SRINAGAR: A total of 1,807 runners, including 73 foreign participants, have registered for the third Kashmir Marathon, scheduled for October 25, with the Jammu and Kashmir Tourism Department seeking to establish the event as an annual fixture and promote the region as a sports tourism destination.
Registration figures show that 1,221 participants are from Kashmir and 513 from other parts of the country. The remaining 73 entrants are foreign runners.
Of the total participants, 1,416 have signed up for the 21-kilometre half marathon, while 391 will compete in the 42-kilometre full marathon. The registrations include 1,614 men and 193 women.
Director Tourism Kashmir Syed Qamar Sajjad said the department intended to build the marathon into a recognised event for the region and include it regularly in Kashmir’s annual sporting calendar.
He said the event’s inclusion in the calendar of the Association of International Marathons and Distance Races (AIMS) would help ensure continuity and strengthen Kashmir’s profile as a venue for major sporting competitions.
The department has also introduced a separate prize category for Jammu and Kashmir domiciles to encourage local participation, promote fitness and provide regional runners with greater opportunities to showcase their abilities.
Sajjad said international marathons often attract significant participation from African runners, particularly Kenyans, and the separate category was intended to give local athletes greater recognition and encourage more people to take up running.
However, travel advisories issued by some European countries and the United States, as well as the prevailing situation in the Middle East, have affected foreign participation, he said.
The marathon routes have been designed to showcase Kashmir’s landscape and heritage, taking runners past Dal Lake, Chinar trees and Mughal gardens.
Preparations are being coordinated by an inter-departmental committee and a core group under the supervision of the Divisional Commissioner. Police, security forces and other administrative agencies are working together to ensure the event proceeds smoothly, Sajjad said.
A dedicated team has also been assigned to assist participants with accommodation and other logistical arrangements.
The October 25 event will feature both the 21-kilometre half marathon and the 42-kilometre full marathon, as the Tourism Department seeks to attract participants from India and abroad and strengthen Kashmir’s standing as a destination for sporting events.
