Excelsior Sports Correspondent
Srinagar, Oct 20: Athletes from Kenya won both men’s and women’s category full marathon today in Srinagar as over 2,000 athletes from different parts of the country, as well as international participants, took part in the first-ever Kashmir International Marathon, starting from Polo View here today.
The marathon featured top long-distance runners from India, including Asian gold medalists, as well as elite athletes from Europe and Africa.
Soon after the event was flagged off by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, participants headed toward their destinations, demonstrating perseverance and determination to complete the race.
The marathon, covering a total distance of 42 km, proceeded from Polo View towards Radio Kashmir, Gupkar, Boulevard Road, reaching the University of Kashmir and back. The half marathon, covering 21 km, ran from Polo View to Kralsangri and back.
In the Overall Male category of the Full Marathon, Kenya’s Emmanuel Sikuku Ndiwa secured first place with a finishing time of 02:15:25.
In the Overall Female category, Sheila Jepkosgei Chesang, from Kenya, claimed the top spot with a time of 02:38:21. The prize money for this position was 25 lakh rupees.
The top four runners-up in the Overall Male category were Hammington Kimaiyo Cherop, Mwangi Simon Maina, Anderson Saitoti Seroi, and Anish Thapa Magar.
In the Female category, the runners-up were Viola Munerya Chemos, Truphena Chepchirchir, Ziporah Wanjiru Kingori, and Ashvini Jadhav. The prize money for these ranks was 20 lakh, 18 lakh, 15 lakh, and 12 lakh rupees, respectively.
In the 18-35 age category of the Full Marathon, Sher Singh clocked 2:23:22 to emerge as the winner, finishing one minute and 42 seconds ahead of second-placed Mann Singh.
In the women’s event in the same age group, Tamsi Singh finished with a time of 3:03:25, while Bhagirathi Bisht closely followed with 3:04:11. The prize money for this position was 1 lakh rupees.
There were 18 athletes who won prize money in the Full Marathon across the 18-35, 36-50, and 50+ age categories, with separate awards for male and female winners. The prize money for second and third places was 75,000 and 50,000 rupees across all age and gender categories.
In the Overall Female category of the Half Marathon, Emebet Getawy Beyene emerged victorious, finishing the race in 01:15:15.
In the Male category of the Half Marathon, Abraham Kasongwor Akopesha claimed first place, completing the run in 01:03:58. The prize money for the top spot was 15 lakh rupees, with 12 lakh, 6 lakh, and 3 lakh rupees awarded to the runners-up.
Organized by the Department of Tourism, officials said the marathon saw the participation of over 2,000 runners, including top athletes from across the country and various parts of the world.
Director of Tourism Kashmir, Raja Yaqoob, said about 2,000 registrations from across the country, with participation from 13 different countries, representing 59 nationalities. He stated that the goal was to showcase the improving situation in the valley and promote Kashmir as a prime destination for international events.
Gautam, one of the participants from Indore, praised the event and its arrangements, noting that the marathon will have a lasting impact. “It has been a great experience. All the facilities were in place, and it was good to run with international athletes,” he said.
Anisa, one of the participants from Jammu, expressed her delight as she neared the finish line. She initially thought running would be difficult due to the early morning cold but found motivation from the dignitaries present.
“For a marathon, there’s no better place than Kashmir. Events like these are key to promoting this place. Marathons should be held here regularly, and the Government could even consider hosting seasonal marathons,” she said.
Other dignitaries present at the event included Minister for Youth Services & Sports Satish Sharma; Advisor to the Chief Minister, Nasir Aslam Wani; Chief Secretary, Atal Dulloo; Commissioner Secretary Tourism, Yasha Mudgal; Secretary Youth Services & Sports, Sarmad Hafeez; and Director of Tourism Kashmir, Raja Yaqoob.
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