KOLKATA: 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 2017 tomorrow.
The Indian elite contingent consists of 12 men and 11 women with Lakshmanan, Kalidas Hirave and Avinash Sable leading the men's event.
Lakshmanan hopes that the presence of Ethiopian world record holder in 5000 and 10000m Kenenisa Bekele will spur him to better the course record of 1:17:16 set last year.
"Running with Bekele is a big thing for me. You improve when you go up against a good field and so, I am hopeful of improving my timing tomorrow,” said the 27-year-old, a double Asian champion having won the 5000 and 10000m gold medals at the Asian Athletic Championship in Bhubaneswar last July.
Meanwhile, defending champion Monika Athare, Swatee Gadhave, Jyoti Gawte and Monika Raut make up for a very strong women's contingent.
"It is a tough competition this year. But I will try to repeat my feat from last year. I know the competition is very tough. But I hope to put up a good show," Lakshmanan said.
But it's the women’s line-up that looked more competitive.
L Suriya is a bright young entrant in the 25K category and has her reputation preceding her thanks to her 1:10:31 timing in Delhi Half Marathon.
Monika, who won the race here last year, is however coming at the back of a full marathon from which she has not yet fully recovered.
"After the marathon my body gave up. It has taken me three months to recover physically. But I donÂ’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.” L Suriya is, however, taking this event as a testing ground for her Commonwealth Games target of 5000 and 10,000m.