Prize money should be increased to promote running in India: Avinash Sable

India's steeplechase runner Avinash Sable has said that prize money for long-distance running competitions should be raised to promote the sport in India.

"Event organizer decides the prize so we can't say much about it but I feel that if you want to take long-distance running forward, to raise the standard, the prize money should be increased. The amount international athletes are getting should also increase," said Sable on the eve of Delhi half marathon.

Sable also talked about his preparation post his Commonwealth heroics and said, "It feels great after Commonwealth Games I am participating in the Delhi Half marathon. Recently in Diamond League, I couldn't go because I couldn't practice enough for it. I have not done any special preparation for it but it feels great that I am getting yet another opportunity to run in Delhi. It feels good."

Haile Gebrselassie, one of the greatest distance runners in history, is the International Event Ambassador at the Delhi Half Marathon 2022.

The Ethiopian won the 10,000 m gold in successive Olympics (1996 & 2000) and eight World Championships Indoor and Outdoor track titles from the 1,500 m to the 10,000 m in a storied career.

Gebrselassie also won the World Half Marathon Championships in 2001 and nine major marathons, including the Berlin Marathon four times in succession. In 2008, he took the Berlin Marathon in a then-world record time of 2:03.59 at age 35.

Delhi Half Marathon will be conducted in Delhi on Sunday, October 16 and will be flagged from the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium. Two-time 5,000 m World champion Muktar Edris of Ethiopia, 2021 Berlin Half Marathon winner Felix Kipkoech of Kenya and promising Ethiopian Chala Regasa are among the top names in an exciting men's Elite field for the upcoming Delhi Half Marathon.

The fastest Indian man and woman will receive rupees 3.5 lakhs each at the Delhi Half Marathon. Prize money of USD 268,000 was announced for the World Athletics Elite Label Road Race.

The International Elite winners in the men's and women's categories will take home USD 27,000 each and the prize fund includes the top 10 finishers in both. There is also an Event Record Bonus of USD 12,000 as an incentive.

( With inputs from ANI )