The city will reverberate once again with the sound of running feet as thousands of Mumbaikars, young and old, hit the streets on Sunday morning when the much-awaited TATA Mumbai Marathon 2023 is flagged off at CST.
"This is an event I have been waiting for," said Savio D'Souza, a Std V student and budding athlete from Don Bosco School, Matunga.
Sunita Kamble, a city homemaker who had come to the media centre near the BMC headquarters to collect her number, said, “I have been waiting for two long years, and it is finally happening!" Ms Kamble had participated in the previous four editions.
Fun n Frolic Sunday
While Sunday will be a fun-and-frolic day for the public, it is serious business for athletes taking part in the mega event. Defending champion Derara Hurisa will eye a winning return from injury in the men's elite section.
The 25-year-old Ethiopian had clinched the 2020 crown with a blistering course record of 2:08:09 and went on to win both his outings over the classic distance in 2021 at the Vienna and Guadalajara (Mexico) marathons. He spent most of 2022 recovering from a hip injury.
“I’ll try to defend my title, but the competition is really good,” Hurisa said. “My training was nice, with focus on this race.” This year’s field has at least 10 runners whose personal best is better than the course record, including Hurisa’s compatriot and training partner Hayle Lemi.
'Conditions Look Good'
The 28-year-old Lemi is a winner of seven marathons, including the Boston Marathon in 2016 and Dubai in 2015. “The conditions look good for me,” said Lemi, aka Lemi Berhanu, runner-up in the 2021 Boston Marathon in 2:10.37 and with a preference for warm weather.
Leading the Kenyan charge in the men’s international elite field of 16 is Philemon Rono, training partner of marathon legend Eliud Kipchoge. “My training has been good,” said the 31-year-old, who finished an impressive sixth at the 2019 Boston Marathon and won the Toronto Marathon for the third time that year in 2:05:00. “I just got to go out there and express myself.”
Worknesh Alemu of Ethiopia and the 2020 runner-up from Kenya, Rodah Jepkorir Tanui, will be the main runners in the women’s elite group along with experienced Kenyan Sharon Cherop.
Srinu Bugatha in the men's and defending Indian champion Sudha Singh (women) will lead the Indian elite group.
TATA Mumbai Marathon 2023 Prize Money
The 18th edition of the US $405,000 prize fund World Athletics Gold Label Road Race takes place after a two-year pandemic-forced break and will also witness over 55,000 amateurs across six categories on its much-awaited return.
The elite men’s and women’s winners will take home US $45,000 each. The runners will be further incentivised with a course record bonus of US $15,000.
Mumbai police spokesperson DCP Prashant Kadam confirmed the security arrangements at the Tata Marathon. A total of 540 officials will be deployed at the event. The deployed officials include ATC teams, 18 platoons of SRPF, 4 squads of RCP and 18 QRTs. Additionally, Combat, BDDS, Gas squad along with CCTV watch has been confirmed by the official.
(with inputs from Darshan Thakkar)
