Biggest turnout ever for Salwan run
Over 52,000 school children from across the country took part in the Salwan Marathon in the capital on Sunday.
The annual run, that saw its biggest turnout ever, brought together students from various schools across India, including those from the North-Eastern states, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.
The race also featured more than 2,800 visually impaired and differently-abled children.
Olympian boxer Shiva Thapa and Manpreet Kaur, who is the Indian national record holder in shot put, added to the event by taking part in the race for visually impaired children as volunteers.
The marathon categorised participants in eight different categories — visually impaired, differently-abled (4.5 kms), under-14 girls and boys (4.5 kms), under-16 girls and boys (6 kms) and under18 girls and boys (8 kms) races.
Said Salwan Marathon spokesperson Samrata Diwan, “Our mission is to inculcate the spirit of sport among children and to showcase what to do beyond sport. It has been wonderful to see the response that this event has seen year after year.
“We want to take this marathon to other cities especially nonmetros. In the last 21 years and today as well, the winners in majority of the races have been all from the rural belt hence we want to take the marathon there.”
Boxer Shiva Thapa and shot putter Manpreet Kaur participated in the run for the visually impaired