Nabarangpur, Sept 10 [UDN}:: Chittaranjan Patra, a well-known 63-year-old marathon runner from Nabarangpur district, has brought pride to the district and the entire state of Odisha by successfully participating in the NMDC Hyderabad Marathon held in Hyderabad.
Patra competed in the 55–64 years age category and successfully completed the challenging marathon distance of 43.196 kilometres. He took 5 hours and 48 minutes to complete the race, demonstrating remarkable endurance, determination and commitment to fitness despite his age.
His achievement has been widely appreciated by sports enthusiasts and former athletes in Nabarangpur. They said that Patra’s participation and successful completion of such a demanding marathon at the age of 63 is an inspiration for sportspersons and fitness enthusiasts across different age groups.
Patra’s accomplishment has not only brought recognition to Nabarangpur district but has also made the people of Odisha proud. His dedication to long-distance running serves as an example of how age need not be a barrier to pursuing sporting ambitions and maintaining an active lifestyle.
Following his achievement, several members of the district sports fraternity congratulated him. Sports Association Secretary Prahlad Tripathy, Vice-President M. Balakrishna Rao, Joint Secretary Manoj Kumar Patnaik, Hockey Secretary Durgaprasad Mallik, Cricket Secretary Ashok Nayak, along with other office-bearers, members of the Sports Association and former sportspersons, extended their warm wishes to Patra for his impressive performance.
They expressed hope that his achievement would encourage more people, particularly senior citizens and young athletes, to take up running and other sporting activities and contribute to a stronger sporting culture in the district.
