective categories.

Hemraj Gurjar triumphed in the men’s 10 km event with a time of 29:30.00, narrowly edging out Puneet from SSCB, who finished in 29:35.00. The race for the bronze was intensely competitive, with Sawan Barwal of Himachal Pradesh clinching it in 29:38.00, just ahead of Ravi Gulia of Haryana.

The team title in the men’s category was won by the Services team with 20 points, followed by Railways with 28 points, and Haryana securing third place with 64 points.

In the women’s 10 km race, Ankita led the field with a winning time of 34:36.00. The Railways team dominated the women’s section, securing the team title with 16 points. Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra claimed second and third places with 41 and 77 points respectively.

This championship also highlighted the future stars of Indian athletics with under-20, under-18, and under-16 categories competing fiercely. Shivaji Parashu (Karnataka), Rohit Binner (Maharashtra), and Sachin Rawat (Delhi) emerged as winners in their respective age groups for men, while Beby (Uttar Pradesh), Vaishnavi Naveen S (Karnataka), and Janhavi Hirudkar (Maharashtra) claimed the top spots in the women’s categories.

Results (All finals):

Men: 10km: Hemraj Gurjar (Railway Sports Promotion Board) 29:30.00, Puneet (SSCB) 29:35.00, Sawan Barwal (Himachal Pradesh) 29:38.00.

Team: Services 20 points, Railways 28 points, Haryana 64 points.

U-20: 8km: Shivaji Parashu (Karnataka) 23:42.00, Naresh Chopra (Rajasthan), 23:46.00, Rohit Choudhary (Rajasthan) 23:54.00. Team: Rajasthan 42 points, Maharashtra 52 points, Haryana 54 points.

U18: 6km: Rohit Binner (Maharashtra) 18:11, Abhishek (Sikkim) 18:13, Mohit Choudhary (Telangana) 18:18.00.

U16: 2km: Sachin Rawat (Delhi) 5:37.00, Anil Kumar (Uttar Pradesh) 5:39.00, Amit Kumar Mahto (Jharkhand) 5:42.00.

Women: 10km: Anita (RSPB) 34:36.00, Anjali Kumari (Bihar) 34:47.00, Poonam Sonune (Maharashtra) 34:47.35.

Team: Railways 16 points, Uttar Pradesh 41 points, Maharashtra 77 points.

U20: 6km: Beby (Uttar Pradesh) 20:50.00, Sonam (Delhi) 21:10.00, Sanghamitra Mahato (Jharkhand) 21:14.00.

U18: 4km: Vaishnavi Naveen S (Karnataka) 14:39.00, Sakshi Bhandari (Maharashtra) 14:47.00, Shilpa Hosamani (Karnataka) 14:57.00.

U16: 2km: Janhavi Hirudkar (Maharashtra) 6:43.00, Khushboo (Rajasthan) 6:49.00, Shivani (Uttar Pradesh) 6:51.00.

These results from the National Cross Country Championships demonstrate the depth and potential of Indian long-distance runners, setting an optimistic tone for the future of athletics in the country.

by Abhishek Shukla

Ngetich smashes world 10km record with 28:46 in Valencia

Kenya’s Agnes Ngetich obliterated the women’s world 10km record by running 28:46* at the 10K Valencia Ibercaja, a World Athletics Label road race, on Sunday (14).

The 22-year-old becomes the first woman to break 29 minutes for the distance, improving by 28 seconds the previous road mixed race world record set by Ethiopia’s Yalemzerf Yehualaw in Castellon two years ago.

World cross country bronze medallist Ngetich was paced in the Spanish coastal city by her compatriot Japheth Kipkemboi Kosgei and the first world record fell at half way as Ngetich went through the 5km checkpoint in 14:13. That is six seconds faster than the women’s world record achieved in a mixed race, set by Ethiopia’s Ejgayehu Taye in Barcelona in 2021, and matches the time Kenya’s Beatrice Chebet set in a woman-only race in Barcelona a fortnight ago.

Ngetich’s 10km time is also faster than the women’s world record for the distance on the track, with Letesenbet Gidey’s world 10,000m record standing at 29:01.03.

Emmaculate Anyango also dipped under 29 minutes in Valencia, clocking 28:57 to finish runner-up to her compatriot Ngetich.

“I am so happy. I didn’t expect this world record,” said Ngetich. “I was coming to improve my time, at least somewhere around 29:14, but I am happy that I ran a world record of 28 minutes. I didn’t expect this.”

She will now focus on the World Athletics Cross Country Championships Belgrade 24 in March and then the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, where athletics will be the No.1 sport in August.

