NMDC Hyderabad Marathon all set for weekend action

The 15th edition of the NMDC Hyderabad Marathon 2026 will feature 45 elite runners, including 10 international and 35 Indian athletes. The event offers substantial prize money, course and national record bonuses, with extensive traffic and security arrangements in place

Hyderabad: Forty-five elite runners — including 10 international and 35 Indian athletes — will take part in the 15th edition of the NMDC Hyderabad Marathon 2026, powered by IDFC FIRST Bank, here on Saturday and Sunday.

The prize money for the NMDC Hyderabad Marathon 2026 will be awarded to the top six finishers. The first-place winner will receive Rs. 3,00,000 (US$6,000), while the second-place winner will receive Rs. 2,50,000 (US$3,000) and the third-place winner Rs. 2,00,000 (US$2,000). The fourth, fifth and sixth-place finishers will receive Rs. 1,50,000, Rs. 1,00,000 and Rs. 75,000, respectively.

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In addition, a course record bonus of Rs. 1,50,000 (US$1,750) will be awarded to an elite-category male or female runner who sets a new course record, while an Indian national record bonus of Rs. 5,00,000 will be awarded to eligible Indian runners who set a national record.

A technical briefing was held on Friday by Sunpreet Singh, Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic), Cyberabad Commissionerate, and G. Hanumantha Rao, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (Addl. DCP), Traffic-I, Cyberabad Police Commissionerate.

Sunpreet Singh said 50 per cent of the marathon route falls under the jurisdiction of the Cyberabad Police Commissionerate. “We will be deploying 700 police personnel and 250 traffic marshals. Taxi aggregators were also alerted about the event and traffic diversions. We will make foolproof arrangements for the prestigious event,” he said.

Ulf Saletti, World Athletics representative; Gudiboina Jagan, Athletics Federation of India (AFI) representative; and Rajesh Vetcha, race director, NMDC Hyderabad Marathon 2026, briefed the participants on the arrangements and rules for the marathon.

The NMDC Hyderabad Marathon 2026 is a World Athletics Label Road Race. The event meets specified standards relating to the course, race organisation, timing and results, athlete experience and international recognition, making it part of the World Athletics global road race calendar.

Competition shoes must be in accordance with World Athletics Rule 5. Spot checks may be conducted, and wearing unauthorised shoes will result in disqualification, the officials told the participants.