Africa stunned by a Shanghai surprise at the Mumbai Marathon

MUMBAI: Great music, generous confetti, real and reel life stars, helpful volunteers, enthusiastic comperes, clever promotional gimmicks, cuddly stuffed mascots, a healthy turn-out, relentless triers, good runners, modest winners and a decent marathon.

If there was something sorely lacking at the Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon on Sunday, it was a competent Chinese-English interpreter. Yang Feng Xia was not on the list of elite athletes drawn by the organisers on the eve of run.

By Sunday afternoon, she was draping herself proudly in the red communist flag. Her victory in the woman’s full marathon may not herald a revolution, but it definitely and defiantly broke the bastion safeguarded by the Africans at the Mumbai event.

Feng Xia’s feat in this marathon pales when compared to the dizzy heights achieved by Shanghai but, like all of China, she is working up the right kind of steam towards her country’s grand showpiece — the Beijing Olympics.

Her interpreter managed to put it across in broken English that Feng Xia’s aim was to make a mark in the 2008 Games. His mumble was a stark contrast to the radiant smile on Feng Xia’s face as she shared the podium of honour with Ethiopia’s Letay Negash and Kenya’s Jennifer Chesinon.

“Humidity was a problem,” she said. But the mild sultriness in the air didn’t prevent her from running away from Chesinon at the start of the 38-kilometre mark.

By about the same distance, closer to 39 kilometres to be precise, Kenya’s John Kelai’s race kicked into life. In Kelai’s own words, it was his will power that carried him across the finish more than the power of his legs.

Kelai joined the leading pack as the runners took the U-turn at the end of Bandra Reclamation. “I tried to pull out of the group earlier, but decided against it. By the 39th kilometre I noticed that my fellow Kenyans had dropped back and tried to break into a clear lead. But didn’t know if I would win or not,” Kelai said.

Ethopians Gashaw Melese Asfaw, billed a favourite, and Tariku Jufar followed Kelai to the finish to prevent a Kenyan sweep, like in the last edition of the Mumbai Marathon.   

Kelai now wants to head home to celebrate with his family — his wife and two children.

India’s Ram Singh Yadav shared similar sentiments. India’s best full marathoner finished 16th overall but improved his personal best. The $2,200 he won will do towards building the blocks of his dream.