Indian elite runners ready for tough competition in the presence of Preeti Lamba and Kiran Mahatre
New Delhi, 19 October (Hindustan Reporter). The Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon 2024 will see some of India’s best long distance runners taking part. The list will include elite athletes who have consistently proven their talent at both the national and international levels. In the press meet held today, these promising runners showcased their unique abilities in front of everyone.
Reigning champion of the Indian elite women’s race, Kavita Yadav has once again entered the competition with an impressive track record. She finished second in the 10,000 meters at the 2023 National Open Athletics Championships and her recent performances further demonstrate her continued dominance in long distance events. Yadav’s personal best time of 1:17:42 hours in last year’s half marathon sets a high standard for this year’s competition.
Before the road race to be held on Sunday, Kavita said, I have come to participate in the Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon as a past champion, so there is more pressure on me. But I’m ready for the challenges ahead and I hope to stay close to my group throughout the race. I have been practicing well, but the competition is tougher than usual. It will be tough, but I am sure I can reach the same level as last year.
Kavita will face tough competition from the likes of India’s two top female road racers – Preeti Lamba and Nirma Thakor. Preeti Lamba, known for her skills in the 3000m steeplechase, won a bronze medal at the 2023 Asian Games. She is also the bronze medalist of Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon 2022. In the press meet he revealed that he had left the sport for a few years. It was her husband who inspired her to return to professional sports and eventually trained her enough to win a bronze at the Asian Games in 2023.
Preeti said, “My sports career ended in 2017 due to an injury. After a break of a few years, I decided to get married. Then, my husband pushed me into the field again, and he trained me for a year, and since then there was no looking back. I would give the credit of my medal in the Asian Games to my husband, who has been my support system.” He said that I like Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon very much. I have been running in the Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon since 2014. And this time I am working hard for this event. To prepare for this half marathon I have set aside my practice for the steeplechase.
Nirma Thakor, a farmer’s daughter from Hajipur village in Patan taluka, recently won the 19th Tata Mumbai Full Marathon 2024 in the Indian elite women’s category, completing the grueling 41.195 km course in 2 hours, 47 minutes and 11 seconds. Completed.
The runner, formally known as Nirmaben Bharatji Thakor, won the international marathon competition in Pune in 2019, and wants to take inspiration from the top international elite athletes who took to the streets of New Delhi on Sunday. Thakor said, “I want to give my best to add a medal to my collection from the Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon. I will take my inspiration from international elite athletes. I have seen his performance on social media and I want to reach that level. “I don’t see it as competition but his timing is something we aim to achieve.”
Tough competition awaits male elite racers
The competition in the men’s category is as tough as in the women’s category. Kiran, who recently won the TCS World 10K in Bengaluru, had clocked a personal best time of 29:32. Regarding the Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon, Kiran said, “I had an injury a month ago and getting fit for the Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon was literally a ‘race’ against time. I am grateful to my coaches and everyone who has helped me through this process and I hope I can make them proud.
She faces Sawan Barwal, who was a bronze medalist in last year’s event. Her impressive credentials include an individual bronze and team gold at the Asian Half Marathon Championships in 2023. Barwal’s recent gold medal in the 5000m at the National Senior Athletics Championships reflects his current form and his readiness for the challenge ahead. He said, I will try my best to convert bronze into gold. I’m glad that the weather conditions are favorable, so I hope to make good use of it.
Sawan also said that the introduction of pace-setters will be good for the future of runners in India. According to Sawan, outside India, pace-setters help us improve ourselves as athletes. If we introduce this concept in India, we can expect the standard to improve massively.
The elite category also includes Kalidas Hirve, whose immense marathon experience adds depth to the competition. Having participated in over 100 marathon races and having a personal best time of 2:18:14 hours in the full marathon, Hirve’s stamina and race strategy will be key factors for him at the Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon.
The Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon, starting from Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on 20 October 2024, will have a prize fund of US$260,000.
Elite Athlete:-
Male:
1. beam volume
2. Sawan Barwal
3. Kalidas Hirave
4. Sunil Kumar
5. Gaurav Mathur
6. Manoj Kumar
7. Sahil Gill
8. Gurjeet Singh
9. Puneet Yadav
10. Mohammad Aleem
11. Deepak Bhatt
12. Shankar Lal Swami
13. Karthik Jayraj Karkera
14. Sarvesh Kumar
15. Hemant Singh
16. Harish Sheoran
17. Gagan Singh
Woman:
1. Kavita Yadav
2. Preeti Lamba
3. Arpita Saini
4. Reema Patel
5. Nirmaben Bharatji Thakor
6. Sonam Nal
7. Ekta Rawat
8. Lily Das
9. Jyoti Saroj
10. Raveena Singer
11. Meenu Sharma
12. Lata D
13. Archana Jadhav
14. Aradhana Kumari
15. Aarti Pavra
16. Basanti Kumari
17. Ankita
18. Kavita Kaliraman
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Hindusthan News / Akash Kumar Rai
