Delhi came alive with the collective energy and chorus of excitement of over 50000 children, who with amazing zeal and fervor lined up to take part in the 20 th edition of the Salwan Cross Country Run, making it the world’s largest race for schoolchildren. The atmosphere was carnival like – where competitiveness and camaraderie came together as one among the sounds of Dhol, Nagaras, Bhangra and even magic shows.
The race this year was more challenging than ever before as the organisers had carefully planned a route which was tougher than previous year and multiple cameras along the route ensured that there was adequate safety and security for the children. In order to circumvent cheating, this edition of the run saw the introduction of GPS based Chip technology, which was used for the first time to track the distance and location covered by each participant in the Under-18 boys category.
A unique event in India's sporting calendar for school children, the run brings together students from various schools across India including a great many from the North-East, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh for the sheer joy of running, cutting across all boundaries and demographies. The race was made extra special with the participation of more than 2500 visually impaired and differently-abled children, who with their infectious energy made the morning a truly special one.
Celebrated Indian athletes and medal winners at the recent Asian and Commonwealth Games, Pinki Jangra, Mandeep Jangra and Arpinder Singh added more colour to the proceedings as they ran alongside visually impaired children as volunteers. They also promoted and emphasized upon the tenets of Salwan Cross Country Run – to encourage clean and fair sports at the grassroots level.
Commenting on the completion of the 20 th edition of the run, Ms. Samrata Salwan Diwan, Spokesperson, Salwan Cross Country Run said, "The response to the marathon this year is a testament to the enthusiasm among the children, who have gathered from all over the country to run and compete today. It is their passion and zeal which acts as the driving force for the run. Our main focus is the safety and security of the children, and we would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to the Army Services Sports Control Board, the 5000 marshalls and volunteers, and specially the Delhi Police who have extended all their support to ensure that everything went off smoothly."
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