The three greatest marathon runners in India, Gopi Thonakal, Srinu B, and Anish Thapa, are engaged in an exciting battle against the clock to earn a spot in the Paris Olympics. The men’s distance running qualifying standard is an impressive 2 hours, 8 minutes, and 10 seconds, thus the trio will have a difficult task in trying to secure their spots at the Summer Games.
With the deadline of April 2024 looming huge, they manage forthcoming road race events as the heart-stopping chase plays out on the pavement. Every step in this heroic effort becomes a crucial step towards Olympic glory, and the tension in the air is equal to the runners’ unwavering commitment to reach their goals.
Olympic qualifiers
Gopi, the pioneering Olympian from Rio de Janeiro and the only Asian gold medallist at the 2017 Marathon Championships, is up against formidable opposition. The complex worldwide ranking system of World Athletics is his passport to the Olympics.
Athletes are assessed by this approach using a combination of performance outcomes from several competition tiers, which yields their “average score.” Gopi’s path depends on this estimated average over a period of two years and five significant marathons, with a tempting opportunity to qualify for the Olympics by strategically accumulating points.
Gopi Told “Our target is to first break the national record of Shivanth sir on Sun day. Then, in the upcoming races, we will try to achieve the 2 hour, 10 minute-mark to get closer to the Paris qualification timing. We know that it’s going to be really tough to achieve the qualification mark of 2 hours, eight minutes and 10 seconds. But we will certainly go for it” an article from Times of India mentioned.
Cover Photo: IG
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