What the winners of Mumbai marathon said about giving up on setting a time record on hot day at the race | Sport-others News
While Mumbai crowned fresh champions in Eritrean Berhane Tesfay and Anish Thapa, amongst Indians, the race didn’t prove conducive to aim for a course record bonus. Here’s how the winners saw the race, as narrated in press conference.
Elite men’s champ Tesfay changes strategy after 25km
While a six-rinner back stayed tight till the 27 km mark in the men’s elite race, it would become evident the course record was out of reach with challenging hot conditions. The Ethiopian Tesfaye Demeke, had snatched the lead when there were only 3 km left to finish. Both pre-race favourites Rono and Lemi started showing fatigue as the two Eritreans, Berhane Tesfay and Merhawi Kesete, increased their tempo and ran ahead of Demeke in the waning stages of the race.
“I’m happy to have won today’s race. The race’s first half went smoothly, and I stayed focused on keeping a steady pace. After 25K, my strategy shifted to securing the win rather than chasing a specific time. This victory means a lot to me, and it’s a testament to the hard work and training that has gone into preparing for this moment,” Tesfay said.
Only timing important, says women’s elite winner Tele
When Joyce Chepkemoi Tele (29) regered her second straight marathon victory in three months, after claiming Ljubljana City Marathon in Slovakia last October in 2:20:17, the Kenyan runner was expected to challenge the course record of 2:24:15 belonging to Anchialem Haymanot since 2023. A course record bonus was up for grabs. However, Tele was left running a solo race up front as runners left the fray at 27K and she needed a pacer to take her through the second part of the race. Tele completes the race in 2:24:56, about 41 seconds slower than the record near 4 minutes.
Tele became the third Kenyan woman runner to win in Mumbai after Valentine Kipketer (2013) and Bornus Kitur (2017).
“I came here only to win the race and was not thinking about any record,” Tele said.
Real push came after 35km, says Indian winner Anish Thapa
Services’ Anish Thapa won the Indian Elite men’s crown in a time of 2:17.23 and pipped Asian marathon champion and Army mate Man Singh 14 seconds in a terrific finish. Olympian and former champion Gopi T, also of the Army, was third, more than two minutes behind the winner, Maharashtra’s Kalidas Hirave was fourth and last year’s winner Srinu Bugatha of the Army finished fifth in 2:20.43. Thapa had been 14th overall in 2:22.00 in the 2023 edition.
“My strategy was to keep my core strong and maintain a steady start, despite the humid conditions. The real push came after the 30–35 km mark, and sticking to my plan made all the difference. I’m incredibly happy with how it all came together.” Thapa said.
Faced challenges with my shoes around 38 km, says Indian women’s winner Nirmaben
Nirmaben rued she couldn’t match her timing from last year, though she won a second successive year, in a time of 2:50.06, beating second-placed Sonika Parmar 49 seconds.
“Though my performance this year wasn’t as strong as last year, which remains my personal best, the experience was just as rewarding. I started at my regular pace and stayed with the group for the first 12 km before we began to split. After 21 km, I gradually started overtaking, and the 36 km mark, I had secured the lead. Even when I faced some challenges with my shoes around 38 km, my determination and faith in God kept me going,” Nirmaben said after winning INR 5 lakh.
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