BENGALURU: In the past, when the Karnataka Olympic Association celebrated International Olympic Day in the State, it was seen as a big event. But the prevailing situation of Covid-19 forced the body to keep it as low profile as possible at the Sree Kanteerava Indoor Stadium on Tuesday. Olympic Day is celebrated across the world on June 23 to commemorate the foundation of the International Olympic Committee.
“Hosting this event is not a new thing for us as we have been doing this for quite some time now,” said KOA secretary-general T Ananthraju. Normally, one would see schoolchildren, college students and sportspersons among others being a part of the 5km run. On Tuesday,
some well-known personalities, including India women’s basketball team coach Zoran Visic, who is based in the city, Archana Kamath, table tennis player, and other former Olympians took part in the run. Around 50-60 people, who were made to stand a safe distance from one another, ran — rather jogged — just outside the indoor stadium for a single lap. Sports minister C T Ravi, who flagged off the event, went around the stadium to have a look at the facilities.
“Keeping in mind the Covid-19 situation, we decided to keep it low profile as big gatherings are not allowed. And it is important for all of us to follow these things. So, we also invited Olympians, some sportspersons to maintain the number.
Usually, people attend it in huge numbers, say around 4,000, but it was different this time. I hope that the things will be better next year and we can have more people,” KOA president K Govindaraj told this newspaper. All those who participated in the run were given a certificate and some of them happily posed for the photographs alongside other runners.