Africa conquers India in Mumbai Marathon

Mumbai, 20 Jan 2013, (IANS): African men and women athletes made a clean sweep of the top slots in the 10th Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon, besides creating new course records in the keenly contested disciplines among around 40,000 participants here Sunday.

Jackson Kiprop of Uganda clocked 2:09:32 hrs - a new SCMM course record - to win the men’s marathon, followed by Jacob Cheshari of Ethiopia, Elijah Kemboi (Kenya), Ahrabam Girma (Ethiopia), Laban Moibenn (Kenya), Abay Tadesse, Dese Endris, Ashenafi Ketema, Desta Gebrehiwet and Argachew Tola (all, Ethiopia).

In the women’s event, Kenya’s Velentine Kipketer won clocking 2:24:33 hrs, setting a new SCMM course record, followed by Dinknesh Mekash, Aberu Mekuria, Fantu Jimma, Yeshimebet Tadesse and Zeytuna Arba (all, Ethiopia).

India’s Binning Lynkhoi, who clocked 2:21:51 hrs, won among the Indians category, but was ranked overall 14th. He was followed by Ashish Singh, Elam Singh, Karan Singh and Angad Kumar.

Lalita Babbar, clocking 2:53:42 hrs, was ranked first among Indian women, but 12th in the overall list, followed by Vijaymala Patil, Rohini Raut, M. Sudha and Jyoti Gawate.

The top prize for the 10th SCMM this year, considered the richest marathon in Asia, for the winners was a whopping $350,000.

HALF MARATHON:

In the half marathon category, Indians Nitender Singh, Sachin Patil and Atwa Bhajat bagged the top three slots. Sudha Singh, Ritu Pal and Monika Athare were ranked in the first three in the women’s half marathon category.

In other events, American Charles Lo stood first in the Marathon Super Veteran Men’s category, followed by Bibekananda Tripathy and Dharam Singh, both India. Rachel Chatterjee topped the same category for women.

The first top three slots in the mMen’s Marathon Senior Veteran were bagged by S.J. Yadav, Kothandapani K.C. and Ramavtar Rajbhar. Marathon Senior Veteran (Women) top positions were secured by Radha Krishnaswamy, Pervin Batliwala and Caroline Yasuda of the US.

In Marathon Veteran (Men), Matt Ebiner and Gary Lew of the US bagged the top two positions while an Indian Lourdes Irudaya Boco was ranked third. British runner Rachael Woolston won the Marathon Veteran (Women) category, followed by two Indians Kranti Salvi and Shilpa Phadke.

Maharashtra Governor K. Sankaranarayanan flagged off the SCMM early Sunday morning. Film stars, top corporate heads like Anil Ambani, Anand Mahindra and Niranjan Hiranandani, celebrities, doctors, youths, physically challenged persons, and Mumbai’s famous dabbawallas also participated in the marathon.