Srinagar, Oct 25 (KNS): Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Sunday flagged off the third edition of the Kashmir Marathon from Polo Ground in Srinagar, with more than 2,000 runners from Jammu and Kashmir, other parts of India and abroad participating in the event.

The marathon, carrying a total prize purse of ?3.17 crore, offers ?25 lakh to the winner in the open category, making it one of the major sporting events being organised in the Valley.

The Chief Minister flagged off the 42.195-km full marathon at 6:30 am, followed by the 21-km half marathon at 7:45 am.

The route covered several prominent locations across Srinagar, including Lal Chowk, Polo View, Zero Bridge, Gupkar Road, Boulevard, the Jhelum riverfront, Dal Lake, SKICC, Foreshore Road, Kashmir University and the Mughal Gardens.

Speaking on the occasion, Omar Abdullah said the Kashmir Marathon was emerging as a flagship sporting event, helping position Jammu and Kashmir as an international sports tourism destination.

He said the event would contribute to tourism promotion while encouraging fitness, healthy living and greater participation in competitive sports.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel

According to official figures, the marathon recorded 1,807 online registrations, including 1,221 runners from Jammu and Kashmir, 513 from other states and 73 international participants representing 12 countries. The overall participation crossed 2,000 following spot registrations.

A separate prize category for runners from Jammu and Kashmir has also been introduced this year to encourage local talent and provide greater opportunities for athletes from the Union Territory.

The Chief Minister had earlier inaugurated the three-day Marathon Expo at Polo View on October 22 as part of preparations for the event.

Advisor to the Chief Minister Nasir Aslam Wani, Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, Additional Chief Secretary Dheeraj Gupta, Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Anshul Garg, Secretary Tourism Avny Lavasa, Director Tourism Kashmir Syed Qamar Sajjad and other senior officials attended the flag-off ceremony. (KNS)