The men’s race was won by Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo in 26:48.

by Abhishek Shukla

With 50 days to go, Glasgow set to become the city ‘Where Gallus Meets Greatness’

With only 50 days to go until the start of the World Athletics Indoor Championships Glasgow 24, a new championships time creative has been unveiled for this prestigious world event, with the launch of a new strapline alongside athlete pictograms and city landmark sketches to bring a uniquely Scottish look and feel to the competition.

With WICGlasgow24 taking place from 1-3 March, the countdown to the event is now well underway with less than two months until the world’s best athletes descend on Glasgow for a feast of top-class athletics, in front of a sell-out crowd.

More than 700 athletes are expected to compete in Glasgow. With the championships falling within the qualification period for the Paris 2024 Olympics, this gives the event extra significance as competitors go for gold in front of the knowledgeable Glasgow crowd, who will get close up to the action in the intimate setting of the Emirates Arena.

As this is the first time the World Athletics Indoor Championships has been hosted in Scotland, a fresh look has been created for the event, incorporating the saltire flag, elements of Glasgow’s skyline and the Scots language in order to evoke a sense of place and promote Scotland’s unique cultural identity to the world.

Using Scots language, the event strapline ‘Where Gallus Meets Greatness’ signifies Scotland’s ambition as the perfect stage for events. The phrase combines ‘Gallus’ the local vernacular for ‘daring and bold’ with greatness, a word commonly associated with major sporting champions.

With athletes and fans hoping to be part of moments of greatness during the three days of intense and thrilling competition, the strapline loosely translates to ‘Who Dares Wins’. 

The brand development is both unique and specific to Scotland and Glasgow, incorporating the event’s thistle logo and brand colours in addition to the saltire, Scotland’s national flag and a nod to contemporary tartan. 

The pictograms feature several Glasgow landmarks including the iconic Duke of Wellington Statue, the Clyde Arc Bridge and the event venue, the Emirates Arena, whilst the athletes pose in the style of the sport’s three disciplines: running, jumping, and throwing. Eagle eyed individuals will also spot the event logo incorporated into the clothing of the athletes in a fun and playful way. 

Championships Director, Stuart Campbell said: “I am delighted to unveil our new event look and strapline to mark 50 days to go until the World Athletics Indoor Championships get underway.

“With the world coming to Glasgow, it has always been a very important part of our mission to highlight Scotland’s unique cultural identity and I believe we have managed this, taking our thistle logo to the next level and reimagining it in the form of athlete pictograms.

“We were also very keen to incorporate the Scots’ language into our event strapline to give a sense of place and I believe we have managed this with the inclusion of the word ‘Gallus’ – a phrase that I’m sure will stir a passion embedded in Scots and Glaswegians alike.”

“I can’t wait to see the city and the venue come alive with our branding as we move closer to the starting blocks and welcome the world to Glasgow.”

With only 50 days to go, it’s almost time for the World Athletics Indoor Championships to arrive in Glasgow and we look forward to inviting the world into our city ‘‘Where Gallus Meets Greatness”.

by Abhishek Shukla

Tata Mumbai Marathon 2024 Set to Host Global Running Icon Meb Keflezighi

Mumbai, 8th January 2024: Procam International, the promoter of the Tata Mumbai Marathon today announced running icon Meb Keflezighi will grace the 19th edition of the World Athletics Gold Label Race, as an ambassador of the event on Sunday, 21St January 2024.  

