Ahmedabad, Nov 15 (IANS) The official jersey for the 9th Adani Ahmedabad Marathon was revealed at Palladium Mall on Saturday, in front of fitness enthusiasts and local runners. The unveiling showcased a striking artwork crafted from 15,000 recycled plastic bottle caps, symbolising a unique blend of creativity, sustainability, and patriotism – an ode to our tricolour.

In an unprecedented move, Aaquib Wani partnered with Adani Sportsline to encourage local residents to submit their designs, aiming to merge community ideas with his storytelling-focused design approach. The outcome is a lively piece that highlights the marathon’s main cause, #Run4OurSoldiers, and reflects the cultural energy of Ahmedabad.

Sanjay Adesara, the Chief Business Officer, Adani Sportsline, said, “With the unveiling of the official jersey of the 9th Adani Ahmedabad Marathon, we mark an important milestone. I would like to express my gratitude to Aaquib Wani for designing this jersey in collaboration with our community. The design beautifully captures the marathon’s growing legacy and the city’s creative energy.”

The Adani Ahmedabad Marathon is listed on the AIMS Global Marathon Event List and still promotes its social mission of honouring India’s armed forces.

This year again, the run will kick off at the Sabarmati Riverfront Sports Park, featuring routes that pass by Ahmedabad’s key landmarks such as Atal Bridge, Gandhi Ashram, and Ellis Bridge. Scheduled for November 30, the event offers four categories: Full Marathon, Half Marathon, 10 km, and 5 km runs.

The marathon, organised by the Adani Group, symbolises support for India’s brave armed forces. It started in November 2017 and held its fifth edition in November 2021. Runners love it for its stunning route, considered one of the most beautiful in the world.

The races initially drew nearly 20,000 participants in their first two editions, but the third and fourth editions saw attendance drop below that number, with over 17,000 participants. After COVID-19, the Ahmedabad Marathon became the first to organise a physical event by implementing time-slot systems, allowing more than 8,000 runners to participate across two days in 2021 while following COVID-19 safety guidelines.

In 2022, the Ahmedabad Marathon was included in the ‘Global Marathon Event List – AIMS World Running’, making it Ahmedabad’s only race to be featured on this international list. By 2024, over 20,000 participants had taken part in the #Run4OurSoldiers event, showing support for our armed forces.

The “#Run4OurSoldiers” campaign is the event’s standout feature, offering a special chance for participants to honour our soldiers. Last year, over 3,000 defence personnel took part in the run. Most of the proceeds are dedicated to supporting the welfare of the armed forces.

–IANS

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