BOA, LG Electronics partner for New York Marathon ‘viewerthon’ World Majors series close

[PHOTO: COURTESY]

This year’s World Marathon Majors series races draw to a close with Sunday’s TCS New York City Marathon with five top runners carrying the Kenyan flag.

Defending champion Geoffrey Kamworor, last year’s London Marathon winner Daniel Wanjiru and two-time Eindhoven Marathon title holder Festus Talam will feature in the men’s race with London Marathon champion Vivian Cheruiyot and two-time New York winner Mary Keitany in the women’s race.

Bank of Africa and LG Electronics have partnered to hold a live viewing of the race for athletes at Eldoret’s Sirikwa Hotel with the athletes also being taken through investment, banking, taxation and anti-doping education before the race.

Also partnering with the organisers is the Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya, Kenya Revenue Authority, Fly Tristar, Banda Homes and Multichoice Kenya.

Multichoice Kenya will give away three DStv Explora decoders for winners in a raffle at the viewing while LG Electronics’ service team will repair LG products free of charge for their customers.

“This is the fifth straight year we are hosting the Viewerthon which gives us a chance to better interact with our customers and the athletic community. Together with our partners, we use Viewerthons as an opportunity to offer financial advice to the local athletic community and other stakeholders,” said Bank of Africa’s Head of Marketing, Jimmi Wanjohi at the “viewerthon” launch.

The “Viewerthon” sessions this year were held in Kapsabet, Iten and Eldoret for the Boston, London, Berlin and Chicago marathons ahead of today’s New York race.

“Residents of Eldoret are invited to join us for a free service campaign and the live screening of the New York Marathon which will be viewed through the LG OLED TV. Catch every action of the Marathon at Sirikwa Hotel courtesy of LG,” a statement from LG Electronics invited the athletes.

Other top athletes at the New York Marathon include USA’s Kenya-born Bernard Lagat, who will be making his marathon debut, fellow countrymen Abdi Abdirahman and Shadrack Biwott along with the Ethiopian trip of Lelisa Desisa, Tamirat Tola and Shura Kitata.