 Mebrahtom “Meb” Keflezighi as he is famed in the sporting world, has several record-breaking accolades in his career. A name synonymous with endurance and achievement in the running community, he has inspired countless individuals worldwide.   Meb made history as the only runner to win an Olympic medal (2004), the New York City Marathon (2009) and the Boston Marathon (2014). In 2009, Keflezighi became the first American since 1982 to win the New York City Marathon. Eight times, he has achieved the feat of being in the top 10 in the New York Marathon. In 2015, he set a TCS New York City Marathon masters event record of 2:13:32. In 2014 he won the Boston Marathon (2:08:37), the first American male to do so since 1983, and the first American since 1985. Since 1930, Meb has held the record for being the oldest winner of the Boston Marathon as he triumphed it when he was 39 years old. Moreover, Meb is the master of all surfaces -Road, Track, and Cross Country and a former USA National 10,000m track record holder. Other than dominating the field, Keflezighi runs a non-profit organization based in Ghana called ‘The MEB Foundation,’ which focuses on improving youth health, education, and fitness in communities across the globe. The Foundation supports programs that empower youth and their families to “Maintain Excellent Balance”, provide the tools and resources to lead healthy lifestyles, engage youth in academics and provide opportunities for youth to play and learn positive life skills through involvement in sports.He is also the author of multiple books including his autobiography, titled, ‘Run to Overcome’ which narrates memories of his early years leading up to the current day, as well as significant life events like his Olympic races and other running highlights. On the note of attending Asia’s Premier marathon, Keflezighi said, “The Tata Mumbai Marathon has been on my bucket list for the longest time, and finally being able to witness Mumbai’s indomitable spirit, is indeed exciting! This event inspired a country to run and changed mindsets, that is the true legacy of a sporting event.  Mumbai’s incredible energy and enthusiasm, combined with the dedication of its runners, embodies the universal language of endurance! “I will only say this… remember to run with purpose, embrace the journey, and move ahead together. In every stride, find the strength to go the distance and make a difference to what you believe in” he added further. Vivek Singh, Jt MD, Procam International, said, “It is an honour for us to have a legend like Meb grace the event. We are overjoyed and cannot wait for him to see the magic in the city of dreams. Keflezighi’s dedication to the sport, as well as his remarkable accomplishments beyond sport, are commendable. The presence of Meb Keflezighi and the Olympic and World Champion in pole vault Katie Moon at the Tata Mumbai Marathon will be a treat to every runner.” The much-anticipated TMM 2024, scheduled to take place on Sunday 21st January 2024, will flag off from the iconic Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus.

by Abhishek Shukla

Defending Champions Ethiopians Hayle Lemi Berhanu and Anchialem Haymanot headline at the Tata Mumbai Marathon 2024

Mumbai, 5 Jan 2024: Defending champions and event record holders Ethiopians Hayle Lemi Berhanu and Anchialem Haymanot will headline the 19th edition of the Tata Mumbai Marathon, a World Athletics Gold Label Road Race, scheduled on Sunday, the 21st of January 2024.

Earlier this year, Berhanu clocked 2:07:32 and Haymanot logged an incredible 2:24:15 on her debut, to win in Mumbai with new event records.   Later, Haymanot improved her timing to 2:22:23 in Amsterdam while finishing sixth where Berhanu posted a season-best 2:05:48 to finish at fifth.      

Speaking about returning to the Tata Mumbai Marathon, Hayle Said “I won the 2023 edition of the Mumbai marathon under perfect conditions.  It was indeed a surprise and unexpected win at that time.  But I want to make sure that I replicate my victory in January as I’m confident of finishing on top in 2024”.

However, it will not be an easy task for both runners to wrest their titles again in 2024.  As many as six other men and two other women runners who had personal bests superior to the current Mumbai course records have entered the fray to challenge the reigning champions.  

The US $405,000 prize money event will witness some of the finest athletes take centre-stage at the Tata Mumbai Marathon.  With equal prize money for men and women winners, the first three in each race stand to win US $50,000, $25,000 and $10,000.  The USD 15,000 bonus also awaits those who break the existing event records.  

Ethiopian Kinde Atanw (30), who is credited with a PB of 2:03:51–that he achieved while winning the Valencia Marathon in 2019–will be the leading name among the men.  Incidentally, Atanaw finished third during the World 10K in Bengaluru way back in 2014 on his previous appearance in India.

Lelisa Desisa, the 2019 World Champion, together with four fellow Ethiopian runners and Eritrean Merhawi Kesete will give Hayle Lemi a run for his money this time.  Kesete finished ninth in Mumbai in 2020.

Desisa, who had his earlier appearances in India through the TCS World 10K Bengaluru, where he finished third in 2011, and Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon in three consecutive years (2010-2012, including a victory in 2010) is credited with the second-fastest time (2:04:45) among those men who entered for the 2024 race.  On his numerous international ventures, Desisa also captured two Boston marathon wins besides a title victory in New York among the big ones.  

The women’s line-up includes two Ethiopians and one Kenyan runner to make it tough for Anchialem in the upcoming race in Mumbai.  Country-mates Tadelech Bekele, the 2018 London Marathon podium finisher, and Sofia Assefa–the 2012 London Olympics steeplechase silver medalist who clocked an impressive 2:23:33 on her marathon debut in Amsterdam this October will be the main challenge to the defending champion.  

Speaking about returning to the Tata Mumbai Marathon, Anchialem Said “I ran my maiden marathon in Mumbai and was lucky to win the race.  I am eager to repeat the feat once again in 2024”

Commenting on this year’s field, Vivek Singh, Jt. MD. Procam International said, “The Tata Mumbai Marathon continues to attract some of the finest athletes in the world. It is also a matter of great pride to have our defending champions back and this year, with Kinde Atanaw & Tadelech Bekele we have one of the fastest fields we have ever had at the event. We are sure to have some scintillating action on the course.”

