Vijayawada hosts Swachhathon 2026 marathon for health and cleanliness
Ten thousand runners from 22 states participated across three distance categories in the city.
Vijayawada hosted the Swachhathon 2026 marathon on Gandhi Jayanti to raise awareness about cleanliness, health, and environmental protection. The event featured 5K, 10K, and 21-kilometre categories, drawing 10,000 runners and representatives from 22 states. Participants ranged from children to senior citizens, running from the Indira Gandhi Municipal Stadium along Bandar Road toward Amaravati.
The Swachh Andhra Corporation and Amaravati Runners jointly organized the event. Notable attendees included corporation chairman Pattabhi, MP Kesineni Sivanath (Chinni), Principal Secretary of Municipal Administration Suresh Kumar, Vijayawada Police Commissioner Rajasekhar Babu, and Municipal Corporation Commissioner Dhyan Chand.
In the 21-kilometre run for participants under 34 years of age, Satish Kumar finished first with a time of one hour, nine minutes, and 13 seconds. Aravind secured second place at one hour, 10 minutes, and 35 seconds, while Arjun Kumar took third at one hour, 11 minutes, and 46 seconds. Organizers distributed medals and Rs 10 lakh in cash prizes to the winners.
MP Kesineni Chinni noted that participation surpassed last year's turnout. Officials stated that such running events help foster public awareness about health and hygiene.
