Leh marathoners out to beat the odds

The women’s full event of the Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon has lost bit of sheen, as top Indian runners aren’t participating. Lalita Babar who finished 10th in the women’s 3,000m steeplechase at the Rio Olympics has skipped the race along with last year winner, Sudha Singh and O.P. Jaisha who finished third last year.

Kavita Raut who was a regular here in the half marathon has also not come here.

“Lalita has got married and has taken a break after the Olympics. Sudha and Jaisha were suffering from chikungunya after Rio and it takes good two months to recover and then you are drained out which consumes a month or two more,” said Sunita Godara, president Health Fitness Society, who is accompanying the women’s athletes here.

“They are yet to join national camp in Bengaluru. Kavita is also not running at the moment and is busy in a promo event on Sunday. Sanjivani Jadhav is participating in All India Inter-University Athletics championships, she added.

But there are two debutant runners here from Leh, Jigmet Dolma and Tsetan Dolkar who are participating despite being bereft of coaching and facilities back home in chilling conditions.

“We don’t have a coach there and no facilities. We run on our own. National coach gives us a schedule and we follow it when we are at home. We have been training here from a week and want to touch three hours timing,” said Jigmet, who has a personal best of 3.22m and has participated in four races so far.

Jyoti Gawte will lead the Indian women’s pack in the full marathon with many first timers this time.