Kenya’s Evans Ruto and Ethiopia’s Dinkesh Mekash won the men’s and women’s titles and $41,000 each in the $360,000 Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon 2014 on Sunday.
Ruto missed the course record by one second.
Karan Singh of Army Sports Institute, Pune won the Indian elite men’s top prize of Rs. 5 lakh, while Central Railway’s star woman athlete Lalita Babar completed a hat-trick of wins in the SCMM clipping her own course record by 3.11 seconds. In addition to Rs. 5 lakh she received a bonus of Rs. 1 lakh.
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It was in curious circumstances, though, that Karan Singh notched up a first marathon victory over fellow Armyman Rashpal Singh of the Sikh Regiment, but now at the 1 Signals Training Centre (Jabalpur).
Arjun Pradhan of ASI, Pune, who was registered only for the half marathon and which he completed with a sixth position (1.06.41) finish, was seen running with the front pack along with Karan Singh, Elam Singh, Rashpal Singh and Binning Lyngkhoi on the return stretch. He disappeared from the scene 2km from the finish line.
“He (Pradhan) took a short cut and joined the group at the 34-km mark possibly to help (as a pacesetter) for Karan Singh. This is highly objectionable,” said K.S. Mathew, a leading coach of the army for over two decades.
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The results:
Men overall : 1. Evans Ruto (Ken) 2:09:33; 2. Lawrence Kimaiyo (Ken) 2:09:45; 3. Philemon Baaru (Ken) 2:09:58.
Women overall : 1. Dinkesh Mekash (Eth) 2:28:08; 2. Gladys Kipsoi (Ken) 2:29:53; 3. Bizunesh Urgesa (Eth) 2:30:00.
Indian men : 1. Karan Singh 2:24:08 (overall 16th); 2. Rashpal Singh 2:24:38 (17th); 3. Binning Lyngkhoi 2:24:40 (18th). Women: 1. Lalita Babar 2:50:31 (12th); 2. Vijaymala Patil 2:59:58 (13th); 3. Jyoti Gawate 3:02:59 (14th).
Indian men half marathon : 1. Indrajeet Patel 1:04:56; 2. Soji Mathew 1:05:45; 3. Mansingh 1:06:17. Women: 1. Sudha Singh 1:18:24; 2. Kavita Raut 1:21:15; 3. Kiran Sahdev 1:21:57.