Kalidas Hirave Clinches Victory Amidst Thrilling Marathon Finish

Kalidas Hirave narrowly missed the course record by five seconds but emerged victorious in the men's full marathon at the Vasai-Virar Municipal Corporation Marathon. Rohit Verma and Sonika won the men's and women's half-marathons respectively, with Sonika setting a new course record.

Kalidas Hirave showcased an impressive performance at the Vasai-Virar Municipal Corporation Marathon, finishing first in the men's full marathon with a timing of 2 hours, 18 minutes, and 19 seconds. Despite missing the course record by mere seconds, Hirave secured a Rs 3 lakh prize.

Pradeep Singh Chaudhary and two-time winner Mohit Rathore claimed the second and third spots, respectively, in a fiercely contested race. Rathore, who holds the previous course record, cited physical challenges during the final stretch.

In the half-marathons, Navy's Rohit Verma edged past Nitesh Rathva by a second, while Sonika set a new course record in the women's category. The competition saw top runners surpass earlier benchmarks, marking a day of thrilling athletic achievements.

(With inputs from agencies.)