Excelsior Sports Correspondent
REASI, Apr 7: The 3rd edition of the SMVD Katra Half Marathon was organized by One Level Up Sports here today with great enthusiasm.
Alok Kumar Maurya, Additional Chief Executive Officer of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB), Katra was the Chief Guest who inaugurated the event. The other dignitaries present on the occasion were Pragati Kumar, Vice Chancellor of SMVDU, along with Vinay Khajuria, ACF SMVDSB.
Attracting an impressive 800 runners, half of whom travelled from various regions of India, the marathon demonstrated the country’s unity and dedication to physical fitness. Renowned for its picturesque routes and demanding terrain, the SMVD Katra Half Marathon gave participants a chance to push themselves, meet personal goals, and develop a sense of community.
Through the course of the race, participants bravely faced the challenges and demonstrated remarkable resilience, determination, and unwavering spirit. One Level Up Sports’ Sumit Gandotra and Vijay Singh highlighted how thrilled they were about the event’s tremendous turnout and emphasized how important it is for fostering community cohesion and physical fitness.
They said the success of the marathon underscores its significance as a platform for promoting physical well-being, supporting social causes, and advocating for environmental sustainability. As participants crossed the finish line, their achievements resonated as a testament to the power of determination and collective efforts.
In the fiercely contested 21 km category, Ritik Sharma emerged victorious in the male category with an impressive time of 1:18:25 hours, while Rimpi Devi claimed the top spot in the female category, completing the race in 2:06:05 hours. In the 10 km category, Brij Bhushan and Sakshi Thakur secured victory with times of 37:56 hours and 52:01 hours respectively for male and female participants. Aryan Sharma showcased exceptional performance in the 5 km category, finishing first among males with a time of 19:33 hours, while Rimpi Devi led the female category with a time of 28:43 hours.
The Marathon also had Indian Flag runners like Tejinder Singh from Bathinda, Sudhir Anand & Sukreet Gupta from Jammu and Shwetansh Dhar from Gurugram. The SMVD Katra Half Marathon stands as a beacon of inspiration, encouraging individuals to strive for excellence and make positive contributions to society through sports.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
