Prestigious Iten race to honour mudslide victims

Senior men participate in 42km during Iten International Marathon at Iten grounds in Elgeyo Marakwet County on November 24, 2024. [Peter Ochieng, Standard]

The 2025 edition of Iten International Marathon, set for November 30, will be a memorial race in honour of victims of the mudslide, a disaster that killed over 37 people in Elgeyo Marakwet, just as preparations for the event gathered pace.

Elgeyo Marakwet County, which is the title sponsor of the race, said the contest will be a platform for climate change awareness.

Athletes will honour the victims of the November 2 disaster by participating in the 2025 edition, organisers said.

Elgeyo Marakwet Deputy Governor Prof Grace Cheserek said through the race, degraded sections of landslide-prone areas of Elgeyo Marakwet will be rehabilitated.

“We are running in remembrance of the disaster which led to the loss of many lives in Marakwet East,” the Deputy Governor said during the official launch held in Iten yesterday.

She said race organisers were considering inclusion of a fun run which will be used to mobilise support for victims of the disaster.

“The adventure run will give fun runners an opportunity to enjoy the scenic escarpments and beautiful scenery. Participants will run with Iten’s champions on the eve of the event,” said Prof Cheserek.

She assured athletes and sponsors that Iten was ready for the marathon.

The race will maintain its traditional course, which starts in Chororget and ends in the middle of the town that hosts the world’s athletics greats.

Sports executive Michael Kibiwott said the Iten International Marathon Running for Climate Resilience theme will resonate with the mudslide victims’ memorial event.

“We dedicate the race to the victims of the mudslides. We want to ask everyone to come and condole with us by participating in the race. We want to use this race to create awareness on climate change,” Kibiwott said.

The sports executive described the disaster as an extreme effect of climate change and expressed optimism that the November 30 race will call for action.

He said the county was targeting to grow at least 30 million trees across the landslide-prone escarpments of Elgeyo Marakwet.

“We want to use the marathon to plant trees along the escarpments,” he said.

He added: “You will be running in the place where the champions are made.”

Standard Group Plc, which is the race’s media partner said through Rift Region Business Manager Herbert Muhando that the company will continue positioning Iten International Marathon as one of the country’s top races.

“We have partnered with Iten International Marathon from the time the race was just an idea,” he said.