Satwik- Chirag sets new target after Paris Olympics disappointment -'We really wanted that medal'

Chirag Shetty/ Satwiksairaj Rankireddy lost in the quarterfinals of men’s doubles in Paris.

The 19th edition of the Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon celebrated some top athletes at the ‘Beyond the Finish Line’ event in New Delhi on Friday. Present at the event were Valarie Allman, former Indian gymnast Dipa Karmakar, alongside star badminton player Chirag Shetty as well as two-time silver medal-winning Paralympian Yogesh Kathuniya.

The highlight of the night was the presence of two-time Olympic champion Valarie Allman. Allman was recently nominated for the 2024 Women’s Field Athlete of the Year and holds a personal best of 71.46 meters in women’s discus throw.

The Beyond the Finish Line is a joint initiative by Procam International along with Empowerment Partner GoSports Foundation. The evening was hosted by sports historian and commentator Boria Majumdar. The glittering event was supported by Title Sponsor Vedanta and Associate Sponsor IDFC FIRST Bank, the Official Production Partner Initium, and Hospitality Partner Le Meridien.

“Satvik (Satviksairaj Rankireddy) and I gave it our all. It wasn’t meant to be in Paris. We really wanted to get that medal from Paris. What keeps us going is that I want to win everything there is to win in badminton. Only then will I think of retiring. We will be back next month. We’re really looking forward to getting back on board. We’ve set our targets post Paris. It’s still three years away, but there’s never say never,” said Chirag Shetty at the ‘Beyond the Finish Line’ event.

Also Read: Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon 2024: Muktar Edris, Eilish McColgan lead field

Former World Champion gymnast Dipa Karmakar, who is also a bronze medallist at the 2014 Commonwealth Games, is ready to spur an evolution if the current generation is ready to follow in her footsteps of working hard to achieve success. “In the current generation, not everyone thinks about their long-term goals. Gymnasts like Pranati and me, we have given our everything to reach the stage that we have, and now, having retired, it is time to give back to the sport that gave me so much.”

Valarie Allman, who knows something about the hard work that goes into becoming a top athlete in the world, spoke about her experiences during her conversation with Boria Majumdar. She said, “As an athlete, you have to hold yourself to a high standard to win the gold. I started throwing discus when I was 15, but I won for the first time when I was 23. What I believe is that champions are made, not born, and now I pinch myself whenever I say ‘two-time Olympic Champion’… It’s a dream come true.”

Speaking at the event, Priya Agarwal Hebbar, Chairperson, Hindustan Zinc Ltd, and Non-Executive Director, Vedanta Ltd said, “As we embark on yet another edition of the Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon, we remain committed towards driving positive change in society. This prestigious half marathon outlines the importance of harnessing the power of communities for a cause – #RunForZeroHunger. This year, we are doubling our aim and will serve 10 million meals.

For every kilometer run in Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon Vedanta will contribute a meal towards nourishing a child or for feeding an animal. We hope our initiative will inspire many more as we race towards a healthier, nourished India.”

The Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon, set to kick off from the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on 20th October 2024, also boasts a prize purse of USD 260,000.

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