Mumbai, Nov 7 (IANS): Multiple Asian Games medallist and ace athlete Parul Chaudhary was on Tuesday named the Event Ambassador for the 11th Vasai Virar Municipal Corporation Marathon (VVMCM), to be held on December 10.

Gold medalist in the 5000m and silver medallist in the 3000m steeplechase at the recently concluded Asian Games in Hangzhou, Parul will grace the VVMC Marathon, which will see the country’s leading long-distance runners vying for a piece of the Rs 54 lakh prize money purse. Parul was announced as event ambassador by the Municipal Commissioner of VVCMC, Anilkumar Pawar (IAS) at a press conference, here, on Tuesday.

Sharing the stage with Parul as ‘Face of the Event’ will be Rudranksh Patil from Thane, a member of the Asian Games gold medal-winning team in the 10m Air Rifle event. The 19-year-old Rudranksh has also secured a quota place for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games after winning gold in the 10m air rifle event at the ISSF World Shooting Championships in 2022.

The Vasai Virar Municipal Corporation Marathon has once again attracted the country’s top long-distance athletes.

The Full Marathon will feature two-time defending champion and course record holder (2:18) Mohit Rathore of UP, besides Aurangabad’s Dhanwant Prahlad, with a PB of 2:20. 38; Tirtha Pun from the Gorkha Regiment, Army, with a PB of 2:22, Rajasthan’s Hemant Singh, with a PB of 2:22.24 and Tribhuwan from the Kumaun Regiment, Ranikhet, who has a PB of 2:26.

The Half Marathon for women will feature Maharashtra’s Prajakta Godbole, who has a PB of 1:14.21, besides Rima Patel (Railways), 2nd runner up in the Delhi Half Marathon (1:17.45), and Tamshi Singh (Ranikhet, Uttarakhand), winner of the World 10K, to name a few.

The Half Marathon elite field for men will be led by Armay’s Dharmender, who has a PB pf 1:03.54, Maharashtra’s Vivek More, PB of 1:06 and Anand Singh Rawat, who represented the country at the World Cross Country Championships in Feb 2023.

To also reward the participants, it has been decided to give every runner a branded running T-shirt from the renowned sports brand Berge. Besides this, every participant will get a 3D Finisher’s medal, a loaded goodie bag, a hot breakfast, a timing certificate valid around the world and a free finish photograph. Besides this, all outstation participants will be provided with free stay and all their meals will be taken care of by the Corporation, it was announced on Tuesday.