Foreign legion

By ERICK OCHIENG’

KISUMU, KENYA: The Kisumu International Marathon scheduled for this Sunday has attracted athletes from Eritrea, Tanzania and Uganda who have confirmed their participation.

Speaking at the Athletics Kenya(AK) headquarters in Nairobi yesterday, AK Nyanza North Branch Chairman Joseph Ochieng told FeverPitch that the lakeside 42km race has for the first time attracted three athletes each  from the above nations.

“We want to build the marathon and have it attract more foreign athletes, though Kenyans are dominant in the 42km distance. We agreed to foot the accomodation and local transport expenses for the foreign athletes coming to Kisumu,” said Ochieng.

Title sponsors Safaricom donated  Sh1 million for the 42km race whose winners will win  Sh200, 000 in both the men and women’s categories.

First runners-up will take home Sh100,000 while the third placed will pocket Sh50, 000. There will be other prizes available up to the tenth finisher. Safaricom has also  introduced a cross country event over 12km, 8km and 6km. The top three winners will pocket Sh30,000, Sh20,000 and Sh10,000 in both the men and women’s categories.

“At the same time the participants will be competing for the Safaricom Marathon and Cross Country series jackpot money that stands at Sh300, 000 and Sh200, 000 respectively.

We urge those who have been taking part in our athletics series to step up their game as they focus on the jackpots in this event, which is the last in our 2013 athletics series calendar,” said Safaricom Sponsorship Co-ordinator Angeline Sonje.

Former Amsterdam champion Magdalene Chemjor was able to set a new women’s course record of 2:31:12 during last year’s marathon slashing a massive eight minutes from Irene Mogaka’s time in 2011.

Daniel Kipkorir Kilimo won the men’s category in 2:14:48. He beat 2011 winner Joseph Biwot, (2:13:41). Meanwhile, preparations are in top gear for the Tom Mboya Memorial Half Marathon staged on Rusinga Island, Homa Bay County.   

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