Sikkim Soldierathon 2.0 – a hill marathon with the theme “Run the Ridge – Connect the Peaks – Unite the Spirit,” was held at the Paljor Stadium in Gangtok, Sikkim, on Sunday.
The event was organised by ‘Fitistan – Ek Fit Bharat’, a community-driven initiative founded by Major Dr. Surendra Poonia in collaboration with the Eastern Command and Trishakti Corps of the Indian Army. The event also paid tribute to the courage and sacrifice of India’s Armed Forces while promoting fitness and solidarity among people from all walks of life.
The event was flagged off by General Vijay Kumar Singh (retd), the governor of Mizoram, who commended the spirit of the participants and lauded the initiative as a meaningful tribute to the nation’s soldiers. Om Prakash Mathur, the governor of Sikkim, attended the closing ceremony and presided over the prize distribution.
“The run followed a scenic and challenging route that passed through Zero Point and Tashi View Point before looping back to the stadium. More than 2,500 runners from over 130 cities across 27 states participated in the event, which had three categories — 21km half marathon, 10km run, and 5km fun run,” said an organiser.
In the 21km open category (male), the winners were Mukesh Singh Bohara, Bhanu Pratap Singh and Santosh Kumar. Among women, Anjuli Subba secured first place while Priya Tamang and Binita Kami stood second and third in the race, respectively.
In the 10km open category (male), Vivek Phathak placed first, Imran Ansari and Prince Raj Mishra were second and third. For the female category, Chandra Kala Sharma, Tejaswani Lambkane and Riya Tamang got first, second and third position, respectively.
All participants received medals, certificates, and mementoes for their participation and effort. The event also recognised UNICEF Child Goodwill Ambassador Afik Khan from Darjeeling, who has completed 24 marathons so far.