The Tata Mumbai Marathon is one of the designated marathon races to qualify for the upcoming Paris Olympic Games.  

INTERNATIONAL ELITE ATHLETES FOR TMM 2024

MEN

NameNatPB
Kinde AtanawETH2:03:51
Hayle LemiETH2:04:33
Lelisa DesisaETH2:04:45
Haymanot AlewETH2:05:57
Gebretsadik AbrahaETH2:06:08
Merhawi KeseteERI2:06:36
Yohans MekashaETH2:07:19
Mitku TafaETH2:08:18
Dickson KiptooKEN2:08:31
Joshua KogoKEN2:08:39
Mesele KirosETHDebut
Demeke TesfayeETHDebut

WOMEN

NameNatPB
Anchialem HaymanotETH2:22:23
Tadelech BekeleETH2:21:40
Sofia AssefaETH2:23:33
Zenebu BihonegnETH2:24:16
Muluhabt TsegaETH2:24:23
Ayantu Gemechu AbdiETH2:24:45
Aberash FayisaETH2:24:59
Mulugojam BirhanETH2:27;52
Medhin BeyeneETH2:28:59
Maritu KetemaETH2:30:56
Aberash DemisseETH2:40:43
Ayinadis TeshomeETHDebut
Aberash MinsewoETHDebut



PACERS
 
NameNat
Benard CheptochUGA
Luuk MaasNED
Dawit BelachewETH
Tilahun AmsaluETH
Levy KibetUGA
Selamihun FentaETH
Dominic NgenoKEN
by Abhishek Shukla

World Records for Albertson, Ingebrigtsen and Sorokin Ratified

Men’s world 50km record
2:38:43 CJ Albertson (USA) San Francisco 8 October 2022

Men’s world 100km record
6:05:35 Aleksandr Sorokin (LTU) Vilnius 14 May 2023

Men’s world 2000m record
4:43.13 Jakob Ingebrigtsen (NOR) Brussels 8 September 2023

World records set by CJ Albertson, Jakob Ingebrigtsen and Aleksandr Sorokin have been ratified.

Albertson’s was the first of the three marks to be set, as he clocked 2:38:43 to break the world 50km record at the Ruth Anderson Memorial Endurance Run in San Francisco on 8 October 2022.

Despite his training being marathon focused, USA’s Albertson decided to test himself over the longer distance and took 90 seconds off the previous 50km record of 2:40:13 achieved by South Africa’s Stephen Mokoka in Gqeberha on 6 March 2022.

Albertson ran at an average pace of 5:05 per mile on the 4.5-mile loop course around Lake Merced to achieve his feat.

Another ultra-running record was set seven months later, when Lithuania’s Sorokin clocked 6:05:35 for 100km at the Nord Security World’s Fastest Run in Vilnius on 14 May 2023.

That performance was an improvement of three minutes and 39 seconds on the previous official world 100km record of 6:09:14, set by Japan’s Nao Kazami on 24 June 2018.

Competing on a 1.644km circuit in the Lithuanian capital, Sorokin covered the marathon distance in about 2:32:30 and maintained that rhythm as he reached half way in just under 3:02, putting him well on course to break Kazami’s record.

On the track, Norway’s Ingebrigtsen set his first outdoor world record, running 4:43.13 for 2000m at the Wanda Diamond League meeting in Brussels on 8 September 2023.

Following the two miles world best of 7:54.10 he set in Paris and world indoor 1500m record of 3:30.60 he achieved in Lievin, Ingebrigtsen this time improved the world 2000m record of 4:44.79 that had been set by Morocco’s Hicham El Guerrouj in Berlin on 7 September 1999.

The pace target for the halfway mark was 2:21, but the time had drifted out at that point to 2:22.28. After the last pacemaker moved aside with just over 600 metres remaining, Ingebrigtsen was off on his solo mission and he managed to beat the clock. 

Ingebrigtsen will target more success in the Diamond League in 2024 as he works towards the defence of his 1500m title in the No.1 Olympic sport at the Games in Paris in August.

by Abhishek Shukla

Olympic and World Champion Pole Vaulter Katie Moon Is the International Event Ambassador for Tata Mumbai Marathon 2024

Mumbai, 27th December:  Two-time pole vault World Champion and 2020 Olympic gold medalist Katie Moon is the International Event Ambassador for the 19th edition of the Tata Mumbai Marathon to be held on Sunday, January 21, 2024. Promoted by Procam International, the Tata Mumbai Marathon is a World Athletics Gold Label Race.

