WINDHOEK – Local telecommunications giant MTC, in collaboration with Athletics Namibia (AN), yesterday officially launched the 8th edition of the Dr Sam Nujoma Half Marathon – one of Namibia’s most sought-after race on the country’s athletics calendar.
With the last edition of the race held in 2017, the popular event returns to Namibia’s metropolis early next month, on 12 May to be precise, and is expected to attract some of the country’s top long distance runners and the continent’s crème de la crème marathoners.
Would-be participants have been urged to register online at www.eventstoday.com.na and collections of registration numbers will be on11 May, a day before the actual race which will start at Ausspannplatz’s Dr Augustinho Neto Park. Registration is open until the 8th May 2019. More race information is available online at www.athletics-namibia.com.na.
MTC, as headline sponsor of the event has contributed close to a million towards the successful hosting of the race since the inception of the half marathon. AN, Namibia’s athletics mother body, is the organiser of the marathon.
For this year, MTC committed a handsome N$139 000 in cash and N$55 717 in kind towards the hosting of the race, which in total comes to a whopping N$194,717.
Speaking at yesterday launch in the capital, MTC’s Corporate Affairs Manager John Ekongo said the half marathon celebrates the life and times of Namibia’s founding president Dr Sam Nujoma, which this year falls on the icon’s 90th birthday.
Ekongo further explained that MTC is committed development of sport and that the marathon does not just provide an important platform for athletes to compete and test their abilities but equally so, to honour the founding president Sam Nujoma. Hence, MTC is proud and deemed it right to associate itself with this cause.
On his part, Athletics Namibia president Erwin Naimhwaka said: “The MTC Dr Sam Nujoma Half Marathon is one of the prime events on the athletics calendar in Namibia. The event, named after the founding president is aimed at honouring Nujoma and display the disciplined and healthy lifestyle he leads.”
According to Naimhwaka, the event also provides an opportunity for local and international athletes to showcase their talents and also use it to prepare for other major international events.
Furthermore, the event represents cooperation between corporate and sports in Namibia, developing their potential through shared value activities. The race will comprise of 21-km, 10-km, and 5-km races open to both local and international runners and exciting podium prizes are up for victors.