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Mumbai marathon: Elite runners unhappy after intruders spoil timings

Updated on: 16 January,2017 10:01 AM IST  | 
Sundari Iyer |

For International Elite men's runners Alphonce Simbu of Tanzania and Joshua Kipkorir of Kenya the last four kilometers of their 42-km run, was very crucial, as that would decide the eventual winner

Mumbai marathon: Elite runners unhappy after intruders spoil timings

Intruders run alongside Elite athletes Joshua Kipkorir and Alphonce Simbu during the full marathon yesterday. Pic/Suersh Karkera
Intruders run alongside Elite athletes Joshua Kipkorir and Alphonce Simbu during the full marathon yesterday. Pic/Suersh Karkera


For International Elite men's runners Alphonce Simbu of Tanzania and Joshua Kipkorir of Kenya the last four kilometers of their 42-km run, was very crucial, as that would decide the eventual winner. The journey though wasn't an easy one as they both faced intruders at the 38-km mark at GirgaumChowpatty on Marine Drive, towards the finish line at CST.


Two onlookers, suddenly started running with them distracting them on that important stretch. Though Simbu eventually won the race clocking 2:09:32 he could have tried to reduce the timing by a minute or so had the intruders not come in their way. "It was a tough race. But the intruders coming in at a crucial point slowed down my pace a bit and my mind was diverted. Had I not had them around, I could finished with a better time," said Simbu.


A rag picker runs alongside a participant during the 2017 Mumbai Marathon yesterday
A rag picker runs alongside a participant during the 2017 Mumbai Marathon yesterday

Meanwhile, Kipkorir, who had to settle for a second-place finish with a timing of 2:09:50, felt that the slight deviation cost him his title. "Simbu and I were neck-to-neck after the 30-km mark. We were trying to overtake each other and there was barely any distance separating us. Those two guys started running with us suddenly and that did cause a distraction and it affected our timing. Had they not come on course, I feel I could have tried to win the race," said Kipkorir.

In Elite company
A rag picker seemed to have got so inspired by the Mumbai Marathon participants that instead of picking up the used water bottles lying on the Bandra – Worli Sea Link, she started running with them! The runners too didn't seem to mind her running alongside them. Even as the runners posed to take pictures she did manage to make people take notice of her antics. She was enjoying the elite company and ran till the end of the bridge before getting back to her usual chore of picking up the water bottles lying around the area.

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