New Delhi Marathon: Three Indian Elite men achieve Asian Games qualifying mark

Three Indian elite marathoners achieved the qualifying standard for the upcoming Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games 2026 at the 11th edition of the Cognizant New Delhi Marathon on Sunday.

Mumbai’s Kartik Jayraj Karkera led the charge, winning the men’s marathon in 2:13:10, comfortably inside the Athletics Federation of India’s qualifying mark of 2:15:04 for the continental event in Japan later this year.

Close behind him were Gopi Thonakal (2:13:12) and Man Singh (2:13:15), as the trio crossed the finish line within seconds of each other in a tightly contested race.

The sub-2:15 performances ensured that all three runners met the Asian Games qualification standard, making the New Delhi Marathon a crucial platform for India’s elite distance runners ahead of September’s Games.

Women fall short of qualifying standard

In the women’s marathon, Thakor Nirmaben Bharatjee claimed victory in 2:41:15. However, the time was outside the women’s qualifying mark of 2:31:52 for the Asian Games. Bhagirathi (2:43:28) and Ashwini Madan Jadhav (2:56:59) completed the podium.

Certified by the Athletics Federation of India as the National Marathon, the New Delhi Marathon drew over 30,000 participants from 31 countries. Olympic medallist Vijender Singh and tennis player Rohan Bopanna were present to flag off key races.

While several events were contested across distances, the standout outcome remained the men’s marathon, where three athletes secured the benchmark required to represent India at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games 2026.