''At least 2 Indian runners can qualify for London Olympics''

Mumbai, Jan 15 (PTI) Ukrainian long distance runner IvanBabaryka, who will be the pacemaker for Indian athletes, feelsthat at least a couple of local runners have the capacity toattain qualifying standard for the London Olympics.

"I have seen them while I was participating in the Delhiand the Bangalore half-marathons. I don''t remember their namesbut I know them by their faces. A couple of them have thecapacity to qualify for the Olympics," said Babaryka, thricewinner of the Moscow marathon (2007, 2008, 2009) and the 2010Pyongyang Marathon in 2010.

Being the natives, they are quite used to the climatehere. There is no reason why they cannot finish the race inless than 2hrs and 18 minutes, the timing required for Olympicqualification, said the 28-year-old athlete, whose best finishwas 2:13:56 during his winning run in Pyongyang.

Babaryka said hot weather would pose a problem to theathletes during their second half of the run.

"The first half is quite cool, there would be no problem.

However, with the weather becoming hotter, the second halfwould pose lot of challenges," he added.

The Indian Army trio of Binning Lyngkhoi, best Indianfinisher among men in the last edition, the highly experiencedRam Singh Yadav, and Angad Singh have said they are targetinga berth in the Olympics when they take the field at the eighthStandard Chartered Mumbai Marathon. .