The Hindu : Sport / Athletics : Colombo Marathon today

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Sunday, Oct 07, 2007
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Sport - Athletics

Colombo Marathon today

K. Keerthivasan

Nearly 1,000 will take part in different categories
58-year-old Hajime Nishi of Japan is one of the participants

COLOMBO: Hajime Nishi of Japan is 58 years old and still running literally.

For the last 17 years, he has been a regular participant in marathons, minor and major, across the globe. His ambition is not to win, but to enjoy the route and its people.

“I save (money) and I run,” he said.

Propagating the message of peace, a clean environment, and unification of Asia among other things, the Japanese, a father of three, is thrilled to be here and in fact, looks more motivated than any youngster taking part in the eighth Colombo Marathon that will be held here on Sunday.

The marathon is organised by Lanka Sportreizen (LSR) in association with Sri Lanka Tourist Board and Sri Lankan Airlines.

It is the fourth marathon that Vikas Grover, a 28-year-old working in an MNC in Bangalore, is participating. The challenge of competing and completing the race has brought him here.

“I want to finish the race within three hours,” he said.

Nearly 1,000 participants including local school children, athletes from Japan, Germany, Switzerland, Israel, England and Sri Lanka will take part in different categories consisting of full marathon (42.195km), half-marathon (21.0975km), 10km and 5km runs for both men and women.

The route

The marathon starts from the Ministry of Sports at the Torrington Square and will run through Borella, Dematagoda, Paliyagoda, Wattala along the Hamilton Canal, Pamunugama, Thalahena, Pitipana, Duwa to Lewis Place in Negombo, where it will end.

Organisers said the marathon will give a wonderful tourist opportunity for foreigners and a chance for the local athletes to test their ability in an international competition.

P. Thilak Weerasinghe, Managing Director, LSR, said: “we want to make the event a permanent fixture on the international marathon calendar. We have decided to increase the prize money from next year and our aim is to invite some of the top athletes. At the same time, we want to give the event a carnival touch with a gathering of family and friends.”

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