Tawang: The inaugural edition of Tawang Marathon, set against the breathtaking backdrop of the Tsangyang Galwa High Altitude Stadium here, commenced with great enthusiasm on Sunday.
The first-ever high-altitude marathon of the north east region event featured multiple race categories, including the challenging 42 km, 21 km, 10 km, and 5 km races.
Chief Minister Pema Khandu, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju, state sports minister Mama Natung and MP Tapir Gao all graced the occasion with their presence, flagging off the races.
Impressively, over 2500 participants from various backgrounds registered for the marathon, all ready to push their physical limits at an altitude of approximately 10,000 feet.
Chief Minister Khandu expressed his pride in this historic moment and extended his gratitude to the Indian Army for their exceptional organization of this national-level event, which was made possible with support from the Government of Arunachal Pradesh.
He also extended his appreciation to all the participants for their dedication.
In an exciting announcement, Khandu declared that the Tawang Marathon would become an annual event and revealed plans to internationalize it next year by welcoming foreign participants.
He noted that even in its debut edition, the marathon has gained widespread recognition, attracting interest and sponsorship from various multinational corporations and organizations.
Acknowledging the pivotal role of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s support, the chief minister highlighted the rapid growth in the field of sports and sports infrastructure in the state.
“This progress has enabled Arunachal Pradesh to host numerous national and international sporting events over the past seven years, including national river rafting, national women’s football, national boxing, Southeast Asian Table Tennis, national curling, national marathon, and national tug of war,” he said.
The event also saw the presence of MLA Tawang Tsering Tashi and GoC 4 Corps Lt Gen Manish Erry, among others.
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