The winner of the men’s marathon of the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham will light up eastern India’s biggest road race next month.
Ugandan runner Victor Kiplangat, who won the gold in Birmingham in July despite taking a wrong turn almost a mile away from the finishing line, will be among the contenders for the top spot at the Tata Steel Kolkata 25K, partnered by The Telegraph, slated on December 18.
The organisers announced the list of international runners on Tuesday at an event that officially started the countdown to the race by unveiling the race clock.
Defending champion and course record holder Leonard Barsoton of Kenya and two-time Tokyo Marathon winner Birhanu Legese of Ethiopia will also be among the contenders for pole position in the men’s international elite category.
In the women’s section, the runner-up of the 2022 Tokyo Marathon, Ashete Bekere of Ethiopia and the winner of the last leg of the TSK, in 2019, Desi Jisa of Bahrain, will be the names to watch out for.
TSK 25K, the only World Athletics Elite label road race over this distance, is making a comeback after two Covid-scarred years.
“We wanted to do this last year. But the Omicron wave scuttled our plans. We missed TSK and so did the city. Now it is back, we look forward to a record participation this year,” said Sarvesh Kumar, chief of corporate communications, Tata Steel.
A brief audiovisual piece on Mary Pierce, the former tennis champion and the international event ambassador for the race this year, was played at the ballroom of the city hotel hosting the programme.
TSK 25K is credited with not only ensuring a place for Kolkata on the global running map but also stoking a passion for running in its people.
On Tuesday, Gautam Bhimani, the emcee, said as much. “If you talked of a run on a wintry Sunday morning in Kolkata, a lot of people baulked at it earlier. But not anymore,” he said.
The organisers thanked the Kolkata Municipal Corporation and the city police for their support over the years.
The route of the run covers some of the city’s majestic sights as the participants go past the Raj Bhavan, Eden Gardens, Fort William and the Victoria Memorial before returning to the Red Road finish line.
Women’s cricket legend Jhulan Goswami and actor Subhashree Ganguly, who have been named the “Ratnas” of TSK 25K, shared the stage for a brief while on Tuesday.
“Run for what brings you happiness. See you at the start line,” said Goswami, who has got the most ODI scalps in women’s cricket and was known for a long run-up.
Registrations for all categories — 25K, open 10K, Ananda Run (4.2 km), Senior Citizens’ Run (2.3 km), and Champions with Disability (2.3 km) — will remain open till December 9, or till running places are filled, whichever is earlier, at tatasteelkolkata25k.procam.in.