136 elite athletes for world 10K Run

Bangalore - The TCS World 10K Run, to be held here Sunday, has attracted as many as 21,060 entries, including 89 elite male and 47 elite female runners besides 785 senior citizens and 91 wheel-chair entries.

The rest of the field includes 11,018 entries for the ‘Majja Run’ and 9,030 in the 10K Open category, according to figures released by promoters Procam International Wednesday.

Race Director Hugh Jones said at a media conference here that all efforts are being made to deliver another successful edition of the run, including elaborate traffic arrangements and Medical assistance.

‘The TCS World 10K Bangalore has become one of the best runs in its category and the IAAF Gold label is a proof of that. This year, there isn’t much change from the previous years besides some challenges in terms of the route, which we shall sort out soon.

‘That apart, I am certain that all the preparations are in place and it will be another great event for all participants including the top athletes in the world, said Jones.

Dr M.A. Saleem, additional commissioner of police, Traffic, Bangalore City, while admitting that the city roads were not in good shape due to major construction works, notably the Metro, assured that the police would ensure a hassle-free run.

‘This is a prestigious event and the number of people participating in this year’s event has increased because of two reasons, one due to better traffic arrangements and also due to the good organization of the event.

‘We do not have a full marathon or a half marathon in Bangalore and so the 10K run is a matter of great pride for the city. Our aim is to see a properly conducted event with minimum inconvenience to the citizens and we hope to have the traffic working as normal as possible, said Saleem.

Medical Director Vivek Jawali of Fortis Hospital said: ‘We have arranged for over 150 medical professionals and five mini hospitals, two on each side of the Sree Kanteerava stadium (start-finish point), and five on the road.

‘We have also arranged for seven ambulances, two inside the stadium and five stationed along the route. We also have doctors running along with the athletes for immediate medical attention, if needed.

The event would be telecast live between 7 a.m and 10.30 a.m on Star Plus and DD Sports.