Athletics: Runners ready for battle at Masai Mara Marathon today

Morans PHOTOS:ROBERT KIPLAGAT.

The ninth edition of Maasai Mara Marathon has achieved its set target of runners expected to take part in the race to be run in the wilderness of Masai Mara Game Reserve this morning.

Organisers have so far registered 500 athletes who will take part in the two categories of 21km main race and 5km for the corporates, according to the race director John Konchella.

By Wednesday morning, only 300 runners had confirmed participation in a race whose main objective is to raise funds to support conservation of the Masai Mara National Game Reserve as well as community-based projects around the Masai Mara.

“The entry has even surprised us as we try to tie up some loose ends ahead of the D-Day this morning for us to be able to adhere to Athletics Kenya (AK) guidelines and World Athletics rules and have the winners vetted before they receive their prizes,” Mr Konchella told Standard Sports.

Yesterday, Konchella said their effective administration in the past nine years have impacted positively on the runners seeing the need to take part in the road race hence the sudden rush to beat the deadline by yesterday.

Cabinet Secretary for Sports Amina Mohamed is expected to officially flag off the main race in the presence of his Environment and Natural Resources counterpart Keriako Tobiko.

The Cabinet secretaries will later lead a tree planting ceremony at Maswani Primary School with officials of different sponsors that include the Ministry of Tourism, East Africa Breweries, Barclays Bank, Coca Cola, Ketepa, Dairy Board the Standard Group PLC.

Konchella said winners will have to be subjected to Anti-Doping tests before they receive their prizes.