New Delhi Marathon: Kartik Karkera, Thakor Nirmaben bag top honours

NEW DELHI: The capital woke up to a spectacle of stamina and speed as over 30,000 runners took to the streets for the Cognizant New Delhi Marathon, a race that doubled up as a crucial qualifier for the Asian Games later this year.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Mumbai’s Kartik Karkera stamped his authority in the men’s elite category, clocking a superb 2:13:10 over the full marathon distance to comfortably breach the Asian Games qualifying mark of 2:15:04. In a gripping finish, Karkera held off strong challenges from Gopi Thonakal (2:13:12) and Man Singh (2:13:15). The 28-year-old, who trains under Virender Singh in Nashik, credited discipline and preparation for his success. “You have to stay patient. It’s about consistency,” said Karkera, a doctor by profession, adding that his understanding of sports science has helped him manage his training better. He had earlier won the Mumbai Marathon and described Asian Games qualification as a major motivation.In the women’s race, Thakor Nirmaben (2:41:15) produced a composed run to finish ahead of Bhagirathi (2:43:28) and Ashwini Jadhav (2:56:59). Also coached by Singh, Nirmaben said the flatter Delhi route worked to her advantage compared to her training base in Nashik. However, none of them attained the Asian Games cut off mark.The half-marathon titles went to Kuldip Kumar (1:08:51) and Genet Shikur Reshid (1:19:36).