By IANS
New Delhi : A day after being dropped from the Indian cricket team for the first two one-day internationals (ODIs) against Pakistan, former captain Rahul Dravid was seen cheering the participants of the third Vodafone Half Marathon at the Central Secretariat Ground here Sunday.
Dravid, brand ambassador for one of the event sponsors Reebok, was egging on some 30,000 runners vying for a share of the $160,000 prize money.
A string of poor performances in the ODI series against Australia forced the selection committee to drop the former captain for the two ODIs in the series starting Nov 5 in Guwahati.
But Dravid put on a brave face and came out to support those taking part in the marathon.
Dravid was not the only celebrity cheering the participants, Bollywood actors Priyanka Chopra, Yana Gupta, Milind Soman and Gulshan Grover also were among the cheerleaders.
Among others present were Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dixit, Indan Air Force chief Fali Major and Indian Olympic Association (IOA) chief Suresh Kalmadi.
Some were running for money, some for different causes and a few simply for the fun of running but the enthusiasm was clearly there among those taking part as they braved the Sunday morning chill and came out to back a sporting cause.
People from all age groups took part in the race, which was held in four different categories.
Around 2,300 runners took part in the senior citizens’ run, 7,000 for the half-marathon, 200 for the wheelchair event and 18,500 people participated in the Great Delhi Run.
It was a colourful extravaganza, with the participants dressed in different hues to attract the attention of those who had gathered on the roadside to cheer the athletes.
Some members of corporate houses were also there to support different charitable organisations and completed the challenging distance with vigour. Around 41 corporate houses raised over Rs.12 million for charity.