India witnessed an exhilarating display of athletic prowess at the New Delhi Marathon 2024, where Thonakal Gopi and Ashwin Madan Jadhav claimed victory in the men’s and women’s elite races, respectively. Despite their remarkable achievements, none of the participants were able to meet the stringent qualifying standards for the Paris 2024 Olympics.
In a closely contested men’s race, Thonakal Gopi secured the gold medal with a time of 2:14:40, narrowly edging out Srinu Bugatha, who finished just a second behind at 2:14:41. Akshay Saini clinched the third spot with a timing of 2:15:27. Gopi’s sprint in the final stages ensured his victory, although he fell short of his personal best set at the 2019 Seoul Marathon. Both T Gopi and Srinu B are from Army Sports Institute, Pune.
Ashwin Madan Jadhav dominated the women’s race, completing it in 2:52:25, ahead of Thakor Nirmaben Bharatjee (2:55:47) and Divyanka Chaudhary (2:57:06).
Notably, Gopi and Bugatha, both former champions of the New Delhi Marathon, exhibited exceptional athleticism throughout the race. Gopi had claimed the title in 2017, while Bugatha emerged victorious in 2021.
Despite the impressive performances, none of the Indian marathoners met the rigorous qualifying standards set for the Paris 2024 Olympics, with the qualification time standing at 2:08:10 for men and 2:26:50 for women. The national records in the marathon for men and women, set by Shivnath Singh in 1978 and O. P. Jaisha in 2015, respectively, remain unbroken.
The Paris Olympics will host a total of 80 athletes in each of the men’s and women’s marathon events, with 66 qualifying through the entry standard and the remaining 14 via world rankings. The qualification window concludes on May 5.
The New Delhi Marathon 2024 showcased outstanding athletic prowess and determination, highlighting the resilience and talent of Indian marathoners on the international stage.
