20 November,2015 08:01 AM IST | | A Correspondent
Neeraj Pal Singh will look to defend his title but he will face tough competition from Services runner Elam Singh at the fifth Vasai-Virar Mayor’s Marathon to be held on November 22
Neeraj Pal Singh will look to defend his title but he will face tough competition from Services runner Elam Singh at the fifth Vasai-Virar Mayor's Marathon to be held on November 22.
Elam with a timing of 2:18:27s came second among Indian runners in the 2012 edition of the Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon, while Neeraj clocked his personal best timing of 2:22:38s in the Vasai-Virar marathon last year.
In the men's full marathon, Prahlad Sahai Meena, who completed last year's Kolkata Marathon in 2:21:29s and Nitendra Singh Rawat who finished eighth in this year's Military Games with a timing of 2:18:07s could pose a threat to Neeraj and Elam. In the men's half marathon, L Ranjan Singh, who came second in the Cherapunji Half Marathon (1:15:58s), Reliance Sabarmati Ahmedabad marathon winner VL Dangi (2:23:46s) and steeplechaser Sanjit Luwang (among men) will fight for top honours.
In the women's half marathon, Kavita Raut, 2015 Mumbai Marathon winner (1:19:50s), will be challenged by Monika Athare, who came second in Vasai-Virar marathon last year (1:17:48s) and Kiran Sahdev, winner of the Bengaluru half marathon (1:24:00s)..
Pravina Thakur, the first lady Mayor of Vasai-Virar Corporation announced former World No 1 archer Deepika Kumari and discus thrower Krishna Poonia as the event ambassadors during a media conference held at Press Club yesterday.
