Mumbai, Jan 17 (IANS) Kenyan sprinter Dennis Ndisso outran the competition in the seventh Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon (SCMM) held here Sunday morning while Bining Lyngkhoi stood first among Indian runners in the 42-km event.
Ndisso completed the marathon in 2.12 hours to bag the title this year and Lyngkhoi clocked 2.20 hrs for his win.
Sandeep Kumar bagged the Half Marathon by clocking 1.06 hrs for the title in the 21 km run.
Hele Kebebush of Ethiopia became the winner in the foreign women's category of the SCMM.
Indian Aki Irappa was adjudged winner of the 21 km long Half Marathon in the women's category.
Inaugurated by Deputy Chief Minister Chhagan Bhujbal, the legendary 'spirit of Mumbai' was in abundance at the star-studded SCMM which was held amidst tight security and elaborate arrangements.
Over 38,000 people from the city, elsewhere in the country, foreigners, handicapped, senior citizens, students and other groups raced their way in different categories in the marathon.
The prominent personalities participating at various points included Akshay Kumar, Reitesh Deshmukh, Milind Soman, Rahul Bose, Konkona Sen, John Abraham, Gulshan Grover, Gul Panag, and Poonam Dhillon. The race started from Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus and wended its way through the Bandra-Worli Sea Link and back.
Wife of industrialist Anil Ambani, Tina Ambani was there to cheer the senior citizens whose race she launched.
She boosted their morale by cheering and clapping and, according to some reports, nearly 70 percent of the seniors on the run were suffering from cardiac problems.
"There is so much enthusiasm among them. They have so much feeling and emotions that inspires them to come out and run. It is our duty to encourage them and tell them to live life to the fullest," Tina Ambani remarked.
Akshay, impressed by the seniors on the run, said more than giving them any inspiration, he had come to take inspiration and blessings from them.