The 4^th edition of the Nagaland 10k “The Great Hornbill Run,” organized as part of the Hornbill Festival celebrations, witnessed a grand opening at the Multidiscipline Sports Stadium, Sovima Chümoukedima on 9^th December 2024. The event was spearheaded by the Nagaland Athletic Association under the aegis of the Nagaland Olympic Association, Athletics Federation of India, and the Department of Tourism, Government of Nagaland, and sponsored by the Bank of Baroda.

Governor of Nagaland, La Ganesan, graced the occasion and in his address, he applauded the organizers for creating a platform that not only celebrates athleticism but also unites cultures and fosters competitive excellence. “This event transcends the boundaries of sports and culture, encouraging our youth and showcasing their talent on national and international stages,” he remarked.

Highlighting the state government’s efforts to nurture grassroots talent, the Governor expressed pride in Nagaland’s sporting achievements, including hosting the South Asia Cross Country Championship and the 56^th National Cross Country Championship in 2022. He congratulated the Nagaland Athletics Association for being recognized as the Best Association in 2022 and for the state’s impressive 23-medal haul at the 2^nd North East Olympics Games in Meghalaya.

General Manager & Zonal Head of NES Zone, Bank of Baroda, Sonam Tshering Bhutia, reaffirmed the bank’s commitment to supporting sports in the region. “The North East is a breeding ground for talent with immense potential to shine nationally and internationally,” he said, encouraging participants to aim for greater achievements.

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The competition featured road races in three categories: Senior 10km (Men & Women), Under-20 10km (Boys & Girls), and Under-18 8km (Boys & Girls), with cash prizes for the top seven finishers in each group.

Winners in category wise-

8km U- 18 years Girls were: Chongsop P (Nagaland, 1^st ), Serlibon Teronpi (Assam, 2^nd), Supei S (Nagaland, 3^rd)

8km U-18 Boys were- KH Zabed Hussian (Manipur, 1^st), Harmon Timung(Assam,2^nd ) and Zhaizhovei Raima (Manipur, 3^rd)

10km U-20 Girls were- H Wannya (Nagaland, 1^st), Cekrotalu (Nagaland, 2^nd) and Samika Ronghangpi ( Assam, 3^rd)

10km U-20 Men were- Thotngacheirin (Manipur, 1^st), Takasanen Lingkumer (Nagaland, 2^nd) and Temjrnsanen Pongen (Nagaland, 3^rd)

10km women were- Tsuchoi T (Nagaland, 1^st), Songmo P (Nagaland, 2^nd) and Peheiteiie Esalung (Nagaland, 3^rd)

10km Men were- Daniel Lyngdoh Wahlang (Meghalaya, 1^st), Wede T Mero (Nagaland, 2^nd) and Tsole Yhokha (Nagaland, 3^rd)

The event was marked by a warm welcome from Abu Metha, President of the Nagaland Athletics Association and Associate Vice President of the Athletics Federation of India, and greetings from Sovima Village Council. The vote of thanks was delivered by Bithungo Kikon, Convenor of the Technical Committee.