Mumbai Marathon

Mumbai Marathon
The logo for Mumbai Marathon
Date Third Sunday of January
Location Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
Distance Marathon
Established 2004 (2004)
Course records Men's: 2:08:35 (2016)
Gideon Kipketer
Women's: 2:24:33 (2013)
Valentine Kipketer
Official site http://tatamumbaimarathon.procamrunning.in/

The Mumbai Marathon (known as the Tata Mumbai Marathon for sponsorship reasons by Tata Consultancy Services (TCS)), is an annual international marathon held in Mumbai, India, on the third Sunday of January every year. It is the largest marathon in Asia as well as the largest mass participation sporting event on the continent. It is the richest race in India with a prize pool of USD 405,000.

The Mumbai Marathon has six different race categories: Marathon (42.195 km), Half Marathon (21.097 km), Dream Run (6 km), Senior Citizens' Run (4.3 km), Champions with Disability (2.4 km), and a Timed 10K.

The course records set in 2013 were the fastest times ever run for a marathon in India in the women's marathon category – 2:24:33 by the women's winner Valentine Kipketer, Kenya. In 2016, Gideon Kipketer broke the men's marathon record, completing the race in 2:08:35.

The marathon is an event where people from all walks of life participate including Bollywood celebrities, sports personalities, business tycoons and amateur athletes.

History

Inspired by the London Marathon, Procam International believed that Mumbai would support such a road race. The first event was held in 2004, then titled as the Standard Chartered Mumbai International Marathon.

The race became an IAAF Silver Label Road Race in 2009. The IAAF elevated the race to an IAAF Gold Label Road Race in 2010, hwever was against downgraded to Silver Label until 2018.[1]. In late 2018, the 2019 edition was again accorded with Gold Label.[2]

In 2005 Mumbai Marathon was included as one of the legs of "The Greatest Race on Earth". The other three legs of this four-marathon race were the Singapore Marathon, the Nairobi Marathon and the Hong Kong Marathon.

Organization

Mumbai Marathon is the property of Procam International Pvt. Ltd., a Mumbai based sports management company. Procam International also owns other road races in India such as the Airtel Delhi Half Marathon, Tata Consultancy Services World 10K Bangalore, and Tata Steel Kolkata 25K.

The Race

Runners at the 2008 Mumbai Marathon.

The six categories cater to different participants. They are the Marathon (42.195 km), Half Marathon (21.097 km), Dream Run (6 km), Senior Citizens Event (4.3 km), and Champions with Disability Event (2.4 km). The Timed 10K has been introduced from the 2018 edition of the Mumbai Marathon.

The marathon starts opposite Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus Mumbai. It passes many of the city’s iconic locations such as Flora Fountain, Marine Drive, Chowpatty, Haji Ali, Mahim Church, and the Bandra–Worli Sea Link. The London marathon winner and the secretary of the Association of International Marathons and Distance Races, Hugh Jones, is the race director.

Past winners

Key:   Course record

Edition Year Men's winner Time (h:m:s) Women's winner Time (h:m:s)
1st 2004  Hendrick Ramaala (RSA) 2:15:47  Wioletta Uryga (POL) 2:47:53
2nd 2005  Julius Sugut (KEN) 2:13:20  Mulu Seboka (ETH) 2:35:03
3rd 2006  Daniel Rono (KEN) 2:12:03  Mulu Seboka (ETH) 2:33:15
4th 2007  John Kelai (KEN) 2:12:27  Yang Fengxia (CHN) 2:36:16
5th 2008  John Kelai (KEN) 2:12:23  Mulu Seboka (ETH) 2:30:04
6th 2009  Kenneth Mugara (KEN) 2:11:51  Kebebush Haile (ETH) 2:34:08
7th 2010  Denis Ndiso (KEN) 2:12:40  Bizunesh Urgesa (ETH) 2:31:09
8th 2011  Girma Assefa (ETH) 2:09:54  Koren Jelela (ETH) 2:26:56
9th 2012  Laban Moiben (KEN) 2:10:48  Netsanet Achamo (ETH) 2:26:12
10th 2013  Jackson Kiprop (UGA) 2:09:32  Valentine Kipketer (KEN)[3] 2:24:33
11th 2014[4]  Evans Rutto (KEN) 2:09:33  Dinknesh Mekash (ETH) 2:28:08
12th 2015[5]  Tesfaye Abera (ETH) 2:09:46  Dinknesh Mekash (ETH) 2:30:00
13th 2016  Gideon Kipketer (KEN) 2:08:35  Shuko Genemo (ETH) 2:27:50
14th 2017  Alphonce Simbu (TAN) 2:09:32  Bornes Kitur (KEN) 2:29:02
15th 2018  Solomon Deksisa (ETH) 2:09:34  Amane Gobena (ETH) 2:25:49

The event helped bridge the gap between Indian elite athletes and the international elite. Mumbai Marathon provides Indian runners with a platform to compete with the best in the world. The dream of qualifying for the London Olympics became a reality for Ram Singh Yadav, who clocked his best marathon time of 2:16:59 at the 2012 edition.

