Ethiopia’s Tadu Abate Deme and Yeshi Kalayu Chekole emerged as the men’s and women’s champions at the 21st edition of the Mumbai Marathon on Sunday, delivering commanding performances on a redesigned course in the World Athletics Gold Label Road Race.
In the women’s elite race, Chekole secured the biggest victory of her career, claiming her first major marathon title. The 28-year-old executed a measured race plan, staying with the lead pack for much of the distance before making a decisive break in the closing kilometres. She crossed the finish line in 2:25:13, the fifth-fastest winning time in the event’s history. A large Ethiopian contingent had dominated the early stages, but Chekole showed superior finishing strength to pull clear and seal the win.
The men’s elite contest produced a tightly fought battle, with Abate locked in a tactical duel with Kenya’s Leonard Kiprotich Langat and Eritrea’s Merhawi Kesete for most of the race. Abate surged ahead in the final kilometre to clinch victory in 2:09:55, finishing 15 seconds ahead of Langat, while Kesete took third place in 2:10:22. The result marked the seventh time Ethiopians have completed a men’s and women’s double at the Mumbai Marathon.
Sanjivani, Kartik shine among Indian runners
Among Indian athletes, Sanjivani Jadhav produced an impressive debut performance over the marathon distance, finishing tenth overall in the women’s race and first among Indians with a time of 2:49:02. Her run earned her the top spot in the Indian elite women’s category. Veteran Nirmaben Thakor finished second, while Sonam completed the podium in third.
In the men’s Indian elite category, Kartik Karkera surprised the field to emerge as the leading Indian finisher. Competing in only his second career marathon, Karkera clocked a personal best of 2:19:55 to take the top Indian honours. Defending champion Anish Thapa followed closely in second, with Pradeep Chaudhary securing third place despite battling cramps during the race.
The top three finishers in both Indian elite categories received prize money of INR 5 lakh, INR 4 lakh and INR 3 lakh respectively, rounding off a landmark edition that highlighted both international excellence and emerging domestic talent.
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