Half Marathon will be an annual event in Siddipet: Harish Rao

Minister T Harish Rao said the administration had also distributed one sapling each to 4,000 participants to encourage them to plant saplings at their homes

Siddipet: Finance Minister T Harish Rao has said that the Siddipet Half Marathon will be conducted on August 6 every year. Addressing the runners on Ranganyaka Sagar bund on Sunday before presenting the prize money to winners, Harish Rao said that the Siddipet police and Siddipet Runners Association have jointly conducted the run. Prohibiting the use of plastic bottles and other plastic materials, Rao said that the organisers made available drinking water along the way.

The Minister said that the administration had also distributed one sapling each to 4,000 participants to encourage them to plant saplings at their homes. The Minister appreciated Srikanth Thaduri, Jagan and others who had run 100-KM to motivate the participants of the Half Marathon. Rao also hailed the Director of Nature Cure Hospital Dr M Nagalakshmi, who had peddled her way from Hyderabad to Siddipet.

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Crediting the success of the event to Commissioner of Police N Swetha, Rao said she being a runner herself had put all-out efforts to make it a success. The Minister has also appreciated the police and other departments for making the event a success. Ramesh Chandra of Nagarkurnool district completed the Half Marathon in 112 minutes while Mothi Chowdary of Uttara Pradesh and Giyo Antony of Nagarkurnool district came second and third respectively. Uma (Suryapeta District), Mallika (Nalgonda District) and Vadde Navya had bagged three positions in the women’s Half Marathon run. The first three winners were presented Rs 50,000, Rs 25,000 and Rs 10,000 respectively. The first three winners of the 10-K run and 5-K Run were also presented cash prizes in both women’s and men’s categories.