Over 20,000 runners to participate in Mumbai Half Marathon

Mumbai: Over 20,000 runners from all walks of life will take part in the Ageas Federal Life Insurance Mumbai Half Marathon 2023 here on Sunday.

This edition witnessed the highest number of registrations for the event across six seasons.

All the race categories will be flagged off by cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar from the Jio Garden, Bandra Kurla Complex.

Over 5100 athletes are registered for the prestigious half-marathon, 9000 for the 10k run and 5900 for the 5k distance in both men's and women's divisions.

With the rain gods keeping showers in abeyance for the last couple of weeks, the runners can avail near-perfect conditions to give their best in keeping with the race theme, 'Run Ageless, Run Fearless,' and return excellent timings.

"When it comes to running, a lot of people box themselves into different challenges. Some are worried about maintaining practice schedules, some about their diet and some about their fitness. But one should never feel it is too late to start," Tendulkar said about the event.

"I hope the participants this year will move beyond the thoughts of age and not be restricted by a number. You can start your fitness journey any time, not just when you're young. For India to transform from a sport-loving nation to a sport-playing nation, we need participation from people across all age groups," he added.

Runners, who are physically disabled, wheelchair athletes and other specially-abled participants, will also be seen in action and a team from Guide Runners India will be helping them along the way.