On a humid and soggy early morning around 4000 runners gathered in Chicalim to participate in the 14th edition of the SKF Goa River Marathon. The time was 4 am but the excitement and enthusiasm of the participants was very obvious. To ensure the atmosphere remained cheery, there were various musicians presenting music of different genres. There were temple musicians from Kerala who played their drums and created a special atmosphere. Then, there was a Goan brass band who added spice to the atmosphere. Finally, the women from Maharashtra with their lezim band held everyone’s attention.
The runners came from all over the country and there were two international runners, one from Australia and a woman marathoner from Russia. The entire event was conducted in a smooth and relaxed manner which left everyone feeling happy. The runners from Maharashtra and Karnataka dominated the event. The marathon race was won by Ankit Yadav from Ballia, Uttar Pradesh in the men’s 42 km marathon and Chandrasmita Hazarika of Bengaluru, Karnataka won the women’s 42 km marathon at the SKF Goa River Marathon. While Ankit timed an impressive 2:49:19 hours, Chandrasmita clocked 3:48:04 hours for the distance. The entire event was a celebration of the joy of sports.
