Karan Singh, Monika Athare top draws in Vasai-Virar Marathon

Army runner Karan Singh and Monika Athare of Maharashtra are the leading lights who have entered the 8th Indiabulls Home Loans Vasai-Virar Mayor's Marathon to be held on December 9.

Defending champion Singh is a past top finisher among Indian runners in the 2016 Mumbai Marathon and starts as the favourite in the men's marathon.

He would face a stiff challenge from Army mate Mohit Rathore, whom he had beaten on the home stretch in a sprint finish for the men's title last year, Sanjith T Luwang of Manipur, who has a personal best of 2:21:19 clocked when finishing third among Indians in the Mumbai Marathon in 2017, Ashish Kumar and Laljee Yadav.

The men's marathon course record of 2:21:56 of Army man Elam Singh could be under threat in conditions cool enough for the racers to go full tilt.

The men's champion is set to take home Rs 2.50 lakh, it was announced at a media conference on Wednesday.

Athare, who donned the country's colours in the IAAF World Athletics Championships and finished the marathon course in 2017, had finished on top among the home country women half marathoners in the Mumbai event in 2017 and Delhi half marathon in 2016.

She is set to take part in the women's half marathon and would have to fight it out with UP's Chinta Yadav, last year's runner-up, MP's Manju Yadav and Kolhapur's Arati Dattaray Patil.

There will be a half marathon race for men elite runners too and the winners of the half marathons will be richer by Rs 1.25 lakh each.