Odisha Channel Bureau
Bhubaneswar: With an objective of boosting all round health and promoting spirit of sports in the state, Tata Steel today signed a MoU with Sports and Youth Services Department, Government of Odisha to organize Tata Steel Bhubaneswar Half Marathon-2016 which will be held on January 10, 2016.This will be a regular event every year to commemorate the National Youth Sports Day.
The MoU was signed by Saswat Mishra, Commissioner-cum-Secretary, Sports & Youth Services Department, Government of Odisha and Sunil Bhaskaran, Vice President, Corporate Services, Tata Steel in the presence of Sudam Marandi, Minister, Sports & Youth Services and Arun Misra, Vice President, Project Gopalpur and Managing Director, Tata Steel Special Economic Zone.
Complimenting Tata Steel for the initiative, Marandi said such events will promote sports culture and create better sportspersons in the State. Saswat Mishra said the State government is keen to promote Half Marathon in Odisha as an important sporting event for which it is getting into a contract with Tata Steel for three years and over a period of time to make it an international event where long distance runners of repute can participate.
Bhaskaran said that they will bring world class technology and make it one of the important sporting events of the country.Reaffirming Tata Steel’s commitment to the overall development of Odisha, Arun Misra said the company will keep contributing for growth of sports in the State including marathon. Tata Steel Bhubaneswar Half Marathon will cover a distance of 21.1 km. Starting from Kalinga Stadium, the run will go towards Patia on Nandankanan Road and return back and end at Kalinga Stadium to match the distance.Apart from the 21.1 km Half Marathon, 10 km run for institutions, colleges and corporate houses and 5 km run for School students (up to 12th standard) will be organized.The reporting time for all races will be 5:30 am.
The organizer will use state-of-the-art technology consisting of Timing Mats and its control units, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) chips, split timing mats on route, tracking camera, wi-fi network on route as per international standard.Awards worth total Rs 9, 14,000 (excluding applicable taxes) will be given to winners in different categories.
There will be awards in three different categories with the highest prize money of Rs 1,00,000 going to each of the winners (men and women category) of the 21.1km run.Registrations can be done online at www.tsbbsrrun.com from 2nd December, 2015 and physical registration at the counter at Kalinga stadium from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, starting from 20th December, 2015.The registration fees for half marathon, 10 kms run and 5 km runs will be Rs 300, Rs 200 and Rs 100 respectively.The last date for registrations is January 4, 2016.The goodies bag, containing a T-shirt, an information leaflet, a BIB number unique to each participant and RFID chip, can be collected from 5th onwards from the designated counter at Kalinga Stadium.
