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By Anushree Fadnavis and Manoj Kumar
NEW DELHI (Reuters) – Some of the world’s leading long-distance runners participated in a half marathon in New Delhi on Sunday, even as India’s capital grapples with a surge in COVID-19 cases and air pollution. which has recently been among the most important in the world. worst.
More than 60 professional runners participated in the race, while several hundred enthusiasts ran in other cities on routes of their choice, using a mobile app to post race schedules, event organizers said.
Although air quality was poor on Sunday, runners did get a little respite, as pollution levels in the capital were dramatically better than in recent weeks.
New Delhi’s air quality index stood at 252 on a scale of 500, registering at “poor” levels, according to the Central Pollution Control Board. But the sky was relatively clear and the readings were significantly below the “severe” levels of 488 recorded earlier this month.
The race slowed as the city experiences a third wave of pandemic.
“The organizers are not inviting general runners to the stadium like every year to avoid a big gathering,” an event official said, adding that hundreds of amateur runners were running in other cities after registering through an app.
The defending champions of Ethiopia, Andamlak Belihu and Tsehay Gemechu, were among the elite athletes running the 21-kilometer (13.1-mile) race.
The 2020 Airtel Delhi Half Marathon “is a very important moment for Indian sports since the pandemic began,” said Abhinav Bindra, brand ambassador for the event and India’s only individual Olympic gold medalist.
The event is a step towards the resumption of competitive sports in India and would be a benchmark for other sports to follow, he said.
“The Airtel Delhi Half Marathon will follow the highest level of safety standards, with biosecurity zones to ensure a COVID-free race for elite runners,” the organizers had said in a press release earlier.
The race also took place when thousands of farmers, irritated by the new agricultural laws, staged a third consecutive day of protests, blocking some main roads to the capital.
(Reporting by Manoj Kumar; Editing by Euan Rocha and William Mallard)
