PANJIM: President of Vasco Sports Club, Nitin Bandekar launched the Goa River Marathon (GRM) t-shirt as a curtain raiser to the 5th edition GRM which is said to commence on December 14, at the beautiful Baina beach, in Vasco.
The launch was held in a city hotel, here in the presence of Dr Anuj Tiwari, Piyush Soni, Rakesh Unny, Kabir Makhija and Sunil Shrivastava.
“The event will start and end at the beautiful Baina beach as the venue of India’s most entertaining marathon. Like last year, the event will be called the Skechers Goa River Marathon, with Skechers, international brand of high performance running shoes being the title sponsors,” said Bandekar.
“The vision with which the organisers (Vasco SC) started the event was two fold. To share a beautiful pollution free and picturesque route for runners all over India and to make long distance running popular in Goa,” added Bandekar.
Already, 1,400 entries in the half marathon and 500 in the 10km run of National and International participants have registered. Till now 12 teams have registered for the corporate relay. Cash prizes worth six lakhs will be given to the runners in the competitive event. “Details of the same are available on our website www.goarivermarathon.com,” informed secretary Unny Krishnan.
Runners from Singapore, Malaysia, France, Holland, Ireland, Scotland, Austria, England, Spain, Equador, USA, Canada, Bhutan, Japan, Korea, South Africa, Russia, Kenya, Ethopia have registered for the half marathon and 10km making the GRM a truly international event.
A total of 14 elite athletes from Ethopia, Kenya, France and Equador have registered and more will be arriving on December 13. Around 35 elite athletes totally have indicated their interest. This includes Hillary Kiproto, men’s winner in 2011 and Virginia Njeri, winner of the women’s event in 2012 who have also registered. The GRM 2013 winner Daniel Cheruiyat has also registered.
“The GRM has truly been a catalyst in spreading long distance recreational as a fitness sport in Goa. From a mere five Goans participants in the first edition, this year, in the 5th edition, 489 Goan participants have registered”, said Sunil Shrivastava of Carasid, one of the sponsors.
Panjim Corporator Kabir Makhija said, “This truly is a fine report card of GRM for the organizers in their quest of spreading long distance running in Goa and I am happy to support in all the ways I can.”
Dr Anuj Tiwari of Wockhardt Hospitals Goa said, “Wockhardt Hospitals will be providing medical support for this mega event. The team of doctors, nurses, physiotherapists and paramedics will man the 10 aid stations the long instance runners will encounter on the route”.
A two-day bib and racer kit distribution along with a health and fitness expo is planned at Ravindra Bhavan (Margao), Baina (Vasco) on December 12 and 13.
