Defending champion Cosmas Lagat returns to the Mumbai Marathon, a World Athletics Gold Label road race, on January 19.
Lagat won the race 12 months ago in decisive fashion when he broke away from the rest of the leading pack around 29km into the race. He was out on his own over the final 13km before crossing the line in 2:09:15, the second fastest winning time in race history.
Having come home just 40 seconds outside the course record of 2:08:35, set by his compatriot Gideon Kipketer in 2016, Lagat will be back on the start line in the City of Dreams motivated not only by the possibility of pocketing another Sh4.5 million first prize cheque but also winning Sh1.5 million on offer for a course record.
“My Mumbai win was my best race of 2019 and the fond memories of running in India coupled with the experience I got last year, will be very important this time,” Lagat said.
“After coming so close to the course record, I have thought about what I can do to improve, and I think I can run the first half of the race faster than I did last year,” he added. Lagat will be aiming to become \the second man to win back-to-back Mumbai titles in the race’s 17-year history, following in the footsteps of fellow Kenyan John Kelai who won in 2007 and 2008.
Race organisers have signed up no less than 14 men who have run faster than 2:10:00, making it the strongest marathon ever to be staged in India.