The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Hyderabad 10K run no runaway success

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Nov 27, 2006
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Hyderabad 10K run no runaway success

V.V. Subrahmanyam

Touch of star dust from Bollywood, local cinema; Organisers say 1,500 to 2,000 participate

THAT'S THE SPIRIT: Participants jog along Tank Bund on Sunday. (Right) Actress Sameera and actor Akshay Kumar lend glamour to the event. — Photos: P.V. Sivakumar

HYDERABAD: The weather was pleasant and the organisers' efforts to ensure yet another grand edition were too palpable.

But somehow the charm of the previous Hyderabad 10K Runs was clearly missing.

The organisers themselves put the number of participants at about 1,500 to 2000. Much below their expectations, yet the show went on as planned.

Speaker K.R. Suresh Reddy flagged off the event while several hundred people, cutting across all age groups, took part.

Bollywood star Akshay Kumar tried to lift the mood of those who gathered at the starting point on Necklace Road.

There were actresses Sameera Reddy and Ramyakrishna and veterans including Muralimohan and Sarath Babu lending glamour.

The City Police Commissioner A.K. Mohanty too joined the participants enthusiastically.

"I'm running for the city and its people. This is exhilarating," he smiled.

Winners

Even before the sun made its appearance on the skyline, the half-marathon was first flagged off and within one hour the 10K Run too got going.

Santu Patel was the winner in 1 hr 4 min 59 sec with Ram Singh Yadav (1 hr 5 min, 28 sec) and Raj Kumar (1 hr, 7 min, 33 sec) finishing in that order in half-marathon.

In women's section, Kamlesh Bagel (1 hr 33 min, 7 sec), Savita Devi (1 hr 36 min 5 sec) and Leelamma (1 hr 56, 20) finished in the top three places.

But for the runners, it was tough competition all the way and when Sunil Fatan (MEG Bangalore) emerged winner in the 10K Run, the beaming face said it all.

He was closely followed by his teammate G.S. Ranjith Kumar and Amit Mann.

Indian Idol fame Karunya was clearly the highlight of the morning as he enthralled the gathering.

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