By Fast Kashmir on 22/10/2017.

Kashmir has no dearth of talented sportspersons who need to be groomed: Dir Tourism

SRINAGAR/SONAMARG, OCT 22: Sunday morning witnessed a historic moment when Valley’s one of the top athletes ran non-stop 110 km from Srinagar to Baltal on Sunday.

Director Tourism Kashmir Mahmood A Shah flagged off this first of its kind 110 km ultra marathon run at 7:15 am from Hotel Shahansha Boulevard Srinagar which culminated at Baltal in Sonamarg at 6:30 pm.

Sports Council Athletic Coach and Manager of Bakshi stadium Sheikh Tulal, Owner of Ghani Glider Sports Club were also present at the flag off ceremony.

The athlete managed cove 110kms distance in 10.45 hours which has  happed first time that any person crossed over 100  km on single day.

22-year-old lad from downtown had recently participated in 59th Senior National in July this year in Andra Pradesh.

Hamid has already covered 60 kilometers run on a single day earlier with the Australian marathon runner Pat Farmer who concluded his Pan India great marathon in Srinagar on March 27, 2017.

Besides, he has won the state championship on December 9, 2013.

Earlier in his college, he won all the inter-college road races and retained the title till he studied is under gradation in 2013, 2014, 2015.

The latest achievement to him has been the participation of the India Expedition Adventure Race which was held in Srinagar, Sonamarg and Leh.

His acumen for long runs has promoted him to set out for his personal best of running over 100 kilometers which he has scheduled for October 22, 2017.

The run is was organized by Department of Tourism Kashmir with an active support from Discover Kashmir travel magazine, Hotel Shahenshah Palace in Srinagar, Hotel Snowland Sonamarg, Hattrick Foods, Damna Adventures.

Twenty athletes are also accompanying Hamid who ran minimum of 30 km in intervals till Sonamarg. One of the athletes covered non-stop 53 kilometers. Besides, three top cyclists of the Kashmir Valley also escorted Hamid Aziz.

Sky Running Federation provided technical support to the event while as physical teacher Umar Nabi and veteran athlete Riyaz Wani monitored the race.

Earlier at the flag ceremony Director Tourism Kashmir Mahmood A Shah said Kashmir has no dearth of talented sports persons who need to be promoted.

“We are happy that a guy from downtown Srinagar has wished to run 110 ultra marathon run. He has been inspired by ultra marathon runner Pat Farmer.  The successful completion of this ultra marathon run is an amazing feat and it also encourage other youth to take sports seriously.”

Hamid also plans to run 450 km in spring 2018 from Srinagar to Leh in seven days and 1000 kilometers in 2019 to ultimately aim for Kashmir to Kanyakumari run in five years of time.