Karan Singh made a remarkable comeback to competition by clinching the top prize and winning the men’s full marathon (42kms) and also registered his maiden victory in the 7th Indiabulls Home Loans Vasai Virar Mayors Marathon, organised in association with Cigna TTK on Sunday.

The 24-year-old Karan from Bombay Engineering Group (BEG), Khadki, returned after a two-year lay-off due to a hamstring injury. He won a close race, producing a late burst to beat back a strong challenge from army man Mohit Rathore from the Artillery Centre, Hyderabad and pipped him to  the post to finish in first position with a time of 2 hours 24 minutes and 26 seconds.

The 26-year-old Rathore, who trains in Hyderabad and was running his first full marathon, did well to keep pace with the champion for the entire distance. But in the final kilometer Karan ramped up his pace, which the former was unable to match and finished a close behind in second place with a timing of 2:24.32secs.

The Haryana-born Karan, a two-time Mumbai Marathon champion (2014 & 2015) said, “I had not participated in any race for almost two years and winning here gave me a very good feeling and I am very happy. It was a bit warm as I started to prepare for the race. But the weather helped me to warm up perfectly. Although I started at the back, I managed to stay with the lead pack till the 24-km mark. Later, Mohit went in front, but I managed to stay abreast before deciding to make a charge in the final kilometer and went on to win the race.”

Meanwhile, defending champion, 32-year-old Rashpal Singh of the Army Sports Institute, Pune found the weather and the pace of the two leaders too hot to handle. He finished third with a time of 2:27.56, which was much lower than his personal best of 2:20.23 at the National Marathon in Delhi recently.

Debutant Ankit Malik (24), who completed a grand double for BEG by winning the men’s half marathon (21km) clocking a time of 1:05.56secs ahead of favourite Pradeep Singh of Army Sports Institute, Pune, settled for a silver in a time of 01:07.13 secs. Shankar Man Singh also of ASI, was 15 seconds slower and had to contend with the bronze medal.

Indian Railways athletes completed a clean sweep in the women’s half marathon with Swati Gadhave successfully defending her crown by clocking a time of 01:18.26 secs. First-timer Chinta Yadav picked the silver in 01:19.07sec ahead of bronze medal winning Monika Raut in 01:20.23secs. Both Malik and Gadhave received the winners award of  Rs 1.25 lakhs each.

Results:

Men’s full marathon: 1. Karan Singh (BEG, Khadki) – 02:24.26secs, 2. Mohit Rathore (Artillery Centre, Hyderabad) -  02:24.32secs; 3. Rashpal Singh (ASI, Pune) – 02: 27.56secs.
Men’s half marathon: 1. Ankit Malik (BEG) – 01:05.56secs, 2. Pradeep Singh (ASI, Pune) – 01:07.13secs, 3. Shankar Man Singh (ASI) – 01:07.28secs.
Women’s half marathon: 1. Swati Gadhave (Railways) – 01:18.26secs, 2. Chinta Yadav (Railways) – 01:19.07secs, 3. Monika Raut (Railways) – 01:20. 23secs