Photo Caption:
Pic - Tsetan Dolkar, Jigmet Dolma, Jyoti Gawte, Kheta Ram, Elam Singh and MD Yunas interacted with media at SCMM media center.
Mumbai, 13th January 2017: The Standard Chartered Marathon has always managed to attract a stellar lineup of both international as well as Indian athletes. This year with 53 elite runners, the lineup is fierce and competition is sure to heat up.
Representing India at the 2016 Rio Olympics, Kheta Ram, " I would like give my personal best this year at the Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon after finishing 3rd last year. I have been preparing for the last one month and I am confident that my trainning and running experience in the marathon will make me the person to beat.
This year he will have stiff competiton from his other Army Sports Institute traning partners; Elam Singh , MD Yunus and TH Sanjith Luwang .
Elam Singh has participated in the Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon 5 times and has had a podium finish thrice. Competition is tough this year in his opinion because of Kheta Ram and his record. His dream is to win SCMM.
MD Yunas will run at the Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon for the second time this year.
Jyoti Gawate from Parbhani is no stranger to SCMM and has participated since 2010. In 2016 she came first in the Allahabad and Hyderabad marathons and this year wants to break her own record and come first in Mumbai as well. Running 19kms daily, Jyoti is training hard and is confident in a podium finish this year.
Tsetan Dolkar and Jigmet Dolma from the Ladakh are both first timers in the Elite Athlete Category. They train together and push each other to run a better run. Without a coach or good training facilities back home, the girls are enjoying the atmosphere in Mumbai. They plan to finish the marathon in 3 hours. In Mumbai, they train from Nariman Point and CST.
In the half marathon category, we will see Lakshmanan G, winner at Airtel Delhi Half Marathon and Tata STeek Kolkata 25K 2016, and runner-up at Tata Steel Kolkata 25K Srinu Bugatha.
The start line will also see Balliappa AB and Man Singh in action. The women's field will be represented by winner of Tata Steel Kolkata 25K Monika Athare, Manisha Salunkhe, Minakshi Patil and Jyoti Chouhan.