Suraj Velip (30) and Swezial D’souza (22) emerged winners in the male and female categories respectively, in the prestigious 21km open event at the Rotary Rain Run 2025 as the 11th edition of the popular run was held in Tiswadi on Sunday.
Over 2400 runners including locals and those from Karnataka, Kerala, Telangana among others, took part in multiple events organised by Rotary Club of Porvorim and the Rotary Parivar, a collective of Rotary Club associations in the state.
The annual Rotary Rain Run was flagged off from the Sports Authority of Goa (SAG) Athletics Stadium in Bambolim by Colonel Arpit Yadav, Deputy Commandant 2 STC, Alok Kumar, Director General of Police (DGP), Goa, and Arun D Bhandare, District Governor, Rotary International District 3170, along with the Rotary Rain Run chairman Avinash Singh Parmar, coordinator Shephan Shaikh and Rotary Club president Harsh Thakkar for the 21 km and 10 km runs, respectively.
Vinayak Gaonkar was the first runner-up in the men’s 21km timed run category, while Hansine Benoit was the first runner-up in the women’s event in the same category. Hari Velip and Line Shetty topped the male and female categories, respectively, in the 10-km event.
In the 21 km event, winner Suraj Velip clocked a timing of 1 hour 25 minutes 08 seconds in the men’s category, and Swezial D’souza emerged victorious in the women’s category, clocking 1 hour 49 minutes 27 seconds.
In the 10 km timed run category, Hari Velip won in the men’s category by clocking a timing of 36 minutes, 46 seconds and Line Shetty won in the women’s category, with a timing of 1 hr 24 seconds.
Hundreds of amateur runners, which included children, participated in the event’s other non-timed runs, which included a five km dream run and a two km fun walk, which witnessed participation from senior citizens too. Around 20 para-athletes also participated in the two km fun walk, while one para-athlete Niranjan Jadhav also completed the 10 km run.
Swezial, a student of St. Xavier’s College, Mapusa, who bagged the win in the women’s 21 km timed run category, said: “Crossing that finish line first was an incredible feeling. I’ve trained hard for this and to see it all come together today means the world to me. This win is not just mine; it’s for everyone who supported me along the way.”
Quepem’s Suraj Velip, who won the men’s 21 km timed run category, stated that he revels in the exhilaration of sheer running. “I have been running since the time I was a kid. It felt easy when I started the run, but the return leg was challenging,” he said.
In order to recreate a monsoon-like vibe, the runners passed through two strategically placed rain showers, one at All India Radio, Panaji and another at Dempo Nilaya, Taleigao, along the scenic, sea-fronted route from SAG Athletics Stadium to Miramar Circle and back.
For over a decade, the run has been supported by volunteers from the Indian Armed Forces, instrumental in providing logistical support, including offering volunteers assistance and managing the setup of crucial facilities, including hydration points, a breakfast counter and a medical room.
The warm-up routine for the 10 km and 21 km runs consisted of a yoga session, while participants in the two km and five km runs engaged in a lively Zumba session to get them ready ahead of the run. Lavina Soares, a renowned Goan singer, performed live ahead of the event to entertain the runners and spectators, while dances and other games were organised in the Kids Fun Zone, which was located at the SAG facility.
“The dedication of every participant has been very inspiring. The support from the Indian Army, whose personnel served as volunteers during the race, has been invaluable. The revenue generated by the run is being donated towards the Prakash Cancer Aid Project, which supports free cancer detection services for women as well as promotes women’s health and education,” said Avinash Singh Parmar, chairman, Rotary Rain Run, Goa.
The Rotary Rain Run is certified by the Association of International Marathon and Distance Races (AIMS), which collaborates with World Athletics to ensure that the road races are measured accurately and meet global standards.
Additionally, each participant in the Rotary Rain Run 2025 was given a medal, while the podium finishers of 10 and 21 km got trophies.
