Elijah, Narendra & Sheryl dominate Goa Trail Run

Team Herald

sports@herald-goa.com

PANJIM: Elijah D’Souza ran the fastest 7.5km completing the off-road route, through dense forests, dirt trails and pristine grasslands dotted with thousands of tiny, colourful wild flowers on the uninhabited Socorro Plateau in 41 minutes and 43 seconds to win the student category in the Goa Trail Run. 

Ashish Thakur won the 15km open category in an equally swift 1 hour, 22 minutes and 49 seconds.

In the Open 7.5km Men’s Category, Narendra Ghogale (41:44) came first, just one second behind Elijah. In the 15 km women’s category, Fatima (1:41:08) ran a fantastic race to stand first, while in the women’s 7.5km category Sheryl Vas (49:33) outpaced girls half her age to come first.

The competition attracted a very large number of women and families.

 Nearly half the runners were women, which is very unique for a running event. While most participants ran, a number of families walked the entire route, amid thousands of wild flowers.

Panch Members of Socorro Panchayat Rajendra Pauskar and Sandeep Pednekar gave away the prizes. 

The winners were awarded medals and gifts, and crowned with flowery ‘copels’ in true Goan tradition.