RAWAlPINDI - The district administration on the special directions of the Deputy Commissioner Rawalpindi Hassan Waqar Cheema successfully organised a marathon race on Sunday.
The race was started from Sports Complex liaquat Bagh in the morning and ended at the main gate of Allama Iqbal Park by passing through Muree Road. A total of 470 athletes including 30 senior citizens participated in the marathon race. In three categories of marathon race, senior citizens, open category and under-16, a total of three lakh rupees prizes were distributed to the athletes who have won a prominent position while all the participants were given certificates.
The marathon race track was 5 km long. The athlete who secured the first position in the open category completed the track in 15 and a half minutes while the athlete who secured the first position in the under-16 category completed the track in 16 minutes. Commissioner Rawalpindi liaquat Ali Chatha, Deputy Commissioner Hasan Waqar Cheema and Divisional Sports Officer Abdul Waheed Babar specially participated in the ceremony held at Iqbal Park Main Gate and distributed prizes to the athletes who won prominent positions. Speaking on the occasion, Commissioner liaquat Ali Chatha said that participation is more important than winning and losing in any sport, and it is a good sign that a total of 470 athletes participated in this marathon including 30 senior citizens.
liaquat Ali Chatha said that a three-day celebration of Spring Festival is being started in Rawalpindi from Sunday, in which sports have also been included and regional sports competitions will also be held. He said that the large participation of families in the PSl matches held in Rawalpindi has proved that the people of Rawalpindi are fond of sports. Deputy Commissioner Rawalpindi Hasan Waqar Cheema said that the citizens of Rawalpindi have participated in the marathon in a vigorous manner and the sports department has made very commendable arrangements. As many as 30 athletes of senior citizens category, 352 in open category and 89 athletes of under-16 category participated in the marathon race.
Mohammad Akhtar won the first position, Sohail Ahmed won the second position and Israr Khizr the third position in the open category. U-16’s Tayyab got the first position, Mohammad Roman second and Shakir Usman the third position. The first prize was Rs 30,000, the second prize was Rs 25,000, the third prize was Rs 20,000, while the fourth to tenth position winners were given Rs 10,000 and the eleventh to twentieth position winners were given Rs 6,000 as prizes.