It was the first time in the history of the World Championships that a Gold medal was shared jointly between two participants. This instilled in her a deep respect for the sport and her fellow competitors as well. The 32-year-old, American Pole Vaulter will be defending her title in the 2024 Paris Olympics. 

The solo Olympic medalist has clinched three medals at the World Athletics Championships: a silver in the 2022 World Indoor Championships in Belgrade, and a gold medal at the 2022 Eugene and 2023 Budapest World Athletics Championships. In 2023, she also won the top slot in the Diamond League. Moon hit a streak with two medals in 2018 alone: a gold at the Toronto NACAC Championship and a silver in the London Athletics World Cup. In the consecutive year, Moon pocketed a silver in the 2019 Lima Pan American Games. In her early childhood, she competed as a level 4 gymnast and diver, while in pole vaulting, she graduated with a state record of 3.97 m (13 ft 0 in).

Katie Moon International Event Ambassador for Tata Mumbai Marathon 2024, said, “While running the race of life, every step is an opportunity to inspire and make a difference. I am deeply honoured to be named the International Event Ambassador for Tata Mumbai Marathon 2024, where each stride carries the spirit of resilience, determination, and community. I look forward to inspiring and being inspired by the incredible participants as we come together to celebrate the power of human potential and the pursuit of excellence. Let’s lace up Mumbai, and run towards a healthier, and happier future!”

Vivek Singh, Jt MD, Procam International, said, “We are thrilled to welcome Katie Moon to our Tata Mumbai Marathon family as the esteemed International Event Ambassador. With her unparalleled sporting spirit, competitiveness, passion for excellence, and dedication to making a positive impact, we’re confident she’ll inspire countless others to join us on this incredible journey!”

Tata Mumbai Marathon is one of the top 10 marathons in the world. With a prize money of USD 405,000, Tata Mumbai Marathon 2024 will witness participation from across the globe.

by Abhishek Shukla

Athletics Australia Triumphs with Member Federation Award at World Athletics Awards 2023

In a significant recognition of its contributions to the sport, Athletics Australia has been named the winner of the Member Federation Award at the World Athletics Awards 2023. This prestigious award celebrates a Member Federation that has notably excelled in its achievements over the year, thereby enhancing the sport’s growth and profile globally.

Six federations were initially shortlisted for this year’s accolade, each nominated by one of the six area associations. After a thorough evaluation, Australia emerged as the deserving winner, marking a milestone in its sporting history.

Jan Swinhoe, who recently concluded her nine-year term on the Athletics Australia Board, expressed immense pride in the federation’s achievements. “Being selected as Member Federation of the year is a delightful honor for Athletics Australia,” she commented. This recognition follows the federation’s successful hosting of the World Cross Country Championships in Bathurst in February 2023, a first for Australia, and their remarkable performance at the World Championships in Budapest.

Australia kickstarted 2023 with a notable presence at the World Cross Country Championships in Bathurst, securing a medal in the mixed relay. This was soon followed by the debut of the Maurie Plant Meeting – previously known as the Melbourne Track Classic – marking Oceania’s first World Athletics Continental Tour Gold meeting.

The country’s athletes shone at the World Championships in Budapest, claiming a record six medals – one gold, two silver, and three bronze – and finishing joint eighth in the overall placing table. Nina Kennedy, a standout performer, clinched a gold medal in the pole vault, setting a national outdoor record of 4.90m and sharing the title with USA’s Katie Moon.

Throughout the year, Australian and Oceania athletes set several records, including Linden Hall’s area 1500m record of 3:56.92 and Matt Denny’s national discus record of 68.43m at the Wanda Diamond League Final.

Jane Flemming, who succeeded Swinhoe as President of Athletics Australia in October, highlighted the federation’s ongoing initiatives and expressed gratitude towards World Athletics for their support, particularly in hosting the World Cross Country Championships and the Maurie Plant Meeting. She also mentioned the upcoming launch of a new junior program, backed by World Athletics, underscoring the federation’s commitment to nurturing young talent.

The World Athletics Awards 2023 has also honored other contributors to the sport, including Laurent Meuwly (Coaching Achievement Award), Falilatou Tchanile-Salifou (Woman of the Year), and Mattia Ozbot (Photograph of the Year), with further announcements expected in the days leading up to the World Athletes of the Year and Rising Stars announcements on Monday, 11 December.

by Abhishek Shukla

AFI HAS CHALKED OUT COMPREHENSIVE ROADMAP FOR THE PARIS OLYMPIC GAMES

The Athletics Federation of India has chalked out a comprehensive 2024 Paris Olympic Games plan to have a more successful innings than the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games held in 2021 in Japan. While AFI is aiming for more than one medal at the July 26 to August 11 Paris Olympic Games scheduled to be held next year in France, it has also set strict qualification criteria.

