Olympian Thonakal Gopi finished fourth overall in the men’s elite race and emerged as the top Indian athlete at the Hyderabad Marathon 2026 on Sunday.
Ethiopia’s Seboka Negusse won the men’s elite race on Sunday, clocking 2:20:57. Kenya’s Felix Kimutai was second in the same time while compatriot Francis Cheruiyot finished third in 2:21:29.
The 38-year-old Gopi T, a 2017 Asian marathon champion, clocked 2:21:46. Man Singh was fifth overall and second among Indians in 2:23:56 while Pradeep Singh finished sixth in 2:26:12.
Sunday marked the 15th edition of the Hyderabad Marathon, which is classified as a World Athletics Label Road Race.
For Gopi, Sunday’s performance continued an impressive late-career run.
The Indian marathoner set his personal best of 2:12:23 at the Valencia Marathon in December. He then clocked 2:13:12 to finish second behind Kartik Karkera at the New Delhi Marathon in February.
Thonakal Gopi has also twice topped the Indian elite men’s field at the Mumbai Marathon, winning in 2018 and again in 2023.
In the women’s elite race, Ethiopia’s Emane Seifu, the 50km road world record holder, took the honours with a time of 2:46:29.
Seifu’s compatriot Tsega Desta was second in 2:46:57 while the third-placed Teresiah Omosa of Kenya crossed the finish line in 2:47:17.
Nirmaben Thakor, who came into Hyderabad having won the New Delhi Marathon earlier this year, was the fastest Indian woman on Sunday, completing the race in 2:50:20. Bhagirathi followed in 2:51:41 while Meenakshi Negi took third place among the Indian women in 3:08:43.
READ MORE: https://www.olympics.com/en/news/hyderabad-marathon-2026-winners-results
