Lakshmanan aims to defend crown at 25K race

Defending champion and course record holder G. Lakshmanan and L. Suriya, who just scorched the Delhi Half Marathon, could be the top Indian contenders in the TSK 25K here on Sunday.

The Indian elite contingent consists of 12 men and 11 women with Lakshmanan, Kalidas Hirave and Avinash Sable leading the men's event.

"You improve when you go up against a good field and so, I am hopeful of improving my timing tomorrow," said Lakshmanan.

The 27-year-old is a double Asian champion having won the 5000 and 10000m gold medals at the Asian Athletic Championships in Bhubaneswar last July.

Meanwhile, defending champion Monika Athare, Swatee Gadhave, Jyoti Gawte and Monika Raut make up for the women's contingent.

Monika said: "After the marathon my body gave up. It has taken me three months to recover physically. But I don t think I have recovered fully yet. But the track here is nice and flat and I hope to run a good race here. I will be happy to complete the distance and to do it within my target would be fabulous.

Suriya is, however, taking this event as a testing ground for her Commonwealth Games target of 5000m and 10,000m.

--IANS

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