Top Indians for Bangalore 10K run

Some of India's top athletes will be participating in the Tata Consultancy Services World 10K Bangalore Run here May 18.

Procam International, the promoters of the event, announced here Saturday that over 60 leading Indian athletes will run alongside a superfast elite athlete field.

The Indian challenge includes BC Tilak, VL Dangi, Soji Mathew and Santosh K among men, and Vijaymala Patil, Priyanka Singh Patel, Neelam Rajput and Manisha Dattatray Salunkhe among women.

While the total prize money is in excess of $ 170,000, the winners - that can include Indian and overseas finishers - in the men's and women's World 10K categories will receive $21,000 each.

The top Indian men and women finishers will be presented with Rs.2 Lakh, the runner-up Rs.1.5 Lakh, followed by Rs.1.25 Lakh and Rs.1 Lakh. The Indian athletes have a jackpot of Rs.2 lakh each for men and women, if they lower existing Indian course records.

Vijaymala, who was runner-up at the 2014 Mumbai Marathon (2:59:58) and fourth in Delhi Half Marathon, will spearhead Indian women's challenge along with Priyanka, winner of the 2011 Mumbai Half Marathon.

Well-known, Neelam Rajput, the 2012 National Marathon champion, has dominated running events in places such as Goa, Surat, Vadodara, Satara and Pune. She recorded a top finish at the recent Surat Half Marathon.

Young Manisha Salunkhe was among the top 10 finishers at last year's Bangalore World 10K. She finished sixth at the 2013 Delhi Half Marathon and is in good form.

Leading the men's contingent, Tilak clocked 1:04:45s at the Mumbai Marathon in 2011, his personal best. He finished fourth at the 2013 Jaipur Marathon and is aiming for a top position at this year's run.

Army man Dangi was runner-up at the 2013 World 10K Bangalore and finished the 2013 Delhi Half Marathon in 1:04:53s. Looking to better last year's performance, he should be the man to beat.

Kerala's Soji Mathew is another of India's top runners and he recorded a 1:05:45s finish at the 2014 Mumbai Marathon. His personal best in a Chennai road running event is a respectable 29:49 while Santosh K finished last year's Bangalore World 10K in 31:53 and looks forward to a better finish this year.