Airtel Delhi Half Marathon resonates in digital avatar

The world’s best athletes smash records at the Airtel Delhi Half Marathon, while amateurs participate digitally, as India takes a big step towards the resumption of competitive sports.

The Airtel Delhi Half Marathon (ADHM) has, over the last 16 years, helped change the image of New Delhi: From being the political nerve centre or the representation of a sedentary culture, the Capital today is a changing, health-conscious city.

However, this year still presented some unique challenges. Given how the pandemic had frozen elite sporting activities for the last eight months, the race on November 29 became the first athletic sporting event in the country to be successfully conducted post the lockdown. The vibrancy of the event captured the spirit of sport and resonated in its digital avatar.


Flagging off the event, Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports Kiren Rijiju said, “This is the first sporting event I’m attending after the pandemic. We’re launching one of the biggest fitness movements in the world in FIT India, and long distance running is the best form of fitness. I’m very excited that this event hosted some of the best world champions and I’m happy that ADHM was conducted in an excellent manner.”

With the stellar line-up of elite athletes, the event was a sporting spectacle. Ethiopia’s Yalemzerf Yehualaw ran 1: 04 :46, smashing the event record and clocking the second fastest women’s half marathon time in history. Indian Olympic contender Avinash Sable broke the national half marathon record to become the fastest Indian ever with a time of 1:00:30. The top three elite men all finished under 59 mins, making ADHM one of the fastest half marathons in history.

Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said, “The past months have been traumatic for the residents and sports lovers of Delhi, and a sporting event like ADHM is a beacon of hope. I was happy to see Avinash Sable crossing the finish line in record time; I can see him as a strong Olympic contender.”

Going digital
The digital avatar of ADHM not only provided an opportunity for amateurs across the country to participate from the comfort of their own locations, but offered effective touchpoints for brands too. Airtel backed the vision for this edition beyond the norms of a conventional sports sponsorship. The concept ‘Run from Wherever You Are’ enabled them to demonstrate their superiority in the telecom space, providing seamless technological support for runners to remain connected to the event.

Procam launched the exclusive ADHM Mobile app with an array of features for an enhanced running experience: Timing and distance tracker, inspiring audio soundscapes, inspirational messages and relevant brand integrations with cues for runners to hydrate and set the right pace.

Bond to run
The running community shares an emotional bond, and this was on display when over 13,600 runners from across the country united in spirit on Sunday, November 29. The runners could also engage via the Playscape Active Hub, a custom-made website with specialised content curated by fitness and lifestyle gurus.

“This year’s ADHM was extra special as it sent out a message: Humanity’s resolve to collaborate will help overcome odds. As an enabler of digital lifestyles, we congratulate Procam for the innovative race format that allowed runners to participate from anywhere in India while staying safe. Through a new, technologically-backed format, the event brought the nation together. In many ways, this was a symbol of an emerging ‘Digital India’,” said Shashwat Sharma, chief marketing officer, Bharti Airtel.

Vivek Singh, joint MD, Procam International, said, “We are humbled and grateful by the support received from the Government of Delhi, the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Ministry of External Affairs, Ministry of Home Affairs, the Sports Authority of India, Athletics Federation of India, World Athletics, Association of International Marathons and Distance Races, our title sponsor, partners and the running fraternity. They are the bedrock of the ADHM.

Their efforts made this, a shining example of how team work and positivity can confront adversity. ADHM has shown the way for the resurgence of sports in India, in a safe and secure manner.”