Good response for first Chandigarh marathon

CHANDIGARH - The first Chandigarh marathon Sunday got enthusiastic response from people, including a 77-year-old record holder and an industrialist who donated Rs.5,000 for every kilometre he ran.

Masresha from Ethiopia was the first to complete the full marathon in 2 hours 10 minutes and 51 seconds. The winning time at the Mumbai marathon Jan 17 was 2 hours 12 minutes and 34 seconds.

About 100 runners competed in the full marathon (42 km), 305 in the half marathon (21 km) and over 3,000 competed in the 5-km dream run.

Besides Indian runners, 14 renowned international marathon-runners from Kenya, Ethiopia, Poland and England participated in the run. Indian celebrities like Poonam Dhillon, Jaspal Bhatti and cricketer Dinesh Mongia participated in the marathon.

‘Flying Sikh’ Milkha Singh flagged off the marathon from Rock Garden, a prominent tourist destination of this union territory.

Yashovardhan Saboo, chief executive officer of Ethos Swiss Watch Studios, participated in the half marathon. Every kilometer run by him was sponsored with a donation of Rs.5,000 by his friends and supporters.

The fund raised from the event was donated to Bharat Prakash Foundation, a city-based NGO working for the education of underprivileged girls.

Among hundreds of enthusiastic runners was a 77-year-old Delhi based cardiologist Ashis Roy, a record holder in many marathons. He successfully completed his 101st full marathon here.

“Seeing this overwhelming response, we have decided to add Chandigarh marathon in our annual calendar. Second edition of Chandigarh marathon will be organised Feb 6 next year,” Chandigarh home secretary Ram Niwas said.

“Adequate security arrangements were made along the route of the marathon to ensure that no athlete encounters any kind of obstacle. Ambulances and teams of doctors were deputed at various locations on the route.”