Time for the 900 marathons organized in india to make a rethink – take a cue from the World Road Race Championships!
The World Athletics Road Race Championships were held in Copenhagen on 19 20 Sept 2026.
After the first Mumbai Marathon in 2004, other cities across the country mindlessly copied it, and today 900 marathons are held in the country.
World Athletics has now innovated and started a World Road Racing Championships that weekend in Copenhagen, Denmark (Sept 19-20). The championships featured a 1-mile road race, a 5 km road race, and a half marathon.
In other words, athletes in different events could all get a chance, not just the very long-distance runners.
This show featured the world’s best milers, like Yared Nguse of the USA, Jakob Ingebrigtsen, and a Joshua Cheptegei. In the Indian context, this is vital, as the current 900 marathons totally exclude youth and allow only older runners to compete.
All the stories are about 60- to 70-year-olds competing; none give our country’s youth an opportunity, which I think is the group to aim for. Time to rethink and give all groups and runners a chance, other than the fixed marathon, with equal incentives for all
