36-yr-old completes 'unattainable' feat

Till two years ago, Jigna Chanpura, a multiple sclerosis patient, could barely walk. On Sunday, the gritty 36-year-old completed the 21-km half marathon, a feat she once deemed "unattainable".

Till two years ago, Jigna Chanpura, a multiple sclerosis patient, could barely walk. On Sunday, the gritty 36-year-old completed the 21-km half marathon, a feat she once deemed "unattainable".

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Chanpura, who made her debut on Sunday, walked toward the finish line in around seven hours.

"For next year, I have given myself two choices - either improve my timing in the half marathon or compete in the full marathon," she said.

"I was in pain after completing the first few kilometres, but quitting mid-way was not an option. I relieved the pain using sprays, balms and ice cubes," said Chanpura, who walked with the help of a friend, Geeta Mirchandani.

Chanpura was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, a central nervous system disorder, in 2004. She quit her job in a bank two years ago owing to regular bouts of fatigue and numbness. "I have grown to accept my condition and I am working hard to lead a normal life."

Until a few months ago, the maximum distance she could walk was the confines of her Sion home. "But my mentor, Milind Soman, convinced me I could finish the half marathon if I practised," she said.

Vinod Rawat, 37, completed the half marathon in 3:50 hours, on one foot.

Rawat, who lost his left leg as a child and uses prosthesis, said: "Training and will power have helped me achieve this feat. In a few years, I am hoping to complete the full marathon."