Ahmedabad, Oct 5 (IANS): The Adani Ahmedabad Marathon has joined the World Athletics Global Calendar, a significant milestone as the race prepares for its 10th edition on November 29.
World Athletics is the global governing body for athletics, overseeing the sport across 214 Member Federations and setting standards for international competitions. Its global calendar brings together recognised competitions from around the world, providing athletes, federations and the wider athletics community with a shared global reference point.
For the Adani Ahmedabad Marathon, this listing makes race performances eligible for consideration in the World Athletics Rankings. It also adds Ahmedabad to the international road-racing calendar, placing the city on the global circuit of recognised races.
The recognition reflects the event’s standards, including course measurement and certification, race operations, medical preparedness, timing and results, elite athlete management, and compliance with applicable athletics and anti-doping regulations.
The milestone also shows how much the marathon has grown. What began with a few thousand runners has become a city-wide sporting event, with more than 24,000 runners participating in the previous edition.
The city’s connection with the marathon has been closely tied to its #Run4OurSoldiers journey. For a decade, the initiative has brought citizens and the Armed Forces together to honour the courage, service and sacrifice of India’s soldiers, giving the marathon a purpose beyond the race itself.
The recognition comes as Ahmedabad prepares for the 2030 Commonwealth Games. As the city works to build a stronger sporting culture, having its flagship marathon included in the World Athletics Global Calendar marks another important step forward.
Sanjay Adesara, Chief Business Officer, Adani Sportsline, said, “Being part of the World Athletics Global Calendar is a proud moment for everyone who has made this marathon what it is today, from the runners and volunteers to the Armed Forces personnel who run alongside us. This recognition validates the standards we have built, including course certification, runner safety, timing systems and elite athlete management. Ahmedabad celebrates this marathon as a festival, with people from every neighbourhood coming onto the streets together. As we head into our 10th edition, we remain committed to giving this city a race worthy of this recognition.”
