All set for the biggest ever ‘Colombo Marathon’

• 
• 

Details

Category: athletics

Published on Tuesday, 27 September 2011 14:31

Written by Charit Tissera

Hits: 1334

The 11th edition of The Colombo Marathon, Sri Lanka’s premier National run will get underway on Sunday (02) from the Torrington Square in Colombo.

This year’s event will showcase a total of 3000 runners, including 88 runners from 22 foreign countries such as Kenya, Ethiopia, Australia and India, hence becoming the first ever national run to attract foreign runners.

Apart from local and foreign runners, around 1500 school children would also be taking part in the event.

 

 

About 'Colombo Marathon'

LSR International Marathon, as it was introduced back in 1988, held its inaugural race in Galle.

After hosting the event successfully in Negombo, Kandy and Dambulla in the following years it was named the Colombo Marathon in 2004.

With the growing number of participants, last year’s run had attracted over 2000 runners from both the local and foreign soil.
The main organizer of the race, Lanka Sportreizen (LSR), a leading travel agency will be partnered by the Sri Lanka Tourist Board and SriLankan Airlines in hosting the event. The race will be supported by the Sports, Education and Youth Affairs Ministries along with the Colombo, Negombo Municipal Councils and Negombo Hoteliers Association, along with Sri Lanka Police.

‘Colombo Marathon’ is the only race that gives foreigners the opportunity to run and participate in a Sri Lankan marathon.

The ‘Colombo Marathon’ is also a registered event with the AIMS (Association of International Marathons and Distance Races), which promotes and endorses world renowned marathon events such as London marathon, Boston marathon, Honolulu marathon, attracting nearly 80,000 runners.

ThePapare meets the organizers

In an exclusive meeting with the key officials behind organizing such an gigantic national event, ThePapare also learnt that ‘Colombo Marathon’ is the only platform for the local marathon runners to participate in a race, alongside with foreigners.

Lanka Sportreizen Chairman Mr. Thilak Weerasinghe in an exclusive interview with ThePapare.com noted, that “we want take Colombo Marathon to be in parallel with the Boston marathon, Honolulu Marathon and other world renowned marathon events which draw thousands and thousands of participants”.

“If we run the full race within two hours and 15 to 20 minutes, which is a good standard timing in the international scene, the ‘Colombo Marathon’ could be included in the annual international long distance race calendar”, he further stressed.

Highlighting an important point, Mr. W.M. Dharmapala, General Manager at LSR noted that Colombo Marathon has been able to produce many runners who have later showcased their talents in the national arena.

“The Amateur Athletic Association (AAA) of Sri Lanka treats the Colombo Marathon as a time trial in selecting marathon runners for other competitions”, Mr. Dharmpala also stated.

“We have received the patronage of top officials of the AAA such as Major General Palitha Fernando, Mr. Prema Pinnawala and Mr. GLS perera.

 

Running categories

Describing this year’s running categories, Mr. Ryan Fernando, Executive, Special Events, went on to say that the marathon holds six categories for both Men and Women.

“Running categories for this year’s marathon would be the Full marathon (42 kms), half marathon (21 kms), the veteran’s Full and Half marathons, along with two open fun marathon events for both Men and Women”, Mr. Fernando explained.

---

 

The full marathon for the 18 years and above will commence from Torrington Square, Colombo at 6.00 am. The run would then proceed through Borella, Dematagoda, Peliyagoda, Wattala along the Hamilton canal passing Pamunugama, Thalahena, Pitipana, Duwa and will reach the beach park in Negombo covering 42.196 kms.

The half marathon for 17 years and above will run for 21.097 kms upto

The Veterans’ Full and Veteran’s Half marathons will be open for those who are 50 years and above, with the same distances (21.097 kms and 42.196 kms).

Two Open fun runs would also be taking place on the 2nd in 5 kms and 10 kms each.

---

 

“Many school boys are expected to be involved in 5 km and 10 km races” Fernando noted.

It’s a family event for some

“This year’s participants also include a honeymoon couple” Mr. Tresse Weerasinghe, one of the organizers of the event recalled adding, “there have also been foreign families involved in the marathon run during the past years”.

The organizers also recalled an incident where a 78 year-old Japanese gentleman participated in the first ever marathon run. “He managed to complete the full marathon as well” they noted.

Cash Prizes for winners

Cash prizes will be given away to the winners, runner-up and third place to the tenth places for men and women respectively in full marathon category.

The winners in the men's and women's categories will receive US$ 2500, the runners-up US$ 1500, and US$ 1000 for third place respectively.

Apart from the above, free tickets to the winners in the men and women categories in the full marathon event will also be offered by SriLanka Airlines.

Last year’s results of the Colombo Marathon are as follows:

FULL MARATHON – MEN
Kimutai Kenedy Cheruiyot - Kenya (2:22:14)
Titus Rotich - Kenya (2:22:16)
Kiptoo Geoffery Tum - Kenya (2:22:42)

FULL MARATHON – WOMEN
K.K.A.Manjula Kumarasinghe (3:10:01)
Sharmali Anusha Lamahewage (3:17:06)
A.M.Disna Malkanthie (3:30:22)

 

If you wish to run in this year’s ‘Colombo Marathon’ you can contact LSR officials via (011) 2 824 500 or (011) 2 826 125. The registration of the participants is scheduled to take place on October 1st, at the Sports Ministry Grounds, in Torrington Square, Colombo, from 9.00 am onwards.

CLICK HERE FOR THE ROUTE

• < Prev
• Next >