Did you Know This? India’s first Olympic marathon runner is from Belgaum

Did You Know This?

Phadeppa (Pavananjey) Dareppa Chaugule is India’s first Olympic marathon runner. He represented India in the 1920 Summer Olympics in Antwerp, Belgium and finished 19th with a timing of 2 hours 50 minutes 45.2 seconds. He hails from the town of Belgaum in Karnataka.

He was born in 1902 in to a Jain farmer family from Sheri Galli. He used to practice for the marathon by running bare footed from Belgaum to Khanapur.   He expired in 1952.

 

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org

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