All set for Mumbai marathon

The world’s elite long distance runners will throng the Mumbai roads on Sunday for the 13th edition of the Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon. Being an Olympic year it will be opportunity for Rio-bound athletes to impress and others an opportunity to qualify in time for the Games.

Full marathon runner Nitendra Singh Rawat, who made his mark at the recently held World Military Games and qualified for Rio, will lead India’s challenge. He will be hoping to break the current course record for an Indian set by Ram Singh Yadav in 2012 of 2:16.59.

Arjun Pradhan, a runner-up here last year and Gopi T. who came second at the Airtel Delhi Half Marathon 2015 will challenge him.

Kheta Ram and Elam Singh are also no pushovers. Among the women athletes’ running the full marathon for India is O.P. Jaisha from Kerala. She was the winner among Indian women last year clocking a record time of 2:37.29. It will be the last marathon of the 32-year-old who wants to focus on less than 10k races now.

Three-time winner here and 3,000-metres steeplechase specialist Lalita Babar will pose strong challenge along with Sudha Singh. All three will represent India at the Rio Olympics. Former half marathon champion Kavita Raut will return this year to try her luck with the full marathon.