At the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games held in 2021 in Japan, India’s star javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra became the first Indian to win track and field gold.“We have had a discussion with the respective coaches this week to chalk out an international exposure tour for the core group of athletes in the buildup to the Paris Olympic Games,” Adille Sumariwalla, president, AFI said here on Saturday.

The members of the 4x400m men and women’s relay squad will go to Bahamas for a four weeks exposure tour ahead of the World Athletics Relays scheduled to be held on May 4-5 in Nassau. “Competition in the Bahamas will be one big opportunity for the Indian relay squad to qualify for the Paris Olympic Games,” Sumariwalla said on the sidelines of the AFI Annual General Meeting.

The top 14 teams at the World Athletics Relays meet in May will get an automatic berth for the Olympic Games, the AFI president added.

After a fifth-place finish with a sub-three minutes at the 2023 Budapest World Athletics Championships held in Hungary in August, the national 4x400m men’s relay team continued their good run by winning gold at the 19th Hangzhou Asian Games in China. “We are expecting good results from the men’s 4x400m relay team in the Bahamas and at the Paris Olympic Games,” Sumariwalla added.

However, it could be challenging for the women’s 4x400m and mixed 4x400m relay teams to win an automatic qualification berth for the Olympics in Bahamas. “The national camp has started and athletes have nearly five months to prepare and deliver the goods at the right time,” Sumariwalla said.

While the members of the relay team will go to Bahamas for an exposure tour, the race walker has plans to go to Turkey to achieve Paris Olympic qualification at the World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships, scheduled to be held in Antalya on April 21-22.

“Coaches in coordination with the athletes have prepared plans to peak at the right time,” the AFI president said.

The AFI has also set strict selection criteria for the Pais Olympic Games hopefuls.

Apart from achieving the Paris Olympic Games qualification standard set by the World Athletics during the qualification period, the athletes will have to perform at par with a 16th place finish in their respective events achieved at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games held in 2021, during the final selection trials in June next, Sumariwalla added.

The 63rd National Inter State Senior Athletics Championships scheduled to be held next year in Panchkula, Haryana from June 27 to 30 will be the last platform to achieve the qualification for the Olympic Games, the AFI president said. “We have set strict qualification criteria to ensure athletes repeat their home performance at the Paris Olympic Games,” Sumariwalla added.

by Abhishek Shukla

Neeraj Chopra: Setting Records on and Off the Field

NEW DELHI, 14 September 2021: Olympic sensation Neeraj Chopra’s Gold medal success on the final day of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics has turned the track and field star into a household name across the country. Securing the first ever Olympic Gold medal for India in a track and field event, javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra’s sensational on field performance has translated seamlessly into a digital phenomenon, making the 23-year-old athlete hugely popular on social media.

Since the day on which Chopra won the Olympic Gold, his stock has skyrocketed on social and digital media. According to a report by research consultancy firm YouGov SPORT, Neeraj Chopra recorded over 2.9 million mentions from over 1.4 million authors, making him the ‘most mentioned’ athlete globally on Instagram during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. These numbers also represent a whopping 1401% and 2055% increase in his mentions from separate authors online, respectively. As a result, Neeraj Chopra’s reach on social and digital media has reached a staggering 412 million, spanning several geographies over the world. These numbers have combined to take the athlete’s social media valuation to a total of ₹428 crores.

The athlete, who is supported and managed by JSW Sports, has created inroads into mainstream commercial success as a result of his performances on the field, and his growing popularity off of it. Divyanshu Singh, Head of Sales and Marketing, JSW Sports, said “Neeraj has been a consistently outstanding performer in his discipline over the last five to six years, resulting in his phenomenal success at the Tokyo Olympics. He has now become a recognisable personality for the Indian masses on a scale that was hitherto unseen. This in turn has brought about a growing interest from brands and institutions looking at a long-term sustainable collaboration.”

According to the report by YouGov SPORT, Neeraj Chopra’s total interactions on social media since bagging the Gold medal have risen to 12.79 million, at a rate of 86.3%. A key factor in the increased engagement on the athlete’s profile has been the steady increase in his video views, which is recorded at 4.05 million, nearly thrice the average for an elite Indian athlete on social media. Neeraj Chopra is also presently eclipsing established international cricketers like KL Rahul and Rishab Pant in terms of total interactions and overall reach on social media. Naturally, the number of account followers for Neeraj Chopra has also seen a swift upswing, with his Instagram following now recorded at 4.4 million, representing a 2297% increase in his followers.

