Delhi Half Marathon is an important step towards resuming sports in India - Abhinav Bindra

The 2008 Olympic gold medallist, Abhinav Bindra, on Friday said that the Airtel Delhi Half Marathon (ADHM) would be a very significant moment for Indian Sports since the beginning of the pandemic.

In a meet and greet session before the marathon gets underway on Sunday, the ADHM ambassador said, “The ADHM is a very significant moment for Indian sports, since the pandemic started. Our athletes have resumed training but we have to get them in the competitive space.”

He further added that the half marathon will set a benchmark for others sports to follow in the near future.

“This is a very important step towards resuming competitive sports in India. This event would be a benchmark for others sports to follow in future.”

When asked about amateur runners participating from remote locations, the 38 year old said, “This era forces us to embrace technology more and innovate more. Sports needs technology and innovation. To survive a challenging situation, we have to adapt to the situation.”

⌛ is running out!

Here are glimpses of the meet & greet session with #ADHM2020 ambassador @Abhinav_Bindra ahead of the race on Sunday, followed by the Top Indian Athlete Press Conference! 🙌🏻#ADHMMovesMe. pic.twitter.com/GF625kVPHJ

— ADHM (@runadhm) November 27, 2020

The only individual Olympic gold medallist from India, Bindra, admitted that despite being a shooter, he had to indulge in his fair share of running during his playing days.

“I picked up shooting because I thought I didn’t have to move. However, to succeed in shooting, I had to run quite a bit. Running was a very important part of my training.”

The Airtel Delhi Half Marathon will kick off tomorrow. The event will be graced by many top athletes from across the globe including the defending champions from Ethiopia, Andamlak Belihu and Tsehay Gemechu.

Top Indian runners including the likes of Avinash Sable, SrinuBugatha, Abhishek Pal, Pradeep Singh, Parul Chaudhary, Chinta Yadav and Sanjivani Jadhav will also be in action.

Read Also: How Airtel Delhi Half Marathon is being conducted safely amid COVID-19 pandemic?