Pune Marathon goes for ‘course correction’

PMC has already increased the amount of cash prize to Rs 50 lakh for winners of Pune Marathon so as to encourage more participation and competition. Local residents are being encouraged to participate in large numbers and win special prizes.

The Pune Marathon had been losing its sheen since 2010, after its mentor Suresh Kalmadi was arrested followings allegations of misappropriation in organising Commonwealth Games in New Delhi. PMC had slashed its funding for prize money from Rs 25 lakh to Rs 17 lakh in 2012. The number of participants also reduced from 50,000 to 35,000 over the last few years.

“In marathon, we see an opportunity to promote Pune. A new route has been introduced this year that will take runners to historical places en route IT hubs and the sports complex in Balewadi in the total 42.195-km route,” said Mayor Dattatraya Dhankawade.

He said this was the first time that the marathon route will pass through Shaniwarwada and would enter and exit Shiv Chhatrapati Balewadi Sports complex.

Earlier, the marathon route was mainly in the heart of city and would go as far as Aundh.

The extension of the route from Aundh to Balewadi via Baner would also ensure that the run passes through offices of some IT firms and the areas shortlisted for development under smart city mission.

It will start from Deccan Gymkhana, from where the first Indian marathon started in 1918, and would have new finishing point on Sarasbaug Road instead of the Nehru stadium at Swargate, Dhankawade said.

“We have approached some schools and IT companies, urging them to make the route more lively by taking up initiatives,” the mayor said.

Race director Pralhad Sawant said the prize distribution function would be held two hours after the winners of full marathon complete the race.

“We would be declaring a provisional list of winners as soon as the runners cross the finishing line, but the final declaration would be only two hours after the committee confirms the result through its monitoring team and assessing the CCTV coverage,” he said, adding the recently held Vasai marathon had made it necessary to confirm the marathon results before final declaration.

The focus of this marathon would be to raise funds for providing financial assistance to Indian athletes qualifying for the Rio Olympics, he said.