Winners of this year’s Navachab Half-Marathon can look forward to more substantial rewards, as the event organisers have announced an increase in prize money for the upcoming race.
Berthold Karumendu, the race coordinator and sports officer in the Erongo region said, the 10th edition of the marathon will be “bigger and better,” with significant changes in both the number of participants and the prize money. “This year, things will be done differently, with various changes. The prize money for the winner of the half-marathon has been raised from N$10,000 to N$20,000. Additionally, the first 10 finishers will receive price money for completing the race. Last year, we had about 800 participants, and with the increased prize money, we hope to attract more than 1,000 participants,” he said.
This year’s event is scheduled to take place on 21 September in the town of Karibib. The race aims to attract participants from all 14 regions of Namibia. The organizers also revealed that registration will commence on Thursday, with participants able to enter online or at any sports ministry office in the region. Registration fees are set at N$100 for adults, and N$50 for children.
Martha Shivolo and Jeremiah Shalixaxwe are the current reigning champions of the half-marathon. Speaking at the launch yesterday, Navachab’s Public Relations Officer (PRO) Mclyn Kasale expressed excitement about this year’s event, highlighting the changes in prize money. “This year’s event will be exciting, as we hope to see elite athletes from Namibia and other countries participating. The prize money has been doubled from last year’s amount, and we hope to attract more elite athletes. We’re doing this to promote a healthy lifestyle as we believe that the healthier people are, the more productive they will be,” Kasale said.
Meanwhile, director of sport Jo-Ann Manuel applauded the organisers for their continued support. She emphasised the importance of the event for athletes aspiring to participate in various international competitions.
“This is a very significant event. We hope to see many of our marathon runners take part because this is where they can test themselves before competing abroad,” Manuel said.
-mkambukwe@nepc.com.na