New route will ensure smooth run of World 10K: Jones

 
Unlike last year, both the men’s and women’s elite races will start and finish inside the Sree Kanteerava Stadium. The route will take them through Kasturba Road, M G Road, Cubbon Road, Dickenson Road, Ulsoor Road, Minsk Square, GPO, Ambedkar Road, Cubbon Park before returning to the stadium.

“The changes have been made for allowing better traffic management. The new route is also slightly flatter,” said Jones.

Vivek Singh, Managing Director of Procam International, the promoters of the event, said the race has generated tremendous response, with more than 23000 runners expected to take part in various events.

The final list of top runners will be announced on Thursday but a big name to watch out for will be Deriba Merga, winner of the Boston Marathon this year in 2:08:42.

“It’s flattering that many of the athletes who competed last year are returning this year. We didn’t have too much knowledge about the city last year,” said Jones.

It was a different city and a different formula for us. It worked last year and we are confident that it will go smoothly this year as well,” added the World 10K race director in an interaction with scribes.

The secretary of the Karnataka Athletic Association, Satyanarayana, said a photo-finish camera will be in place this time.

Last year, the top place in the women’s event was shared between Elvan Abeylegesse of Turkey and Grace Momanyi of Kenya, with no photo-finish equipment in place to pick out the winner.