Mumbai: Lalita Babbar completed a hat-trick of titles in the Indian elite women&rsquo;s full marathon category at the Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon yesterday.
<img title="India&rsquo;s fastest elite woman Lalita Babbar in full flight at the Mumbai Marathon yesterday. Pic/Shadab Khan" src="http://images.mid-day.com/images/images/2014/jan/20Lalita-Babbar.jpg" alt="India&rsquo;s fastest elite woman Lalita Babbar in full flight at the Mumbai Marathon yesterday. Pic/Shadab Khan" /> India&rsquo;s fastest elite woman Lalita Babbar in full flight at the Mumbai Marathon yesterday. Pic/Shadab Khan
Babbar&rsquo;s joy was doubled as she also created a new Indian women&rsquo;s full marathon course record by clocking 2:50:31 secs. Babbar, who pocketed Rs five lakh for her effort, also received an additional Rs one lakh for bettering her earlier record of 2:53:35, set in the 2012 Mumbai Marathon.
Meanwhile, Vijaymala Patil finished second with a timing of 2:59:58, while Jyoti Gawate came third clocking 3:02:59.
&ldquo;More than winning, I wanted to qualify for the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games. I couldn&rsquo;t achieve the qualification time (2:45:00), but I&rsquo;m happy to have clocked 2 hours 50 minutes, which is a good time,&rdquo; said the 25-year-old, who works as a Head Ticket Collector at Central Railway&rsquo;s Ghatkopar Station.
Babbar, who is a steeplechase runner, said she participated in the Mumbai Marathon to have a workout and improve her endurance levels. &ldquo;Today, the climate was good and I wasn&rsquo;t tired at all. I am satisfied with my timing.
My timing could have been better if I had someone to run alongside me. If there was an athlete, who could match my pace, I could have finished with a timing of 2 hours, 47 minutes. It becomes difficult to do it alone after 21km, but I still tried my best,&rdquo; she said.
Lalita however, is not sure if she will be able to defend her title next year. &ldquo;I&rsquo;m basically not a marathon runner. Three years ago, I gave it a try and came first and that motivated me to continue. The first time I ran a marathon, it was my dream to participate in the 42-km category.
Later on, it helped me improve my endurance and so I started running one full marathon and two or three half marathons a year. I only participate in the Mumbai Marathon. My participation next year depends on what happens at the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games,&rdquo; said the Satara athlete.
When asked what she would do with the prize money, the daughter of a farmer promptly said, &ldquo;I would give the money to my family as I am unable to fulfill their requirements with the salary that I earn.&rdquo;

Lalita Babbar sets new course record to finish the fastest elite Indian woman for the third time in the Mumbai Marathon held in the city yesterday

Mumbai Marathon: Lalita Babbar roars again with hat-trick

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Home / Sports / Other Sports / Article / Mumbai Marathon: Lalita Babbar roars again with hat-trick

Mumbai Marathon: Lalita Babbar roars again with hat-trick

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