Muhammad Suhail 

Srinagar, Oct 20 (KNS) : A total of 1,807 runners, including 73 foreign participants, have registered for the third edition of the Kashmir Marathon, scheduled to be held on October 25, officials said.

According to registration data accessed news agency Kashmir News Service (KNS) 1,221 participants are from Kashmir, while 513 are from other parts of the country. The event has attracted 1,614 male and 193 female runners.

Of the total participants, 1,416 will compete in the 21-km half marathon, while 391 have registered for the 42-km full marathon.

The marathon is being organised by the Tourism Department to showcase Kashmir's natural beauty and cultural heritage and promote the Valley as a destination for sporting events. The routes will offer runners views of landmarks, including Dal Lake, Chinar trees and Mughal gardens.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel

Speaking to news agency KNS, Director Tourism Kashmir Syed Qamar Sajjad said the department intended to make the marathon an annual event and expand its international reach.

“The Kashmir Marathon will be a brand of the Tourism Department and a regular feature every year,” Sajjad said.

He said the event's inclusion in the calendar of the Association of International Marathons and Distance Races (AIMS) would help establish it as a regular fixture and strengthen Kashmir's position on the international sporting map.

Sajjad said travel advisories issued by some European countries and the United States, along with the prevailing situation in the Middle East, had affected international participation in the

event. (KNS)