Mumbai: “Yes, that is a difficult question,” said Ethiopian runners Abera Kuma and Amane Gobena when asked when Kenyans men have the maximum winners, while the Ethiopian dominate women, in The Mumbai Marathon, on the eve of the Tata Mumbai Marathon, here on Saturday. In previous editions of the Mumbai marathon, eleven Ethiopians women have won while nine Kenyans have taken the honours in the men’s section. “Yea, that could be history, that is yesteryears, but we are looking at when will happen tomorrow,” is their combined vocal view these top runners of the globe have to says.
“We will be back,” says Aner Kuma, who wants to take it from where his countryman, Solomon Deksisa has left last year by winning championship, and so does Amane Gobena, who says that she will give her best to defend the title. Kuma and Gobena are here to prove their country are the best in long distance running. Gobena, the 37-year-old has her own formula for this edition of the Mumbai Marathon. I am used to such conditions or you could say worse than this, and I think that would do me a world of good in taking back the trophy to my country,” says the confident defending champion Gobena, who has her best marathon time of 2:23:50 hrs.
Gobena began her international career in cross country running and was part of the Ethiopian team which won the gold medal in the short race at the 2002 IAAF World Cross Country Championships. After modest performances on the track, she found success by switching to road races in 2007. But, looking at the runners who have lined up for this US $ 405,000 which awaits the winner, there are host of runners from African continent, including pedigreed nations Ethiopia and Kenya, for the Tata Mumbai Marathon which is to be flagged off early on Sunday morning.
Kuma is in for a acid test as he will face challenges from likes of the Kenyan trio Jacob Kendagor, Elijah Kemboi and Cosmas Lagat other than compatriot Aychew Bantie, all of whom have recorded personal bests below the 2:08:15 mark. Gobena, the winners of the IAAF Gold Label Road Race, one of Asia’s leading marathons, in 2018, the 36-year-old mother of two ran her personal best of 2:21:51 when finishing second in the 2016 Tokyo Marathon but continues to be a top-class runner. The women’s course record of 2:24:33 has remained with Kenya’s Valentine Kipketer since 2013, but Gobena showed that it could be challenged in 2018 when she ran 2:25:49, the second fastest winning time ever. She too will have to battle hard with the likes of compatriots and former winners, Dinkesh Mekash (who was champion in 2014-15) and Shuko Genemo (2016), besides three other countrywomen in Birke Debele, Melesech Tsegaye and Mergertu Alemu. Talking about our own runners, the defending champions, Gopi Thonakal and Sudha Singh, will be trying to make it two-in-a-row in the battle for top honours among the participants from the home country, a feat that will also fetch a top cash prize of Rs 500,000. But it the qualifying standards set by IAAF for September-October World Championship which is lurking around them more. This championship is to be held Doha, Qatar.