Belagavi to Host National Marathon on Oct 25 under Sashakta Karnataka

Belagavi will host the Karnataka segment of a national marathon on October 25, part of the Sashakta Karnataka programme.

Event Overview

The race will start and finish at the Suvarna Soudha, pass the historic Belagavi Fort (Kote Kere) and offer 5 km, 10 km and 21 km (half‑marathon) distances. The District Administration, Zilla Panchayat, National Service Scheme and the Department of Youth Empowerment and Sports are organising the event in Belagavi, together with Bengaluru‑based JJ Active. Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Roshan reviewed preparations on Friday and urged large athlete participation, noting that the marathon was announced in the state budget for 2026.

Prizes and Registration

In the 21 km category, participants aged 18‑45 can win ₹7,500, ₹5,000 or ₹3,000 for first to third place, while those over 45 receive ₹5,000, ₹3,500 or ₹2,500, each with a trophy and gender‑specific awards. The 10 km race offers ₹5,000, ₹3,500 and ₹2,500 for the 18‑45 age group and ₹3,000, ₹2,000 and ₹1,500 for over‑45 runners. All entrants receive a T‑shirt, medal and light refreshments. Registration is through https://raceiq.in/belagavirun with fees of ₹350 (5 km), ₹600 (10 km) and ₹800 (21 km); students and senior citizens enjoy a 25 % discount. Pramod Deshpande, CEO of JJ Active, and B. Srinivas, Deputy Director of Youth Empowerment and Sports, attended the review meeting.

Context

The marathon aligns with Karnataka’s push to promote sports participation and tourism across historic sites like Hampi, Murudeshwar and Chitradurga, while the cash prizes aim to attract both young and senior athletes.