Eritrea-born, USA-based Meb Keflezighi is special to track and field, marathons in particular, based on achievement in athletics and commitment to the community. He will be at the Tata Mumbai Marathon 2024, a World Athletics Gold Label Road Race as an ambassador, watching the athletes in action from a vantage point.
“We have a lot of fast runners in the race, in both men and women. I feel excited to be able to enjoy it from behind the camera.” The 2004 Athens Olympics silver medallist went on to earn legendary status in marathons in the US, conquering the course in New York and Boston marathons.
In his first-ever visit to India, after reaching Mumbai, Meb is amazed at the fervour for road running and the response from participants for TMM. “The marathon here has grown over the years, resulting in awareness about the benefits of running, besides bringing people together,” said the American about the growth of the marathon as a movement in the US, rising to icon status on the strength of marathon highs in NY and Boston, becoming the first American since 1982 to win the former and since 1985 to win the latter.
Meb is admired for longevity in marathon running, for which he credited the gradual move up the distances from track to the road. “My body was ready for the workload, moving from 5k to 10k to the marathon. I did not rush into anything when coming back from injury.”
Asked for advice from the hordes of runners at TMM, those doing the marathon and half marathon, he counseled for patience. “Be patience, I mean the last mile can be your fastest. IT can be achieved by visualising yourself so that the exhausted body can be willed to cross the line.”
Talking about his best wins over a long career in road running, Meb rated the 2014 Boston Marathon win as a memory which fills him with joy. “The reason was because of the attack a year ago (terrorist attack a few metres from the finish at Boston 2013), so the people coming back after the horrifying incident made it special for us runners and the people.” He runs a non-profit organisation, named The MEB Foundation, focused on giving back to the community, from shoes to scholarships.
The much-anticipated TMM 2024, scheduled to take place on Sunday 21st January 2024, will flag off from the iconic Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus.
