Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon – Ethiopians captured Mumbai Marathon titles with record – By Ram. Murali Krishnan

Mumbai, India – 16 January 2011 Blessed with a favourable weather, Ethiopian runners dominated the Mumbai roads and returned with fast times which improved both Indian all-comers as well as the course records at the Mumbai Marathon today. 

The Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon is an IAAF Gold Label Road Race.

Assefa halted Kenyan domination in men’s race

The climate was relatively cooler than in the past editions when the runners set their foot on Sunday (16) morning.  A group of 20 athletes went past together the 10 km mark near Haji Ali shrine when the clock at the lead vehicle ticked 30:40.  They covered each kilometer in approximately 3 minutes.  Pre-race favourite John Kelai of Kenya, two times winner here in 2007 and 2008 as well as the reigning Commonwealth Games champion, was also in the bunch of runners but slightly behind the leaders.

As expected Kenyan pacer Simon Kismili led the race initially.  His compatriot Kipkemei Mutai took the responsibility thereafter.  The runners passed 20 km in 61:17 and started climbing uphill when the pacers slowed down and trailing behind at the half-way.   Luckily the three minute per KM pace continued and the fourteen men entered Rajiv Gandhi Sea Link after the 25th KM in about 78 minutes.

Notwithstanding a heavy blew of wind from the seaside, the leading runners covered the 5 km stretch in 13 minutes.  However the stress had its own effect as the group split to two and six runners remain on the lead with Kelai managed to be a part of it.

Ethiopian Botoru Tsegaye Wolde emerged as a leader when the race proceeded in Pedder Road on the return journey.   Another uphill task and then a turn in to the beautiful Marine Lines witnessed Kelai left behind showing fatigue.  However his country-mate Patrick Muriuki remained on the fray.  With just 5 km to finish, Wolde’s teammate Haile Gemeda, winner of La Rochelle marathon in last November, took over the lead briefly.

However Gemeda allowed his teammates and Patrick Muriuki went past him as the race progress towards its last stage.   There was a battle for top honours between Muriuki and Ethiopians Assefa and Wolde in the last 500m to finish.

Girma Assefa (26) emerged as the first athlete from his country to win the prestigious event, which was an important part of the “Greatest Race on Earth” series, as the Ethiopian clocked a career best 2:09:54.  Incidentally it was also a new course record and Indian all-comers’ record.  He improved his previous best – 2:09:58 Berlin 2009 – by 4 seconds.   Wode was second in three seconds behind while Muriuki took the third spot in 2:10:00.   The first seven runners bettered the previous mark of 2:11:51 held by Kenneth Mungara of Kenya from 2009.

Koren won women’s race in a thrilling finish

Ethiopian women are more consistent than their male counterpart in winning the road races in India.  With defending champion Bizunesh Urgessa also on the fray, the women runners promised an interesting show even before the start of the race.

Like men, the women runners ran together in most part of the race before breaking on their way back to finish.   35-year-old Elfenesh Alemu, fourth at the Athens Olympic Games marathon seven years ago, led her teammates but allowed young runners Koren Yal and Merima Mohammed to get away in the last phase of the race.

Merima, eighth in last year’s race at Mumbai and second at Delhi half-marathon in November 2010, showed a strong sign to capture the women’s crown today.   However her colleague Koren Yal did not let her take it easy.  They had a fierce battle, changing the lead between them, entered the last 100m to finish shoulder to shoulder.  Everyone expect Merima to get the title, but an experienced Koren taped in front of her just a yard away and thus become the champion of 2011 with a course and all-comers’ record of 2:26:56.  Merima was just a second behind for the second place while Alemu filled the third place in 2:29:04.   

Koren shaved off the previous record by more than 3 minutes.  Merima and Alemu also dipped under the previous mark of 2:30:04 set by Kenyan Mulu Seboka three years ago.  

