Kass rewards winners: Athletics Kenya to start marathon jackpot soon

By Dennis Okeyo

Alice Chelegat during last year’s Kass Marathon in Eldoret. BELOW: Coach Titus Limo (right) receives a dummy cheque on behalf of Thomas Kiplagat winner of Kass Marathon from Kass Group Chairman Joshua Chepkwony. [PHOTO: PETER OCHIENG’ and DENNIS OKEYO/STANDARD

Over 30 athletes were Wednesday afternoon feted for their exploits in last year’s Kass International Marathon.

Athletics Kenya Chairman Isaiah Kiplagat said they want to form a local Marathon Majors series, which will include races in Kisumu, Mombasa, Eldoret and Nairobi.

Elite runners dominated last year’s race, which was marking its seventh edition with Thomas Kiplagat stealing the limelight to clinch the men’s title in Eldoret.

The women title went Alice Chelagat, who at the time was the Prague Half Marathon champion. Joyce Chepkirui, has since won the Prague Half Marathon.

Organisers, sponsors and AK said it is time to start relay marathon series, which will incorporate the Nairobi, Mombasa and Kisumu road races, to reward consistent athletes.

“We are talking and soon we will announce once the prize money and other logistics have been confirmed. We want to form a marathon jackpot,” said Kiplagat.

Athletics Kenya is also in talks with World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) to set up a test collection centre in Nairobi to handle all samples for dope tests. Currently the same is sent to Johannesburg, South Africa for analysis.

The 2013 Kass Marathon winners received their monetary awards with the winner of the 42km race pocketing Sh1.5 million.

Other athletes feted were the top ten finishers in both men and women categories and the top three in the half marathon race.

Standard Group’s Managing Director-Print Francis Munywoki reaffirmed the company’s support to the event having been partners for the past seven years.

Kass Marathon is sponsored by Kass FM, Transnational Bank, Africa Merchant Assurance (Amaco) and Safaricom.    — [email protected]