Marathon lends colour, star power to Mumbai streets (Third Lead)
By IANSSunday, January 16, 2011
MUMBAI - Thousands, including celebrities and volunteers from NGOs clad in colourful outfits, Sunday thronged the streets of this Maharashtra capital for the yearly marathon in which Ethiopians ruled the show.
Ethiopian Koren Yal won the 42-km full run among women and Girima Assefa reached the finish line first in the men’s category.
B.C. Tilak from Pune’s Army Sports Institute won the 21-km half marathon, reaching the finish line in a record time of one hour and four minutes.
Priyanka Singh Patel from the Indian Railways clocked one hour 22 minutes and 34 seconds to be the first among women in the half marathon.
Over 38,000 people early Sunday gathered at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus to participate in the Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon 2011 as Maharashtra Governor K. Sankaranarayanan flagged it off amid tight security.
While the full marathon saw participation by 2,800 people, 11,000 people ran in the half marathon.
Star participants like model-actor Milind Soman who runs the full marathon each year and business tycoon Anil Ambani who participated in the half marathon this time were seen in full energy as they started off the coveted run for the eighth edition of the marathon.
An elated brand ambassador of the marathon for five years now, Bollywood actor John Abraham said he was here to fulfil all his responsibilities.
Siddharth Mallya, socialite and son of businessman Vijay Mallya, also participated.
Several international participants, including Catherine Freeman who is also the event ambassador for the marathon, also took part.
Keeping the security aspect in mind, around 700 policemen and policewomen were deployed across the 42-km-long route.
Around 150 doctors with their 120 assistants, two helicopters and eight ambulances were arranged for any untoward incidents or emergencies.
The scene turned colourful when the six-kilometre long ‘Dream Run’ began with the participation of 22,500 people, including several celebrities, all running or supporting a cause.
As state Public Works Department Minister Chhagan Bhujbal flagged off the ‘Dream Run’, celebrities like actress Neha Dhupia, Mini Mathur, Poonam Narula and socialite Shobha De ran to support their respective charities.
“This is for the first time I am running any marathon and I am very excited about it,” said Neha Dhupia, who was running in support of NGO Concern India.
Several teams from around 180 NGOs dressed in colourful outfits walked with multi-coloured posters supporting various causes. From protecting animals to forests, there was not a cause that went unsupported.
Cheering for various other causes from the sidelines were Bollywood celebrities Juhi Chawla, Vivek Oberoi, Shreyas Talpade and Shilpa Shetty.
Congress MP Priya Dutt cheered for the charity she supports while actress Deepika Padukone also encouraged the runners.
Tina Ambani cheered for the senior citizens who participated in the run under the banner of her Harmony initiative for the elderly.
The ‘Dream Run’ had some interesting moments as well. With onion prices soaring, the run also saw a man at his sarcastic best, wearing a garland of onions, saying he would give it to the most deserving candidate.
The marathon also attracted some of the world’s best male and female elite athletes like John Kelai from Kenya who specialises in the marathon.
Ethiopia’s Bizunesh Urgesa was also a strong contender at the marathon this year, leading a strong bunch of women athletes.
Among other noteworthy Kenyan men to compete in Mumbai were Evans Rutto and Justus Kipshirchir.
Ethiopia’s Tesfaye Tola, Qatar’s Mubarak Shami and Russia’s Oleg Kulkov also participated in the event.
The Bandra-Worli Sea Link proved to be a major attraction for most runners.
The winners are as follows:
Full marathon men:
1. Girifa Assefa (Ethiopia) 2:09:54
2. Botor Segaye Wolde (Ethiopia) 2:09:57
3. Patrick Muriuki (Kenya) 2:10:00
Full marathon women:
1. Koren Yal (Ethiopia) 2:26:56
2. Merima Mohammed (Ethiopia) 2:26:57
3. Elfenesh Alemu (Ethiopia) 2:29:04
Half-marathon men:
1. B.C Tilak (Army Sports Institute, Pune) 1:04:45
2. Soji Mathew (Indian Railways) 1:05:04
3. Kheta Ram (Army Sports Institute, Pune) 1:05:32
Half-marathon women:
1. Priyanka Singh Patel (Indian Railways) 1:22:34
2. Sangeeta Yadav (Indian Railways) 1:23:45
3. Jayshree Borge (Maharashtra) 1:24:43