The fact that the 23-year-old can deliver value has been well established in the days since his remarkable success. This has opened a new opportunity with brands which can innovate with strategies built around the young sensation.

by Abhishek Shukla

Jitender Yadav, Tsetan Dolkar promise to make ATMCM 2019 a memorable event

Gurgaon, November 29: Jitender Yadav, a 23-year-old physical education student from Nangloi in Delhi, will bid fair to complete a hat-trick of victories while doughty 25-year-old Ladakhi Tsetan Dolkar could well be the woman runner to beat in the fifth Apollo Tyres Millennium City Marathon on the iconic Sikanderpur and Golf Course Road underpasses here on Sunday.

Nearly 2500 runners – a 26 per cent increase from last year – will take part in the marathon, half-marathon and 10km Speed Challenge while several thousand will take part in the Joy of Running (5km) event. The races will be flagged off from Cyber Hub, taking the marathon and half marathon runners to Sector 54 before winding back to the Sector 42-43 Metro Station for the U-turn.

“We are delighted that the route has been certified by Association of International Marathons & Distance Races (AIMS) and the event is one of the handful recognised by the Athletics Federation of India,” said Race Director Abhishek Mishra, who is also the founder of Tabono Sports & Events Pvt Ltd which organises the annual running event in Gurugram. “We are growing and will keep evolving with time.”

The increasing participation by women runners is fair reflection of the growing popularity of the event, he said. “From a mere five women runners each in the marathon and half-marathon two years ago, we saw the numbers rise to 11 and 20 last year. This time, we have 25 women running the marathon and nearly 120 women in the half marathon,” he said.

“At Tabono Sports, we have always placed the requirements athlete ahead of everything else. It is such sharp focus that was the reason for us to separate the finish line for the timed runners from those taking part in Joy of Running event (5km). There will be a number of aid stations along the route to help runners stay hydrated,” Mr. Mishra said.

Mr. Mishra believes the event will be highly competitive. “We have a fairly high quality of entries that will ensure a very good event,” he said. “There are many familiar names like Jitender Yadav, Tsetan Dolkar, Romila Pundir, Nikita Seth, Kalpana Deka Saha, Sushma Sharma, Harshita Koul, Anju Chaudhari, Anita Yadav and Sheethal Rao.”

Besides, a bunch will be running for the fifth year in-a-row. “We are delighted that pediatrician Dr. Anjali Nayar,  Data Security Council of India Chief Executive Office ,Rama Vedasree, fitness advocate Latika Goel as well as retired CPWD engineer Satish Saxena, revenue official Pankaj Arora and the CFO on a break Aditya Mishra will be running the event again,” Mr. Mishra said.

Jitender Yadav finished third in 2:44:04 on MCM debut in 2016, the self-taught runner won the next two editions run with several slopes to negotiate in 2:45:27 by a good eight minutes from his nearest rival and in 2:50:57 by a reduced margin of just over two minutes. “Since running on the inclines increases the load on the body, I am careful there,” he says.

Jitender Yadav, who uses the prize money won in events to finance his scholastic pursuit, says he has been inspired by India’s top marathoner T Gopi and women’s national record holder OP Jaisha. “I want to win competitive races. There is so much more satisfaction in winning close battles,” he says, acknowledging the support he receives from his benefactor, Kanika.

Tsetan Dolkar returns to MCM after having finished second in the 2016 edition a mere four seconds behind her friend Jigmet Dolma who holds the event record at 3:22:18. Tsetan Dolkar will miss running alongside Jigmet Dolma, representing India in the South Asian Games in Kathmandu, but she will not miss the Ladakhi flavor while seeking to claim the event record.

The Ludhiana-based Amandeep Kaur will be another runner who is seeking a hat-trick of MCM titles. She won the women’s 10km Speed Challenge in 2017 in 40 minutes 10 seconds and followed it up last year with a victory in 43:43. Anju Chaudhari, who drew from winning her category in the 10km Speed Challenge in 2017 to secure a podium finish in half marathon last year, will be back, too.

One of India’s fastest amateur runners Shailja Singh Sridhar, who clocked a personal best of 3:20:00 in the New York Marathon recently, will be among the runners as will the event’s brand ambassador Milind Soman who intends to run the half marathon after flagging off the race. Their presence will lend additional energy to the event.

by Abhishek Shukla

Apollo Tyres Millennium City Marathon route released

Gurugram, 22 November 2019: The Apollo Tyres Millennium City Marathon, to be held on December 1, will be more enticing this time for runners as the route, certified by World Athletics (till recently known as the International Amateur Athletics Federation – IAAF), envisages a bit more time on the iconic Golf Course Road underpass.

