Shs120m prize kitty unveiled as Olympic Day Tooke Run heats up

Competition for the inaugural Olympic Day Tooke Run has intensified following the announcement of what organizers describe as the biggest cash prize package ever offered to marathon runners in Uganda.

Elite winners in the men's and women's 21km half-marathon will each take home Shs15 million, part of a total prize kitty of Shs120 million set aside for winners across various categories. The event is scheduled for June 20 in Bushenyi District.

The prize structure was unveiled at the offices of the Presidential Initiative on Banana Industrial Development (PIBID) in Wandegeya by the organization's Director General, Rev. Prof. Florence Isabirye Muranga. She urged the public to register quickly for the few remaining slots available.

The run will be held under the theme: "Move, Learn and Discover for Nutrition Care."

As part of a three-year partnership between PIBID and the Uganda Olympic Committee (UOC), Prof. Muranga has been named UOC's Nutrition Ambassador. In this role, she aims to promote better nutrition among Ugandan athletes to enhance their performance at international competitions, beginning with the forthcoming Youth Olympic Games in Senegal this September.

Prof. Muranga said PIBID had invested heavily in the prize money to encourage Ugandan athletes to compete at home rather than seek opportunities abroad.

"In addition to improving the quality of athletes through nutrition, we have introduced substantial prize money as a scientific way of encouraging young athletes to remain and compete in their own country," she noted.

She added that investing in sports is a globally accepted strategy through which major brands expand their reach and visibility. Prof. Muranga emphasized that Tooke products target not only Ugandan consumers and athletes but also the international market.

"I thank President Yoweri Museveni for supporting and funding this project, which will also boost agriculture in the country," she added.

Following the run, an Olympic Week will be observed from June 22 to 27, 2026. Activities will include Olympic education and awareness sessions, nutrition sensitization programs, and community engagement initiatives promoting healthy lifestyles. These will particularly target the 50 schools participating under the Tooke Initiative.

In the 21km half-marathon, dubbed the "Tooke Route," first-place winners in both the men's and women's categories will receive Shs15 million each, while second-place finishers will take home Shs9 million and third-place finishers Shs7 million. Athletes finishing fourth and fifth will each receive sh2.5m.

In the 10km road race, known as the "UOC Route," the top three finishers will earn sh5m, Shs4m and sh3m respectively.

For the 5km Youth Race for athletes under 16, dubbed the "PIBID/BIRDC Route," winners will receive sh5m for first place, Shs3 million for second, and sh2m for third.

Participants in the Fun Run and Walk categories will also compete for cash prizes, with the top three men and women receiving Shs1 million, sh600,000, and sh400,000 respectively.

President Gen. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni is expected to grace the event as chief guest.

Sponsors include the Bank of Uganda, Stanbic Bank, PaceID, NBS Sport, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities, and the Ministry of Education and Sports. The event is powered by the Uganda Athletics Federation and Curre Sport.