Ethiopian runners Tadu Abate Deme and Yeshi Kalayu Chekole emerged victorious at the 21st Mumbai Marathon, a prestigious World Athletics gold label event. Yeshi Chekole, in her first major marathon win, executed her race strategy flawlessly, finishing with a time of 2:25:13, the fifth-fastest in Mumbai Marathon history. Meanwhile, Tadu Abate clinched the men’s title with a time of 2:09:55, leading a tight race against strong competitors.
Yeshi Chekole, who had been running marathons since 2019, expressed her joy at winning the race and highlighted her positive experience throughout. In the men’s elite marathon, Leonard Kiprotich Langat from Kenya and Merhawi Kesete from Eritrea challenged Tadu Abate, with Abate ultimately securing the victory. The Ethiopians dominated the event, claiming both the men’s and women’s titles simultaneously for the seventh time in Mumbai.
Indian runners also made their mark at the marathon, with Sanjivani Jadhav impressing on her marathon debut by winning the Indian women’s category. Kartik Karkera, a rising talent, set a new personal best and claimed the Top Indian Male runner’s award. The top three finishers in the Indian elite categories received significant prize money, adding to the excitement of the event.
