Asian Marathon Champion Thonakal Gopi on Friday said he is now preparing for the Stockholm Marathon in Sweden next month, after recovering from a meniscus injury.
The athlete unveiled the ASICS marathon ‘Finisher Tee’ for the Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) World 10K Marathon, scheduled to be held in the city on May 15.
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“I last participated in 2019 in a competition. After that, I had a surgery in March 2020; it was a meniscus tear. I am now preparing for a competition. Next month, it is in Sweden. I am trying to enter it…and the Commonwealth Games later this year,” Gopi said.
Speaking to reporters after the event, the Olympian said COVID-19 restrictions had hampered proper rehabilitation after his injury and the Sweden competition would be his first since 2020.
“I am 90 per cent fit now after my injury. Because there was a long gap in the middle, there were no competitions. Now, when I run in this competition, I will know what to focus on. My workout is at the same level as before,” he added.
Gopi, who has served in the Indian Army, was the gold medalist at the Asian Marathon Championship 2017 and also won the Tata Mumbai Marathon in 2018.
Procam International, a sports management company, part of the TCS World 10K Marathon said the race would star reigning 5,000m World Champions Muktar Edris from Ethiopia and Hellen Obiri from Kenya.
Former 100m Olympic champion Justin Gatlin from the US is the official ambassador of the race.
The registrations for the 10K event will close very soon and all other race categories, namely, the Open 10K, Majja Run (5K), Senior Citizens’ Run, and Champions with Disability are also part of the marathon, the organisers said.
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