Kashmir's first international marathon: Participation of 2000 athletes including 59 foreign international athletes 

Chief Minister of Jammu & Kashmir, Omar Abdullah, flagged off a huge international marathon in Srinagar on Sunday. The first international marathon race was marked off from Polo View Street on Sunday morning at approximately 6.20 am by Bollywood actor Sunil Shetty and Omar Abdullah. Omar Abdullah, the chief minister, briefly ran alongside the athletes as well. His security guards also went after him during this.

This massive international marathon is being held in Kashmir for the first time, according to officials. It will feature 2,000 participants, including 59 international athletes from outside. The competitors will run a half marathon of 21 km and a full marathon of 42 kilometers.

In a marathon for the first time, over two thousand registrations have been done, Tourism Director Raja Yaqoob Farooq said while addressing the journalists on Saturday. There are players in the competition from all 29 states, Union Territories and 13 countries. 59 foreign and international athletes are participating in the half as well as in full marathon.

Raja Yaqoob Farooq had said there were 30 to 35 participants from Kashmir too. This marathon sends the message across the world that Kashmir is peaceful. All these athletes will send the message across the world that Kashmir is suitable for hosting international events. We will showcase our cuisine, paper mache, pashmina and other things. All these athletes will be our brand ambassadors.

Besides running the marathon, the athletes will also be treated to the local cuisine. During that time, the athletes visited the world-famous Gulmarg ski resort and took a cable car ride. Along with running in the marathon, the athletes are seeing the beauty of Kashmir, its famous crystal clear lakes, alpine forests, and the fabulous autumn, called the king of four seasons in Kashmir.

On May this year, Kashmir hosted the G-20 meeting and also arranged sports car racing. Such international events have helped attract an exceptionally large number of tourists with the idea of ​​a peaceful, safe valley among tourists and tour and travel operators.