Sh16m for MTN marathon winner

Oct 27, 2011

Sh16m is up for grabs for the 42km race winner of the ninth edition of the MTN marathon due on November 27, 2011.

By Usher Komugisha

A hefty sum of sh16m has been earmarked for the winner of the 42km race at the ninth edition of the annual prestigious MTN marathon due on November 27, 2011.

Speaking to journalists at the launch of the much anticipated  event Thursday morning, Isaac Nsereko, the MTN Chief Marketing Officer revealed that the prize money has been doubled to make the race interesting and worthwhile to the participants worldwide.
 
“We have increased the prize money of all the events and we shall communicate in the near future on the exact details of this development,” an excited Nsereko added.
 
Registration fee is sh10, 000 and people will pick their kits as they pay the registration fee unlike in the past when they paid and had to return later to pick the kits. Customers who are registered with the mobile money application can pay online and pick the kits at a convenient time later but at a lower cost of sh9, 000.
 
 
Change of routes
 
Uganda Athletics Federation (UAF) organizing secretary told the press that the route of the 42km and 21km has been changed to suit the professional requirements of a marathon most notably to prevent human and vehicle traffic from interfering with the athletes as was the case in the past editions.
 
“Instead of rotating the Kololo airstrip twice at the start of both the 42km and 21km races, that distance which is an equivalent of two kilometers has been moved to the stretch on the McKenzie valley that stretches to Malcolm X road,” explained Faustino Kiwa, the UAF organizing secretary.
 
The older route persistently caused interruption with people driving away from Hotel Africana as athletes used the route. However, the 10km route will be maintained.
 
 
A gift to the community

Meanwhile, Themba Khumalo, the MTN Chief Executive Officer added that MTN is proud to be the official sponsor of Uganda’s biggest sporting event that attracted about 20, 000 people collecting sh230m, part of which will be handed to the Uganda Red Cross and the rest to a number of other partners to execute water projects around the country.
 
Over the past eight years, MTN has collected over sh700m that has been used on a number of projects in Northern and Eastern Uganda.
 
Khumalo rallied the entire Ugandan community to take part in this year's marathon to increase in the proceeds that will help the impoverished communities of Uganda.  

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