New Delhi Marathon: Karkera and Nirmaben Triumph, Qualifying for Asian Games

Mumbai’s Kartik Karkera and Nirmaben Thakor emerged victorious at the 11th New Delhi Marathon on Sunday, February 22, 2026, with both runners securing qualifying standards for the upcoming Asian Games in Japan.

Men’s Race: Karkera Dominates

Kartik Karkera completed the 42.2-kilometer race in an impressive time of 2 hours, 13 minutes, and 10 seconds (02:13:10), surpassing the qualifying mark for the Asian Games according to reports. The race saw a fierce competition, with Gopi Thonakal finishing closely behind in 02:13:12 and Man Singh taking third place in 02:13:15. All three runners finished well under the 2:15:04 qualifying time for the men’s event as reported by Sportstar.

Karkera, a 28-year-old doctor by profession, demonstrated remarkable endurance to claim the top spot on the podium according to The Tribune.

Women’s Race: Nirmaben Secures Victory

Nirmaben Thakor won the women’s event with a time of 2 hours, 41 minutes, and 15 seconds (02:41:15). Whereas she achieved a commendable time, the elite women fell short of the 2:31:52 qualifying mark for the Asian Games The Tribune reported. Bhagirathi finished second with a time of 02:43:28, followed by Ashwini Jadhav in 02:56:59.

Marathon Success and Participation

The Cognizant New Delhi Marathon, an AFI-certified National Marathon, attracted over 30,000 runners from 31 countries and 490 cities, highlighting its growing popularity and success as stated by ANI. Olympic medalist Vijender Singh and tennis star Rohan Bopanna flagged off the key races and presented the awards to the winners.

“Every year, the New Delhi Marathon is becoming bigger and better, with the cream of India taking part in the event. The presence of several athletes from other countries is the crowning glory for us,” said Nagaraj Adiga, Race Director & CMD of NEB Sports according to the report.