Gopi Thonakal, India’s leading Marathoner who hails form Wayanad of Kerala wins 16th Asian Marathon Championships here at Dongguan, China with a timing of 2.15.48. It was a fighting win at the end for the Indian leaving behind Petrov Andrey (2.15.51) of Uzbekistan, thumping him on a margin of three seconds. The bronze went to T.Byambajav of Mangolia for him performance of 2.16.14.
Gopi was in fine form this year winning the New Delhi Marathon in 2.15.37, his best performance of the season so far. He clocked 2.17.13 in at the recently concluded world championships. This year he has been in the range of his personal best timing of 2.15.25 which he recorded in the Rio Olympics in 2016.
Incidentally our Honourable Secretary of Athletics Federation of India (AFI) Mr. C.K.Valson was the Technical Director of this Marathon.