Sher Bahadur Chettri wins Airtel Sikkim Half Marathon

GANGTOK, October 12: Sher Bahadur Chettri from IRB won the open men’s category of 19th Airtel Sikkim Half Marathon conducted today here in Gangtok by Sikkim Amateur Athletic Association (SAAA).
Mr. Chettri covered a distance of 21 kms from Paljor Stadium to Bulbuley and back in 1 hour 19 minutes and 54 seconds. He was followed by Namjeer Lepcha and Nima Tshering Tamang in second and third positions and Sandeep Kumar and Roshan Mangar in the fourth and fifth positions respectively.
Manjali Tamang from Enchey SSS won the U-16 girls event by covering a distance of 15 kms in 1 hour 10 minutes and 19 seconds. She was followed by Anita Dhakal and Savita Sunar in second and third position while Hem Kumari Khadka and Dilu Maya Sharma secured fourth and fifth position respectively.
SUMI, Kalimpong runner Prabal Chettri came first in the U-16 boys event by covering 15 kms distance in 54 minutes and 51 seconds while Buddha Bahadur Subba and Devilal Sharma came second and third respectively. Puran Rai and Yum Prasad Sharma came fourth and fifth respectively in the same event.
The U-13 girls event of 10 kms was won by Dolma Sherpa from Enchey senior secondary school in 45 minutes followed by Lali Maya Mangar and Durga Maya Subba came second and third respectively. Susma Chettri and Chandra Maya Biswakarma came fourth and fifth respectively in the same event.
Bidai Subba from Dentam senior secondary school won the U-13 boys event in 40 minutes 17 seconds followed by Dawa Tshering Sherpa and Sankar Biswakarma came second and third respectively. Vijay Singh and Deepak Chettri came fourth and fifth respectively.
All the top five runners of each event received cash prizes, medals and certificates which were presented to them by State Sports minister NK Pradhan, the chief guest on the occasion.
Kessang Dorjee and Passang Lhamu received cash prizes for being the youngest participants in the event courtesy women’s wing of Sikkim Football Association.
Earlier in the morning at around 8 am, the Sports minister flagged off the marathon event from Paljor Stadium where around 800 runners from all parts of the State and outside participated.
Airtel CEO Deepak Srivastava was also present during the half marathon event organized by SAAA.
The SAAA also presented mementos to the Sports minister, Airtel CEO and Sadar Police Station in-charge PI Tshering Sherpa during the closing ceremony of the event.
The event was wrapped up after the minister declared the 19th Sikkim Half Marathon closed

Airtel Sikkim Half Marathon 2009

Gangtok,October8 : Gangtok will wake up to the footfalls of around 1200 distance-runners when the 19th Airtel Sikkim Half Marathon 2009 kicks off at 7:45 am on Sunday morning from Paljor Stadium here.
The event, organized by Sikkim Amateur Athletic Association (SAAA) is being sponsored by Airtel telecommunication services, said SAAA president Akshay Sachdeva (IG, Sikkim Police) during a press meet here today.
We are expecting around 1200 participants from all the four districts, said Mr. Sachdeva. He informed that State Sports minister NK Pradhan will be flagging off the half marathon at 7:45 am on October 11 from Paljor Stadium.
The marathon has been divided into three categories – open (men), U-16 (boys & girls) and U-14 (boys & girls). In the open category, the participants will be starting from Paljor Stadium, wind their way through Bojoghari, Tashi View Point and Ganesh Tok before returning back to the starting point. They will be covering a distance of 21 kms.
In the U-16 (boys & girls) category, the participants will be running a distance of 15 kms from Paljor Stadium to Bojoghari and back. Similarly in the U-14 (boys & girls) category, the runners will have to cover a distance of 10 kms from Paljor Stadium to Ranka turning at Indira Bypass and back.
Cash prizes amounting to Rs.1.5 lakhs will be given to the winners along with trophies and certificates, said Mr. Sachdeva. Airtel CEO Nitpal Srivastava is scheduled to be present on the half marathon day, he informed