E-Paper
All-India Indira Gandhi Prize Money Marathon: Rajasthan’s Sher Singh & UP’s Sudha Singh clinch top positions in 37th edition of annual contest
The winners of the marathon were given ₹2 lakh each while the first runner-up in both categories received a cash reward of ₹1 lakh each.
PRAYAGRAJ: The 37th edition of the All-India Indira Gandhi Prize Money Marathon was held at the Madan Mohan Malviya stadium of Sangam city on the occasion of the late Prime Minister’s birth anniversary on Saturday. The contest was flagged off by Girish Chandra Yadav, Uttar Pradesh minister of state for sports and youth welfare (independent charge) and chief guest of the opening ceremony.
Following the contest, the minister distributed prizes to the winners. Long distance runner Sher Singh from Rajasthan won the race completing the 42.195 km run in 2 hours, 20 minutes and 11.3 seconds. He emerged as the best in the men’s category. He was followed by Vikram Bangriya from Maharashtra, who completed the race with a timing of 2:21:58.3. The third spot was clinched by Anil Kumar Singh from Prayagraj, who clocked the timing of 2:23:28.5.
In the women’s category, Olympian Sudha Singh (chest number 167) from Raebareli won the race by crossing the finishing line in 2 hours, 51 minutes, and 40.3 seconds. She was followed by Arjuna Awardee Ashwani Yadav from Maharashtra, who finished the race with a timing of 3:01:22.5. The second runner-up was Maharashtra’s Jyoti Shankar Gawte with a timing of 3:05:15.2. Jyoti had secured first position in this contest in 2013-14, 2014-15, 2015-16, 2016-17, 2017-18, and 2018-19.
The winners of the marathon were given ₹2 lakh each while the first runner-up in both categories received a cash reward of ₹1 lakh each. The second runners-up were given ₹75,000 each. Besides, 11 consolation prizes each in both categories worth ₹10,000 each were also awarded to those who bagged positions between 4th and 14th.
On Saturday, the participants ran on the route past Teliarganj, Mayo Hall crossing, Allahabad High Court, CMP Degree College, New Yamuna bridge, Hanuman Mandir up to the end point at Madan Mohan Malviya stadium. A cultural function was also held during the award distribution ceremony.
The Indira Marathon is a national annual full marathon organised in Prayagraj to commemorate the birth anniversary of former PM Indira Gandhi (1917-1984). The event is organised jointly by the Athletics Federation of India, the state sports department and the Prayagraj district administration annually. The marathon’s maiden edition was held on November 19, 1985, after being flagged off by the then PM Rajiv Gandhi. In 2020, the marathon could not be held due to the Covid-induced lockdown restrictions.