Koren was extremely happy as the victory came just two days before she turn 24.  “I am extremely happy and pleased with the result.  We ran together and am happy that I was able to beat Merima at the end” she said in the post-race press conference.   When asked what she intend to do with the prize money, she explained her ambition to build a house and buy a car.   

The Ethiopian winners were richer by USD 36,000 each from the total prize pool of USD 325,000.  

Freeman joins celebrities to cheer the athletes    

Sydney Olympics 400m champion Cathy Freeman was the brand ambassador for the race this year.  She joined a host of celebrity artists from Bollywood, Corporate World and social networks.

As in the past the eighth edition of the marathon also witnessed charity organizations under the umbrella of United Way raised pledges to collect funds for various causes.

As usual the half-marathon events were dominated by the Indians.  The men’s race saw B.C. Tilak setting a course record 1:04.45 while the women’s race was won by Priyanka Singh Patel in a modest 1:22:34.  Commonwealth and Asian Games medalist Kavita Raut, the course record holder for women, pulled out at the last minute as her father was critically ill.

With veterans, wheel chair and open category of races include as much as 38,400 runners took part in this year’s event in total.    

Ram. Murali Krishnan

Leading Results:
Marathon:

MEN:  1. Girma Assefa ETH 2:09:54 (Course Record + Indian All-Comers’ Record),  2. Botoru Tsegaye Wolde ETH 2:09:57,  3. Patrick Muriuki KEN 2:10:00,  4. Tariku Jifar ETH 2:10:08,  5. Haile Haja Gemeda ETH 2:10:42,  6. John Kelai KEN 2:11:05,  7. Japhet Kipkorir KEN 2:11:21,  8. Justus Kiprono Kipchirchir KEN 2:12:13,  9. Dereje Tulu ETH 2:12:44,  10. Bernard Rotich KEN 2:12:47,  11. Evans Rutto KEN 2:13:39,  12. Hailu Seifu ETH 2:15:39,  13. Hillary Bett KEN 2:16:00,  14. Julius Mutuku KEN 2:16:01,  15. Daniel Yego KEN 2:20:19,  16. Ashebir Demissie ETH 2:20:39,  17. Ketema Amersisa ETH 2:20:43,  18. Tariku Aboset ETH 2:20:47,  19. Tesfaye Tola ETH 2:20:55,  20. Lyngkhoi Binning IND 2:21:16;        

WOMEN:  1. Koren Jelila Yal ETH 2:26:56 (Course Record + Indian All-Comers’ Record),  2. Merima Mohammed Hasen ETH 2:26:57,  3. Elfenesh Alemu ETH 2:29:04,  4. Meseret Legesse ETH 2:32:05,  5. Bizunesh Urgessa ETH 2:32:28,  6. Makida Haruna ETH 2:32:28,  7. Fatuna Sabo ETH 2:33:39,  8. Irene Mogaka KEN 2:36:56,  9. Meseret Hailu Debele ETH 2:38:26,  10. Sisay Measo ETH 2:39:59,  11. Haille Kebebush ETH 2:44:59,  12. Ayelech Worku ETH 2:45:25,  13. Anastasia Ndereba KEN 2:47:54,  14. Rosaline David KEN 2:52:05,  15. Zeddy Chepkoech KEN 3:03:59,  16. Jyoti Shankarrao Gawate IND 3:05:30,  17. Tadelech Biru ETH 3:05:56,  18. Shastri Devi IND 3:08:15,  19. M Sudha IND 3:10:52,  20. Anuja Bijagre IND 3:11:46;

Half-Marathon: (all Indians)

MEN:  1. B.C. Tilak 1:04:45 (Course Record),  2. Soji Mathew 1:05:04,  3. Kheta Ram 1:05:32,  4. Parsaram Bhoi 1:05:36,  5. Sanatan Singh 1:06:20;

 WOMEN:  1. Priyanka Singh Patel 1:22:34,  2. Sangeeta Yadav 1:23:45,  3. Jayashree Borge 1:24:43,  4. Sunita Kanna 1:36:15,  5. Supriya Devidas Patil 1:41:17.