The elite runners of the Tata Mumbai Marathon 2026 are geared up for Sunday’s 42-km race, with seasoned international marathoners aiming to conquer the iconic Mumbai course
2026 TMM’s elite athletes (left to right) Yeshi Kalayu Chekole, Medina Deme Armino, Victor Kiplangat, Bazezew Asmare Belay, Shuru Demise and Merhawi Kesete Weldemaryam at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus on Friday. Pic/Atul Kamble
The Tata Mumbai Marathon (TMM) elite athletes are ready to set the 42-km course ablaze on Sunday, January 18. There was a spring in every stride as they walked into the TMM Media Centre on Friday for a media interaction.
The African safari is back, like every year to make Mumbai their own. Bazezew Asmare Belay from Ethiopia has completed nine marathons to date with his 10th tryst with the distance in Mumbai. He has a Personal Best (PB) of 2:04:57 at the 2022 TCS Amsterdam Marathon. In response to a question that he has run nine marathons, but is yet win one, he said the nine races, “had very strong fields.” He hopes to flip that script on Sunday.
Pastor Kiplangat in fray
Victor Kiplangat from Uganda, also known as The Pastor, as he serves as one, won a gold medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games men’s marathon, despite taking a wrong turn close to the end of the course. When told about inclines on the tough Mumbai course, he said: “I’m not scared of hills, in fact more inclines is good news for me.”
Merhawi Kesete Weldemaryam from Eritrea, who makes light of his 40 years is running for the third time in Mumbai, said: “I hope Sunday is my day.”
The international elite women’s field has Ethiopia’s Shure Demise, who has arrived in Mumbai after competing in the World Athletics Cross Country Championships in Tallahassee Florida (USA) just last week. International elite Yeshi Kalayu Chekole from Ethiopia said, “I am ready and feeling good for Mumbai. I like to run in warm weather.” Warm wise she may be but there are hot heels in the field like Medina Deme Armino also from Ethiopia, who finished third at the TMM last year in 2:27:58. Armino highlighted the strong support en route in Mumbai and said this was very important in the last two-three kilometres of a race.
The Indian challenge has Anish Thapa, who is ready to zealously defend his crown. Thapa, who has a personal best of 2:16:41 won the TMM in 2025 with a time of 2:17:23. He was joined by the formidable Srinu Bugatha at the press meet. Bugatha had won TMM in 2024 in 2:17:29. The bubby Indian women’s trio of Nirmaben Thakor, Bhagirathi from Uttarakhand and the seasoned Jyoti Gawate looked ready to go glory. Nirmaben, the 2025 winner in 2:50:06 said, “I have come here with the mindset that I want to win.”
Indian women in form
Bhagirathi of Chamoli in Uttarakhand put her trust in her training which she said has been “very good” and spoke about the advantages of high altitude training. Gawate, two-time-winner of the Mumbai marathon has a personal best of 2:45:48. With a ton of runs between all of them, these athletes and others within nudging race distance will not be just running too fast, but flying too low on Sunday.
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