Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], January 11 (ANI): In the international sporting circle, any road running race that has existed for more than two decades is considered 'historical'. The Tata Mumbai Marathon (TMM), which enters its twenty-first year, is now among such races.

As many as eight men and six women in the starting lineup on Sunday, January 18, hold personal bests that exceed the current event records for Mumbai. Ethiopians Hayle Lemi Berhanu (2:07:32) and Anchialem Haymanot (2:24:15) have held the event records since 2023, according to a TMM release.

The Tata Mumbai Marathon is a World Athletics Gold Label Road Race. The first three finishers in both men's and women's categories will receive US$50000, $25000 and $15000 from the prize pot of US$390,238. In addition, a US$15,000 reward awaits those who break the existing event records in their respective categories.

The men's line-up for 2026 includes Merhawi Kesete from Eritrea, a runner-up here behind his countryman Berhane Tesfay last year. Kesete is the top favourite this time for the title. However, it will not be easy, as the field also includes some of the finest marathon runners of our time.

Uganda's 2023 World Champion, Victor Kiplangat, South African Stephen Mokoka, and Ethiopians Bazezew Asmare & Tadu Abate Deme are other hot contenders for the top spot. Another Ethiopian, Tesfaye Demeke, who was lucky to make it to the podium with a third-place finish last year, will also be returning to get better ratings this year.

Asmare holds the fastest time of 2:04:57, recorded four years ago when he finished third in the Amsterdam Marathon, which is a shade ahead of Cherop's 2:05:00 winning time in the Toronto Marathon in 2019. Kiplangat (2:05:09 - 2022), Deme (2:05:38 - 2023) and Debela (2:05:46 - 2019), as well as another Ethiopian runner, Kelkile Gezahegn (2:05:56 - 2018), are all logged sub-2:06 against their names and make things enjoyable for the top prize among the men.

Although Kesete's best time to date is 2:06:36 (2021), a tactical approach can yield better results in a marathon.

Medina Armino aims for a better place among women:

When Media Deme Armino finished third last year, there was a host of other top-rated runners from Kenya and Bahrain to challenge her all the way. However, this year's line-up mostly appeared with her country-mates, and that will be a remarkable relief for Medina to dream big in Mumbai.

The 2026 women's field includes three runners near 2:21. Zinah Senbeta clocked a world-class 2:21:05 while winning at Lyubliyana in 2023. Incidentally, her marathon debut started in Mumbai four years earlier, where she finished seventh.

In 2021, Yeshi Chekole posted 2:21:17 to finish third in the Zurich Marathon de Sevilla in Spain. She had another third-place finish (2:23:26) in the Korean city of Incheon, less than three months ago and is in great form at present.

But the fastest among the women's entries is listed under Shure Demise, who clocked an impressive 2:20:59 in Dubai in 2015, which remains a World Best for a Junior (under-20) athlete over this distance to date.

'The calibre of the field at the Tata Mumbai Marathon this year speaks for itself. When eight men and six women on the start line arrive with personal bests faster than our existing event records, it underlines the global standing the race now enjoys,' said Vivek Singh, Joint Managing Director, Procam International. (ANI)