Pune (Maharashtra)[India], November 24 (ANI): Former Asian Games gold medallist and Arjuna awardee, Sudha Singh, joins as the brand ambassador for the third edition of the Pune Half Marathon, which is set to run on November 27. The two-time Olympian for the 3000-meter steeplechase event is also a Padmashree awardee in a long international career spanning 13 years. She has won multiple medals for India at the continental level.

The Pune Half Marathon, the marquee event of Pune's long-distance running calendar, is coming back this year after a pandemic-induced two-year hiatus and has announced an INR 10 lakh price for national records in the half marathon category for both men and women.

Commenting on the development, Vikas Singh, CEO of APG Running and Fitpage, said, "It's really an honour for the Pune Half Marathon to have Sudha Singh, one of India's greatest distance runners as its brand ambassador this year. The Pune Half Marathon is an equal opportunity race and we are certain that Sudha's involvement would inspire many more women to come forward and take up distance running as a career. Even better if that career would begin at the Pune Half Marathon."Sudha has been competing in marathons domestically and recently won the 37th All-India Indira Gandhi Prize Money for a marathon in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, in the women's category.

This year, the Pune Half Marathon has also declared prize money of about INR 28 lakh, up from INR 21 lakh from the second edition, to be won across its race categories. The Pune Half Marathon promotes Indian runners, so all prizes are reserved for Indian citizens only. It features primarily four categories, which include the half marathon (21.1 km), a 10 km run, a 5 km run and a 3 km (family and fun) run. Registrations for the Pune Half Marathon have been on since the beginning of the month, and more than 13,000 runners have already registered to participate. (ANI)