By Chris Musumba
Plans are afoot to have the winners of this year’s Kenya Airways Masai Mara marathon compete at the lucrative Toronto Marathon in Canada.
Billy Konchellah, the marathon technical director, confirmed that the race, which is marking its third anniversary and second under the national carrier brand, has attracted huge interest from international athletes with over 150 having already registered.
Local registration is also picking up with North Rift valley region leading in entries for the 21km road race, which will be held on November 19 in the Lemek Conservancy within the world famous Masai Mara.
Organisers are targeting over 1,500 athletes with the winners assured to take home Sh250,000 for both men and women. Kenya Airways, which is pumping in Sh20 million, will be bankrolling this year’s event after issuing the organisers with Sh9 million cheque.
“We are in negotiations with the Toronto Marathon, which is being partly funded by our co-sponsor Fairmont Mara Safari Club. All we need to do is get the winners of our race in the Kenya Airways plane and they will stay in one of the Fairmont hotels in Toronto, which is their headquarters,” said Konchellah.
The huge interest from abroad has been possible because the race is being marketed and promoted in all Kenya Airways offices and planes. Last year Alice Timbilil, the former Amsterdam Marathon champion was crowned the women winner with Geoffrey Kipsang clinching the men title. He went on to win the 8km junior men race at the World Cross Country Championship in Punta Umbria, Spain in March this year.
Develop talent
“We are keen to help develop and expose young talent from the region. We have even started a local race where we will reward the first local to cross the line. But it is important to attract top runners because we want the event to grow and be like the Boston or New York Marathons,” said Konchellah.
Kenya Airways agreed to fund the marathon, which has three objectives to help in the conservation efforts in the Masai Mara, reduce illiteracy, improve water sanitation and health care. Last year, the marathon was staged at the Olchorro Oirowua Conservancy, which is also within the Masai Mara.
Georgina Ndawa, sponsorship and promotion manager at Kenya Airways said the airline brings the world to the Masai Mara and will use its offices and partners worldwide for the registration of the marathon.
“We will also partner with the community here to see that we help them nurture and develop local talent. We will work with more schools which are affected in one way of another by this marathon because at Kenya Airways we believe in education, good health and environment conservation,” said Ndawa.
This year, Aitong Boarding Primary School was chosen and will benefit from the proceeds got from the marathon. It has its administration block being built and will cost Sh645,000. John Konchellah, the race organising chairman, was present when they broke the ground to start the building, which is due to end next month.
Konchellah launched the Masai Mara marathon in 2009, on a budget of Sh500,000 with other support coming in from Fair Mont Mara Safari Club and the Rotary Club of Nairobi.
The first Masai Mara Marathon attracted a total of 352 participants; 214 took part in the 5km race, while 138 competed at the 21km half marathon.
