Hyderabad: Cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar in Sunday in the wee hours will flag off the 'Ageas Federal Life Insurance Hyderabad Half Marathon 2023' tomorrow morning.
Around 8,000 enthusiastic runners will gather at the Gachibowli Stadium in the wee hours underlining the running culture that is sweeping across the country.
Organised by NEB Sports, the event boasts three categories: the Half Marathon (21.1k) which will be flagged off at 5.15 am, followed by the Timed 10K at 6.30 am and the 5K Fun Run which will commence at 7.45 am.
“When it comes to running, a lot of people box themselves into different challenges. Some are worried about maintaining practice schedules, some about their diet and some about their fitness."
"But one should never feel it is too late to start. I hope the participants this year will move beyond the thoughts of age and not be restricted by a number. You can start your fitness journey any time, not just when you’re young. For India to transform from a sport-loving nation to a sport-playing nation, we need participation from people across all age groups,” Tendulkar, who has numerous records to his name, was quoted as saying in a media statement.
There are 12 visually impaired runners participating, supported by Guide Runners India, the NGO partner for the event. Additionally, 120 people from Cardiac Rehab Foundation, will be running the event. Dr. Muralidar Babi, Chairman and CEO of Cardiac Rehab treats heart patients and trains them to participate in such events.
69-year-old Anil Gupta will be the oldest male and 54-year-old Aparna Deepak the oldest female runner in the half marathon.
At the other end of the spectrum are Syed Almir and Akshaya Uppalapati, both 14 years old. The half marathon will also witness participation from corporates as well as police and armed forces.
