The organisers of the third Vasai-Virar Mayor's Marathon for men and women announced today that a total prize fund of Rs 20 lakh was up for grabs for the participants of the race to be held on October 27.
The men's winners of the open full marathon will receive Rs 2 lakh while the corresponding cash prize for the men's and women's half marathon champions has been set at Rs 1 lakh each.
The second and third place finishers in the men's full marathon will receive Rs 1.1 lakh and 60,000 respectively, while the corresponding places in the half marathon will fetch Rs 60,000 and 50,000, respectively.
The race has been recognised by the Athletics Federation of India as a national-level marathon.
"There are 7-8 such national-level marathons run every year," said AFI president Adille Sumariwalla at a media conference here.
The national-level status was conferred last year on the marathon, organised by the municipal corporation of Vasai-Virar and Vasai Taluka Kala Krida Vikas Mandal.
The men's full marathon was captured by Armyman Elam Singh with a new course record while Asian Games medallist Kavita Raut took home the women's half marathon title.
The marathon will help runners gain entry into next January's Mumbai Marathon which has tightened up its entry standard for the full and half marathons, said a spokesperson, who added that timing chips were mandatory for the competitors in the Vasai-Virar event from this year.
"We are working towards an international level marathon," said Vasai-Virar MLA, Kshitij Thakur.
The registrations can be done physically and online at www.Vvmcmayorsmarathon.Com from August 19, the organisers said.
