Nairobi City Marathon will be world class,Sports CS discloses

Sports Cabinet Secretary Amb. Amina Mohamed has said that Kenya will be playing host to a historic athletics occasion that will match the standards of elite global marathons bringing together thousands of runners from Kenya and beyond.

Also known as the Uhuru Classic, the marathon which will be held on May 8 along the iconic and unique course of the Nairobi Expressway, has been described as one for the history books as far as the prize money and environmental management is concerned.

Amina said the purse will match those at major marathons like London Marathon, Berlin Marathon, Chicago Marathon and Boston Marathon among others.

“It will be a world class event and I’m inviting all of us to run on that day even if for only 1km. No one will punish you for stopping along the way.Several high calibre athletes have confirmed participation and the prize fund for the marathon,  which will start and finish at the Nyayo National Stadium, covers the top 20 finishers,something that has never been witnessed in most global races” she said.

The CS described the marathon as a perfect tribute to President Uhuru Kenyatta for his immense contribution to the sports industry and his infrastructural development legacy.

“This will be an international marathon that will be held on a legacy project of his excellency President Uhuru Kenyatta. It is a perfect tribute to his infrastructural development legacy and contribution to sports. The Nairobi City marathon will be held for the next 10 years and we hope it will continue to commemorate the tremendous milestones achieved by the president in his tenure,” added CS Amina.

Experienced Sisay Mekonnen Jisa, Abraham Girma Bekele and Alemu Gemechu from Ethiopia, and Eritrea’s Okubay Tsegay will compete in the men’s 42km race.

The 2011 London Marathon champion, Emmanuel Mutai, and 2017 Eindhoven Marathon champion, Eunice Jeptoo, are among local stars who have signed up for the inaugural edition of the competition.

The male and female winners for the full marathon will pocket around Sh6.95 million each, making the competition Africa’s most lucrative road race.

The only full marathon staged in Nairobi is the Standard Chartered Bank Nairobi Marathon where the men and women’s winners pocket Sh1.5m each.

The only full marathon staged in Nairobi is the Standard Chartered Bank Nairobi Marathon where the men and women’s winners pocket Sh1.5m each.

Last year, the London Marathon had a prize fund of $313,000 (Sh31.3m) where each winner in the men’s and women’s races got $55,000 (Sh5.5m).

The starting and finish line for the marathon will be at Nyayo Stadium with the 42km run winding through the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Central Business District, ABC Place in Westlands and will cover 33km of the Nairobi Expressway and 9km of the rest of the city.

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