Charity

The Mumbai Marathon is India’s largest charity platform for non-profit organisations to raise funds. NGOs represent causes such as arts, culture and sports, civic and community development, disability, education, environment and wildlife, health, human rights, social services, vocational training, and women, children and the aged. Organizations register with the Event’s official Philanthropy Partner, United Way Mumbai. Some NGOs used this event as a platform to raise awareness for their work, and some to directly raise funds. Fundraising is facilitated by an easy-to-use model designed for all groups to raise funds.

Over ₹1.9 billion (USD 29 million) has been raised from year 2004 to year 2017.

The first race in 2004 had 22,000 participants and raised ₹14.4 million (USD $269,000). Both the number of participants and amount of money raised rose drastically over the years with 30,000 people running in 2007 (₹79.4 million, USD $1,490,000). The 2017 edition hosted 42,000 runners (₹ 329 million USD 5,087,761).

Dream Team

This special category is meant for highly motivated individuals who feel passionately about a cause and commit to raise a substantial sum of funds. Over the years, the Dream Team has seen a mix of business magnates, celebrities, socialites, NGO trustees and students. Levels include:

  • Dream Champion – minimum pledge of INR 1 million.
  • Dream Wizard – minimum pledge of INR 500,000
  • Dream Maker – minimum pledge of INR 100,000

Corporate Challenge

The Corporate Challenge is a category for companies who wish to sponsor employee teams to participate in event and raise funds. 166 companies fielded 257 Corporate Challenge teams at Mumbai Marathon 2013.

Philanthropy Partner

United Way Mumbai is Mumbai Marathon's Philanthropy Partner. UWM assumes the role of a "Philanthropy Exchange" for charities and non-profit organizations that register with the Event. The Philanthropy Partner's roles are to:

  • Facilitate & supplement pledge raising efforts of individuals, companies and NGOs.
  • Create, build and communicate the Charity Structure.
  • Work on all aspects of Charity like registrations, race day logistics, communications and receiving donations.
  • Accounting & reconciling of Pledges.
  • Disbursement of funds to beneficiary NGOs.
  • 80G receipts to all donors.

UWM maintains neutrality and ensures a level playing field among all participating NGOs. UWM also serves as an assurance to the donor that the NGO and the cause for which money is being donated are credible.

Flame of Marathon

Mumbai Marathon was the youngest marathon to be awarded the "Flame of the Marathon". It was flown in from Greece by Maria Polyzou, Greek Marathon Champion and Director of the Museum of Marathon Runs. They were received by then Mayor of Mumbai Smt. Shraddha Jadhav at Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport. The flame was carried by sports luminaries, celebrities, sponsors/partners and dignitaries from the government in a flame relay to the Hutatma Chowk in Fountain, Mumbai. The participants of the torch relay were celebrities including Priya Dutt, Jaspal Bindra, Rahul Bose, John Abraham, Shobha De, Milind Soman, Dhanraj Pillay and Kiran More.

Trophy

To commemorate Mumbai Marathon's 10th edition, a rolling trophy was instituted, to be handed over to the men’s and women’s marathon champions.

The trophy was unveiled by Shri K. Sankaranarayanan, (then) Governor of Maharashtra.

The trophy was designed by artist and sculptor Shri Paresh Maity.

Event Ambassadors

The international ambassadors for the Mumbai Marathon have been:

Bollywood actor John Abraham is the Face of the Event.

Sponsors/partners

References

  1. ↑ Silver Label
  2. ↑ "Mumbai Marathon gets IAAF gold label". The Hindu via (PTI). 15 September 2018. Retrieved 18 September 2018.
  3. ↑ Mumbai Marathon 2013 Winner
  4. ↑ "Kenyan Evans Ruto, Ethiopian's Dinknesh Mekash sweep titles, Lalita Babbar breaks Indian Women's course record". Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon. Retrieved 2014-05-03.
  5. ↑ "Ethiopians ruled the roost in the Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon 2015". Online News India. Retrieved 2014-05-03.
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