Over 2,000 athletes to take part Kashmir's first international marathon on Sunday

Srinagar: Over 2000 athletes, including international elite runners, will participate in the first-ever Kashmir International Marathon on October 20, said Raja Yaqoob Farooq, Kashmir Director of Tourism The event aims to show the world that law and order and the situation has improved in the valley, he said.

"We have got the best athletes from across the world. We have top Indian runners, elite runners, Asian gold medallists and some of the best runners from Europe and Africa," Farooq said while addressing a press conference here.

The Department of Tourism has received 2,030 registrations from athletes from across the world, he said.

The marathon will see participation of 59 athletes from 13 countries and elite athletes from 29 across states and UTs, he said, adding that there will be two categories of races -- a 42-km full marathon and a half-marathon of 21 km.

"Kashmir is open to all. We welcome the tourists from different parts of the world. If someone is running 42 km, it itself makes a statement that Kashmir is now peaceful," he said.

"We also want to showcase our heritage, niche products, handicrafts, cuisine, to the world. These runners have millions of followers on their social media, so, they will be our brand ambassadors," he said.

Farooq said the marathon will have a good representation from Kashmir also.

The event will be flagged off at 6.15 am on Sunday by Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.

This will inspire the youth and in the next 5-10 years, there will be full marathon runners from here, he added. P