Over 26,500 Runners Compete as 15th NMDC Hyderabad Marathon Concludes

HYDERABAD — The 15th edition of the NMDC Hyderabad Marathon concluded on Sunday in Hyderabad, drawing more than 26,500 runners across several race formats, including the Full Marathon, Half Marathon, 10K, 5K, and an Inclusive Run.

The flagship long-distance events took place over the weekend, with the Full Marathon, Half Marathon, and 10K races held on Sunday following the 5K and Inclusive Run on Saturday. Approximately 11,000 runners competed in the full and half marathons as well as the elite categories, while nearly 9,000 participants took part in the 10K run. The 5K and Inclusive Run events together registered around 6,500 participants.

Elite athletes from Ethiopia, Kenya, and India delivered competitive performances across the premier categories. In the women's elite full marathon, Ethiopia's Emane Seifu claimed the victory, while Nirmaben Thakor finished as the leading runner from India.

Prize money was distributed among the top six finishers in the competitive categories. The winners received ₹3 lakh each, while runners securing second and third places were awarded ₹2.5 lakh and ₹2 lakh, respectively. Competitors finishing in fourth, fifth, and sixth positions received ₹1.5 lakh, ₹1 lakh, and ₹75,000.

A key feature of this year's edition was the launch of the Inclusive Run, held in partnership with the Adventures Beyond Barriers Foundation. Around 300 differently-abled individuals took part in the event. This group included 205 persons with disabilities, 37 wheelchair runners representing the Telangana and Bengaluru Wheelchair Cricket teams, 14 participants with dwarfism from Hyderabad, Bengaluru, and Chennai, as well as visually challenged runners.

The event also marked the debut participation of 184 tribal youth from remote villages in Chhattisgarh, where NMDC runs mining operations. The selected runners competed across various marathon categories for the first time.

Organisers highlighted the marathon's ongoing philanthropic impact, noting that the event supports 40 non-governmental organisations and has raised more than ₹2 crore for charitable causes. In addition, the marathon has established a target to achieve carbon neutrality within the next three years, implementing measures such as reducing flex cut-outs and having 35 percent of runners opt out of receiving race T-shirts.