BY MUIGAI KIGURU
The 2014 Standard Chartered Marathon received a total of Sh170m from various sponsors yesterday.
Title sponsors led the way with an improved offering of Sh91m followed by Majestic Works with Sh25m while security service provider contributed Sh21m.
Others who handed in their contributions during a sponsors breakfast at a Nairobi hotel were Jubilee Insurance (Sh7.5m), Alpine Coolers (Sh6m), PesaPal (Sh6m), Access Kenya (Sh6m), Nakumatt Holdings (Sh6m), County Government of Nairobi (Sh5m), AAR (Sh1m), Parapet (Sh1.2m), Subaru Kenya (Sh500,000) and Greenloop International (Sh350,000).
The 12th edition of the event goes down at the Nyayo Stadium on October 26. Local Organising Committee chairman Peter Gitau, said they are targeting an improved participation of 25,000 runners as opposed to last year’s 23,000 (from 68 countries). “During our inaugural race, we had a Kenyan record of 6000 participants and this has continued to grow over the years,” said Gitau. “We are also targeting to raise Sh30m this year as opposed to Sh23m raised last year.”
“This continued growth is good for us as we seek to have the event take the status of the world’s big five,” added Gitau.
He revealed that since inception, the event has managed to raise Sh88m which has necessitated 6,500 corrective surgery on kids with sight problems all over the country through the ‘Seeing is Believing initiative’.
Gitau thanked the sponsors, saying: “Your generous contribution has enabled us to have competitive prize packages which have attracted elite runners over the years.”
He added that, through the event many athletes have been able to launch successful athletics career both in Kenya and beyond.
Event organiser Michael Hughes said they have so far received 800 physical and 1000 online registrations and is expecting interested runners and participants to flood the various centers and race website to register in the coming days. Physical registration costs Sh2,000 while online is Sh500 cheaper.
One of the sponsors, Access Kenya has revealed that, in addition to their Sh6m sponsorship, they will also be sending a team of 50 to run in the event.
The ICT service will also support 15 runners from the Thika Primary and Secondary School for the Blind to run in the Family Fun Run.
Courtesy of the-star.co.ke