Indira Marathon today, top runners from country to compete
PRAYAGRAJ : Top long distance runners from all over the country, including past champions, are all set to participate in the 36th All India Prize Money Indira Marathon to be held in Prayagraj on November 19, preparations for which have been completed, said the organisers.
Among the prominent runners, include Jyoti Shankar Gawte of Parbhani, Maharashtra who had secured first position in six consecutive races of 2013-14, 2014-15, 2015-16, 2016-17, 2017-18 and 2018-19. Jyoti went to Madan Mohan Malviya stadium on Wednesday and her swab sample was taken in the evening. The 2019 winner Shyamali Singh of West Bengal has also come to Prayagraj to participate in the race. Likewise, Indian Army’s Anil Kumar Singh and Shamsher Singh from Dehradun too have submitted their entries to participate in the run. Anil had come second in the 2017 Indira Marathon and Shamsher Singh was fifth in 2019. Neetu Singh of Phulpur, who bagged second place in the women’s category two years ago, will also be participating in the race this year.
More than 500 entries, including 400 for men’s category and 100 for women’s, had been received till late Thursday evening, said regional sports officer Anil Tiwari.
The health department has made special arrangements for conducting RT-PCR tests of the runners participating in the Indira Marathon.
On the instructions of district magistrate Sanjay Kumar Khatri, a team of health department have set up a team for Corona testing at Madan Mohan Malviya Stadium.
The antigen test report of all the runners has come negative and now their swab samples have been sent for RT-PCR test. Corona test report has been made mandatory for the runners and they will not be allowed to participate in the race if the report is positive or they have not taken both the doses of corona vaccine.
Indira Marathon was started in 1985 in memory of former PM Indira Gandhi. The prize money in its early years was Rs 50,000 for the winner while the first and second runner-up were given a cash award of Rs 25,000 and 15000 respectively.
Later, the prize money was raised to Rs 1 lakh for winners and later the same was enhanced to Rs 2 lakh for the winner of both men and female category while the first and second runner-up would be given Rs 1 lakh and Rs 75,000 respectively. In addition to this, 11 consolation prizes are also given of Rs 10,000 in each group.
The race, covering 42.195 Km, has been organised every year since 1985, barring 2020 owing to Covid-19. The race would start from Anand Bhawan.