Karudkar, Sharma, Sakshi walk to glory

 

 

 

 

 

 

RANJIT Karudkar of Dainik Bhaskar, Lokmat’s Rajesh Sharma and Sakshi Raut of Sakal emerged winners in their respective categories of the Media Walkathon held at Annabhau Sathe Square on Sunday morning. The event was organised by Sports Journalists’ Association of Nagpur (SJAN) in a joint venture with Tirupati Urban Co-operative Bank and Nagpur District Athletics Association (NDAA). In 5-km below 50 years men’s category, Karudkar triumphed clocking 32.3.71 minutes. Nitin Bagde (33.23:65) of Star India 24 News and Sudhir Mehare (37.37:64) finished second and third respectively. TOI’s Chaitanya Deshpande and The Hitavada’s Nakul Dongre achieved fourth and fifth places respectively.

 

Sharma emerged winner whereas Ishwar Polkar secured second place in the above 50 years men’s category. Sharma clocked 21.8:47 minutes to achieve the first place. He was followed by Polkar (23.1:20 min) and TOI’s Shashi Rahate (24.9:67) for the second and third place respectively. Lokmat’s Raviraj Ambadwar and TOI’s Sandesh Kulkarni finished fourth and fifth. In the 3-km walk in women’s section, Sakshi (17.43:17), Disha Hatwar of UCN (20.33:45) and Sarita Pandey of TOI (20.34:32) finished first, second and third in that order. In the family women section, Lata Hatwar, Sarita Hurmade and Asha Mahajan achieved first to third places respectively. Kaustubh Udar, Devansh Singh and Prajwal Rakhde were given consolation prizes.

 

At the outset, PI of Bajaj Nagar Police Station Baliram Sutar flagged off the event. Director of Tirupati Urban Co-operative Bank and former Mayor Raghunath Malikar, Chief Secretary of Annabhau Sathe Memorial Committee Kishor Bihade, Director of Department of Sports and Physical Education of Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University Dr Sharad Suryawanshi and President of Nagpur District Athletics Association Gurudeo Nagrale distributed the prizes. NDAA’s Senior Joint Secretary Ramchandra Wani led the committee that provided technical support to the event. SJAN President Dr Ram Thakur and Naresh Shelke conducted the proceedings.