SLA name six athletes for Dhaka Marathon

Dhaka Marathon previous edition 

By Susil Premalal   

Sri Lanka Athletic (SLA) will field a six-member Men’s and Women’s elite contingent for the Bangabandhu Dhaka Invitation International Marathon, which will be held on January 26 in Dhaka, Bangladesh.   

SLA have named three men and three women competitors for this event and they will be accompanied by a coach and manager with all their traveling, accommodation and other expenses to be borne by the Bangladesh athletic authorities.   

Top competitors from over 10 countries including Kenya, Ethiopia, South Africa, Morocco, Uganda, Lithuania and Ukraine are set to participate in this marathon, SLA Secretary Saman Gunawardena told the Daily Mirror yesterday.   

The Bangabandhu Dhaka Invitation International Marathon has been organised by the Bangladesh Athletic Association since 2021 to commemorate the founder of Bangladesh Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.   

The winner of the elite race will receive a cash award of US $15,000, second place US $10,000 and third place US $5,000. In addition, the competitors from the South Asian region and the host nation will receive separate cash awards. The Bangabandhu Dhaka Invitation International Marathon is considered the biggest marathon in the South Asian region with the highest amount of prize money on offer.