Sikkyas Abate and Abebech Gela from Ethiopia take the honours in the elite men’s and women’s category respectively

The event holds the Guinness World Record under the category of ‘Most number of people running on a hill’

•    ‘Be a Hero’, theme of this marathon paid tribute to the runners and their indomitable spirit

Mumbai, September 2, 2018: PNB MetLife Satara Hill Half Marathon (PSHHM), three times Guinness World Record Holder for ‘Most number of people running on a hill” concluded its 7th season today.  Sikkyas Abate and Abebech Gela from Ethiopia garnered honors at the concluding event on Sunday, in the elite men’s and women’s category respectively. Sikkyas completed the marathon in 1:7:57 (1 hour 7 minutes and 57 seconds) and Abebech crossed the finish line in 1:20:01 (1 hour 20 minutes and 1 second). Both the winners were felicitated by Mr. Nipun Kaushal, Chief Marketing Officer, PNB MetLife in the presence of Mr. Rajiv Puri, General Manager – PNB Bank (Mumbai zone).

PNB MetLife strongly believes in the wellbeing of individuals, and has been actively promoting health and fitness through various sports events. PNB MetLife through its #Health for Happiness,’ philosophy has also spawned another sports initiative, one that is targeted at children. As such, while PSHHM focuses on adults, PNB MetLife Junior Badminton Championship (JBC), aims to foster the fitness mantra amongst children. PNB MetLife Satara Hill Half Marathon (SHHM) initiative wants to keep you moving and motivated towards a healthy lifestyle through running. (https://www.healthforhappiness.in/).

Satara Hill Half Marathon is one of India's most coveted marathons, targeting marathon runners from within India and across the globe, promoting the spirit of competitiveness in the true, positive sense. This was evident this year that when bookings opened at 5 a.m. on 7th April 2018, within three hours, all the slots were booked. The 21-km marathon saw a whopping 6500 registrants from across geographies and age groups. It is also one of the few marathons in the country to have the privilege of being a member of the AIMS (Association of International Marathons and Distance Races).

This annual event was organized in association with the Satara Runners Foundation, a Non-Profit Organisation. Like its previous seasons, this year marathon had a theme of ‘Be a Hero’. The theme celebrates the indomitable spirit of runners that motivated them to perform better every day.

Congratulating all the marathon participants, Nipun Kaushal, Chief Marketing Officer, PNB MetLife, said, “The increase in the number of registrants is a direct reflection of how seriously the marathon is taken by the sports community in India and overseas. This stands testimony to the fact that PNB MetLife’s endeavor in creating and fostering physically fit communities, is yielding results. This challenging race is touted as one of the toughest in the world and the ultimate test of physical endurance. As such, I congratulate not only the winners but all the participants, for having raised the bar of success.”

In context of the event, Sujeet Jagdhane, President, Satara Runners Foundation said, “There seems to be a consciousness among people today to indulge in a healthy lifestyle. The popularity of marathon running as a sport has increased over the years and initiatives like PNB MetLife Satara Hill Half Marathon can take due credit for that. Over a span of seven years, the property has attracted immense popularity especially from outstation runners and different strata of society. We would like to thank PNB MetLife for their commitment to the marathon and support over the years.”

Please find list of winners enclosed.

About PNB MetLife India Insurance Company Limited

PNB MetLife India Insurance Company Limited (PNB MetLife) is a joint venture between MetLife International Holdings Inc. (MIHI), Punjab National Bank Limited (PNB), Jammu & Kashmir Bank Limited (JKB), M. Pallonji and Company Private Limited and other private investors, with MIHI and PNB being the majority shareholders. IRDAI Registration No. 117

For more information, visit PNB MetLife

About Satara Runners Foundation

Satara Runners Foundation is a Private incorporated on 25 October 2016. It is classified as Non-Govt Company and is registered at Registrar of Companies, Pune. Satara Runners Foundation Annual General Meeting (AGM) was last held on N/A and as per records from Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA), its balance sheet was last filed on N/A. Directors of Satara Runners Foundation are  Mr. Sujeet Jagdhane and Kamalesh Madhukar Pisal.

For more information, visit www.satarahillmarathon.com