Kokrajhar, Nov 19: For the first time, Kokrajhar hosted a national-level half marathon on Tuesday. The event, held at the Sai Stadium, featured three race categories - 21 km, 10 km, and 5 km, with both male and female athletes participating.

Organised by the National Cadet Corps (NCC) in collaboration with the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC), the marathon with the theme “Run with Cadets, Run for Peace”, drew 1,600 runners from across the country, symbolising unity, peace, and sportsmanship.

In the 21-km race, Pankaj Kumar clinched the first place in the men's category, while Deepak Bhatt and Kailash Choudhary secured second and third positions, respectively.

AT Photo: An awardee at the marathon

Thamsi Singh triumphed in the women's 21-km race, followed by Amrita Patel and Geeta Kumari Gour in second and third places.

The 10-km race saw Nitish Kumar take the top spot in the men's category, with Akash Patel and Sandeep Singh coming in second and third.

In the women’s 10-km, KM Sangeeta Pal emerged victorious, with Chandrakala Luitel and Pahi Keote finishing second and third.

In the 5-km category, Sukemalang Subas won the men's race, while Amal Debnath and Hitesh Boro finished second and third, respectively.

In the women's 5-km race, Sandhya Yadav took first place, followed by Rehana Khatun and Deepika Munda.

The event culminated in a grand prize distribution ceremony, where Assam's Minister for Sports and Youth Welfare, Nandita Garlosa, addressed the gathering.

She praised the success of the event and highlighted its role in boosting sports and tourism in the region.

Minister Garlosa also expressed hopes for even greater participation in future editions of the marathon, noting that the enthusiasm of participants and accompanying cultural programs contributed to the overall success.

With a prize pool of approximately Rs 15 lakh, the marathon showcased Kokrajhar’s potential to host major sporting events.

The event was attended by several dignitaries, including Major General Gagan Deep, ADG NER, BTC EM Daobaisa Boro, Kokrajhar DC Masanda Pertin, and N K Baruah, Executive Director & Refinery Head at Bongaigaon Refinery, among others.