Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore

Mangalore, Jan 25: Life is Calling Sports in association with Dakshina Kannada Athletic Association will organize the 2nd edition of NITTE Celebration Mangalore ½ marathon and 10 km run in Mangalore, on Sunday February 24. The event is officially sponsored by Nitte Education Trust and Corporation Bank will sponsor the event.

Addressing a press conference, P B Mitra, Director of ‘Life is Calling’ stated that participants from African countries like Ethiopia, Kenya and from different parts of the country have evinced keen interest in participating in this half marathon. This half marathon, he said would put Mangalore in the same league as the Mumbai or Delhi Marathon, which have become popular over the years.

Giving details of the event he said the event comprises both competitive and non-competitive categories. The half marathon and 10 km walk will have three categories namely Open category (15-45 years), senior category (46-60 years), and veteran category (81 years-above). The top 3 winners 21 km half marathon and 10 km walk in all the three categories both for men and women will be awarded cash prizes.

As a special incentive three special cash prizes will be awarded top 3 winners in the open category (15-45 years) in half marathon as well as 10 km walk for runners from Dakshina Kannada district.

To attract more youth and youngsters to this half marathon a competitive category 5 kms and 3kms run has been organized for College boys and girls and high school boys and girls respectively. The 5km celebrity walk/run is the only one that comes under non-competitive category event. There will be 10 prizes each in both these categories separately for boys and girls.

Mitra pointed out that considering the response of people to this marathon Mangalore would soon emerge as a preferred destination international standard marathon in the days to come.

Mitra said about 15 to 20 international participants and about 200 participants from other parts of the country would take part in the half marathon. About 350 participants are expected to vie for top honours in the 10 km walk category. The winners of half marathon in both men and women’s open category will get a cash prize of Rs. 30,000/-, 20,000/- and 10,000/- each. Similarly winners of the 10 km walk open category will walk away with a cash prize of 12,000/-, 10,000/- and 5,000/- each. In 5 kms and 3 kms run for college boys/girls and high school boys/girls cash prizes will be given to top 10 winners.

Participants in the half marathon will have to pay a registration fee of Rs. 700/- and those in the 10 km will have to pay Rs. 500/-.

The event will be flagged off from Mangala stadium at 6.15 am on the day.

Registrar of Nitte Group of Institutions Dr Rajshekar, who represented the NITTE group, unveiled the log of NITTE celebration Mangalore Half Marathon and 10 km on the occasion. John D Souza, DGM of Corporation Bank presented posters of the event to the dignitaries on the dais.

Manjunath Bhandary, President of Dakshina Kannada Athletic Association, brand ambassadors of the event athletes Vandana Shanbhogue and Anand Shetty were also present on the dais.

Participants can register online on www.celebrationrun.com, or contact event office at the Mangala Stadium, Mangalore. They can also call on mobile nbr 98863 33719 for any clarification.