The TATA Mumbai Marathon 2024, celebrated as Asia's premier running event, turned into a bitter experience for numerous participants, particularly those in the Marathon Amateurs category. Despite the enthusiasm of nearly 59,000 runners, the 19th edition of the prestigious TMM witnessed a significant hiccup in the form of a medal shortage, leaving many athletes empty-handed.
500 racers completed the 42km marathon but did not get medals
The Marathon Amateurs, the first category to commence the run, started at 5 am from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, covering a distance of 42.195 kilometres. The disappointment reached its peak for over 500 runners who completed the challenging 42km marathon, only to be informed that there were no medals left for them at the collection counters. The mismanagement and miscalculation by the organizers left participants, who were eagerly looking forward to proudly wearing their medals, disheartened.
A group of 40 runners expressed their dissatisfaction
Notably, the TATA Mumbai Marathon attracts participants not only from Mumbai but from across the nation. A group of 40 runners from Pune expressed their dissatisfaction, stating that after completing their run, they were informed that the medals had been stolen or misplaced.
Sachin Choughule from Pune shared, "TATA Mumbai Marathon is Asia's biggest marathon, known for its excellent management, but this year's experience was disappointing. Seven runners among us were running for the first time, and after their first 42km run, they deserved the medal but did not receive it. It was a horrible experience for them."
Another participant from Pune, Ujjwala Dongare, echoed the sentiment, mentioning the initially well-organized event turned chaotic towards the end. "We were not given medals or the breakfast we had already paid for. Despite promises to deliver the medals later, we do not have faith in the assurance provided."
Mandar Gonjari, an athlete, expressed frustration, stating, "Early finishers got their medals, but when our turn came, we were told the medal boxes were misplaced. Despite having access to all the registered participants' data, the organizers failed to ensure an adequate supply of medals, marking an unprecedented occurrence. Furthermore, there was a mix-up where participants who completed the 21km run received 42km medals by mistake. The organizers assured us they would courier the medals based on our bib numbers, but such a lapse in management was unexpected from Pro Cam and TATA Mumbai Marathon."
The total number of participants included 10,711 runners in the 42km marathon, 15,218 in the half marathon (21km), 7,130 in the open 10k, 20,590 in the dream run, 1,782 in the senior citizen run, and 1,114 in the champions with disability category.