MCM Race Director Abhishek Mishra, himself an UltraMan finisher, says the feedback from runners about the underpass has been so overwhelmingly positive that there was no hesitation in adding extra distance. “This also assists the Gurugram Police and the Gurugram Traffic Police to ensure a smooth flow of traffic,” he says.

The race route does not take the runners towards Sector 56 for the U-turn at the halfway mark for the half marathon. The route provides for an extra U-turn for the half-marathon and two for the full marathon near the Sector 53-53 rapid metro station after having taken a turn into the other carriageway near the AIT Chowk.

“Over the years, one of the highlights of the Millennium City Marathon is the hassle-free run that the participants can have, with the Police ensuring that traffic does not impede the runners at any point of time,”  the Race Director says. “We take pride in enabling every runner, including the last one, also have the same experience.”

There are adequate sections at road level so that the runners can see daylight, too.
The other big decision that Tobono Sports, which organises the Millennium City Marathon, has made is to locate the finish points for the timed runs and the fun runs at different place. “It will ensure that those seeking to sprint to finish in the timed runs (full marathon, half marathon and 10km) do not have to jostle with those who participate in the 5k run,” Abhishek Mishra says.  

“While the start-finish line is the same for 5k runners, the timed runners will complete their distances in front of Cyber Hub. We believe that this innovation will be welcomed by all runners, especially those seeking to improve their times on an IAAF-certified route and in an Athletics Federation of India-certified event,” Abhishek Mishra says.

The safety aspect of the race has always been praised by runners, especially since the route is closed for vehicular traffic till after the last runner crosses the finish line. The number of hydration stations, first-aid points and ambulances on stand-by will give runners the confidence that they will be well provided for.

by Abhishek Shukla

Apollo Tyres Millennium City Marathon runners share the impact of ATMCM on their lives

Gurugram, 21 November 2019: The Apollo Tyres Millennium City Marathon has not only started a running revolution in Gurugram, but has also touched and impacted many lives in the Delhi NCR region. The event has been very fortunate to host a few runners who have enthusiastically participated in ATMCM since the first edition in 2015.

A retired CPWD engineer, Satish Saxena, who ran his first-ever half marathon at ATMCM 2015, expressed that the  Apollo Tyres Millennium City Marathon has helped him increase his self-confidence tremendously.

“I have completed more than 30 half marathons in the last four years. My confidence has gone up because of running. I don’t feel weary anymore. There is great joy in being energetic and enthusiastic. Some years ago, I felt envious of a Bengali man in his mid-50s who would run relentlessly. I am able to do it myself now,” says the 65-year-old.

A pediatrician, Anjali Nayar has many memories to cherish from each of the four earlier editions of the event. “I will miss my dad this year,” says the 57-year-old pediatrician, wistfully before regaining her poise to say that she will dedicate the run to Brig. DP Nayar’s memory.

Anjali Nayar, who took to running at the age of 51 – “to be able to stay fit and be a fun mum for my teenaged daughter’’ – says that the fact that the different feel to the Millennium City Marathon and that its courses past their Sector 56 homes ensured that Brig. DP Nayar would turn up to cheer his ‘little girl’ run each year.

The Data Security Council of India Chief Executive Officer,  Rama Vedashree has seen the Apollo Tyres Millennium City Marathon grow in stature year after year.

“I can see that Abhishek Mishra is keen on making MCM a big event in Gurgaon. I chanced upon him when he was training for Ironman. I love the city that I live in and so, I signed up for the half marathon back in 2015. There may not have been many runners back then, but I have seen the event grow in stature year on year,” she says, explaining her attachment with MCM,” says Vedashree.

The Senior Manager at Goods and Services Tax Network, Pankaj Arora explained why the participants of ATMCM have a positive experience each time.

“Since the MCM is conducted by an athlete who understands the needs of runners before, during and after an event, the participants have a positive, pleasurable experience each time,” says Arora.

A Chief Financial Officer on a break, Aditya Mishra says the event goes way beyond the tender coconut water (nariyal paani) that is a USP. “To me, the most important thing is that ATMCM listens to feedback from runners and has seen significant improvement each year.”

“ATMCM cares for the last finisher, even in the holding area, ensuring that there is refreshment and physiotherapists are available just as they are for the faster runners. The experience is memorable and encourages others to come and run. And yes, the ability to park your car and, without a hassle, join the run is a great thing,” says the 47-year-old.

The people from the Delhi NCR region will show their spirit and enthusiasm once again at the fifth edition of Apollo Tyres Millennium City Marathon on 1 December 2019.