Ethiopia’s Adisu Bekele Abebe won the elite men’s event at the Sohra International Half Marathon today, while India’s Richa Bhaduria won the elite women’s category.
Over 750 runners from across Meghalaya participated in the four events – elite half marathon, Meghalaya half marathon, above 50 years 10km and 5km ‘Run for Fun’. There were seven international runners in all.
Abebe won the race in a time of 1 hour, 2 minutes and 21 seconds to take the Rs 1.5 lakh prize. Second was India’s Tirtha Pun (1:04:19) who was awarded Rs 1 lakh and in third came Too Cheruiyot (1:05:01) of Kenya who took home Rs 50,000. There was also prize money for the fourth and fifth-placed finishers.
In the women’s event, Bhaduria crossed the line in 1:13:22 hours, over a minute in front of the second-placed Christine Kambua Muyanga (1:14:29) of Kenya. India’s Arpita Saini (1:20:07) was third. The prize money for the women’s event was equal to that of the men’s.
In the Meghalaya category, Skhemlang Suba (1:08:29) won the men’s event and Kyntimon Marwein (1:22:20) the women’s. Second and third place in the Meghalaya men’s run were Anil Guram (1:08:35) and Adhrishya (1:08:57). The corresponding finishers in the Meghalaya’s women’s category were Darishisha Iangjuh (1:26:56) and Daplin Wahlang (1:29:03). The top three earned Rs 30,000, Rs 15,000 and Rs 10,000 respectively. Rs 5,00 was awarded to those who finished fourth through 10th as well.
The winner of the men’s above 50 years 10km race was Badonsing Tham (0:36:57), while Bitaris Marbaniang (0:51:35) won the corresponding women’s event. They each received Rs 30,000, with Rs 15,000 going to the runners-up and Rs 5,000 to the third-placed runners.
The race was organised by the Department of Sports & Youth Affairs in collaboration with the Meghalaya State Olympic Association and Meghalaya Athletics Association. It was also recognised by World Athletics and the Athletics Federation of India.
