6,000 registered for Nairobi marathon
17/10/2008 17:34
Organizers of the Nairobi marathon to be held on Oct. 26 said about 6,000
people have so far registered for this year's Standard Chartered
race.
Standard Chartered Area Head of Corporate Affairs Annie Kinuthia said
that they are still receiving entries at their various registration sites and
that she is confident that they will reach their intended number of
participants.
"Registration is still ongoing at our various centers and
starting today all major supermarkets will be receiving entries until October 24
deadline," said Kinuthia.
Kinuthia added that 50 countries have confirmed
participation in the marathon which is the first leg of the Greatest Race on
Earth Series.
"We are extending registration to allow participants take part
in the event. We are therefore urging interested participants to register in
time to avoid a last minute rush," she told yesterday.
"We expect this number
to go up to about 60 countries and so far we have about 200 international
runners who will be taking part," said Kinuthia.
"The runners are expected in
the country next week and they will be hosted at the Rangers restaurant
yesterday in line with the marathon's objectives to boost tourism in Kenya,"
said Kinuthia.
The marathon involves a 10-kilometer road race, half and full
marathon, men and women full wheelchair marathon, family fun run and the
greatest race on earth.
Runners register at a fee of 1,000 shillings (about
US$13) for the individual challenge, 50,000 shillings for the corporate
challenge and 500 shillings for the family fun run.
This year's route has
been altered to make the runners compete in the shadow of some of the city's
landmarks.
Among the teams that have sent in their entries include Kenya,
Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Brazil, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Uganda, Singapore, Russia,
Tanzania and Botswana.
Veteran Edith Masai and Cyprian Kiogora lead Kenya's
runners. Athletics Kenya has already named its eight-member squad that has
Mumbai Marathon champion John Kelai while Philemon Lisoreng will make his debut,
replacing Benson Ogato in the Nairobi leg.
Emma Muthoni, who was fourth in
Singapore, last year, will battle it out in the Nairobi marathon, dubbed the
altitude race.
Masai will return to Singapore, where she finished second last
year, together with the men's team's Amos Matui. Others are Jackline Nyangori
and John Kilai. Jemima Chelagat and Cyprian Kyogora will run in Hong
Kong.
Xinhua
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