BENGALURU: In a big boost to ultra running in the country, Athletics Federation of India has expressed a desire to host several international events in the next couple of years, bids for two of which have already been submitted.
Announcing this here Monday, AFI president Adille Sumariwalla said India has bid for hosting the IAU 24 Hour Asia & Oceania Championships in 2020 and the 100 Km Asia and Oceania Championships in 2021.
Bengaluru-based event management company NEB Sports Entertainment Pvt Ltd has secured AFI’s mandate to organise both events, which are coming to India for the first time.
Ultra running is any foot race longer than the traditional marathon length of 42.195kms and are contested either over a set distance – like 50km, 100km and longer events – or a set time – like 6hr, 24hr and multi-day events.
A team of officials led by International Association of Ultrarunners chief Nadeem Khan has inspected the facilities in India’s software capital.
“We want to develop ultra running in different parts of the world. We wanted to take ultra running to places where it has not reached. In India, the federation (AFI) is involved in the sport, and we would be happy to bring the continental events in the country,” Khan told PTI.
“We have seen the venues and facilities in Bengaluru. We have formalities and paperworks to do. We will take the positives and place (the bid) before the IAU Council and take a decision,” Khan, who originally belongs to Kanpur, said at a press conference here Monday.
Sumariwalla said that the upcoming twin events can play a big role in popularising ultra running in the country.
“We are one of the national federations in the world which take ultra running in their fold. Individual ultra runners were there in India earlier but AFI took ultra running in its fold in 2017. In 2018 itself, India won individual and team bronze in the continental event,” the AFI chief said.
“These two continental events will give a fillip to ultra running,” he added.
