Vasai Virar Marathon 2024: Kalidas Hirave from Pune Clinches Victory; Sonika Sets New Women's Half-Marathon Record

Kalidas Hirave, hailing from Pune, emerged victorious in the men's full marathon at the Vasai Virar Municipal Corporation Marathon in Mumbai, missing the course record by just five seconds. Hirave completed the race in 2 hours, 18 minutes, and 19 seconds, winning a ₹3 lakh prize. Pradeep Singh Chaudhary finished in second place, just five seconds behind Hirave, while two-time winner Mohit Rathore secured third with a timing of 2:19:06.

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At 30 years old, Hirave began his running journey in 2007 during his school days in the 8th grade. By the 10th grade, he chose to pursue running full-time, initially competing in shorter races like 5K and 10K before progressing to full marathons. His season-best marathon time of 2:24:25, with a score of 933, was recorded at the Mumbai Marathon on January 21, 2024. In the half marathon, Hirave set a season-best time of 1:06:59 with a score of 922 during the New Delhi race on October 20, 2024. In the men's half marathon, Rohit Verma of the Navy narrowly defeated Nitesh Rathva by just one second to claim the title. In the women's half marathon, Sonika emerged as the winner, setting a new course record.

The 12th edition of the prestigious Vasai Virar Marathon 2024 commenced with great excitement on Sunday, inaugurated by Olympic bronze and Commonwealth gold medal-winning wrestler Sakshi Malik. The event was attended by local dignitaries, adding to its significance. The first 42 km race kicked off at 5:30 AM, marking the beginning of one of India's most popular long-distance running competitions. This year's marathon featured a total prize pool of ₹58 lakh, making it an attractive event for elite athletes and passionate runners across the country. Former Vasai MLA Hitendra Thakur extended a warm welcome to Malik and wished the best of luck to all 15,000 participants.