UAF starts preparations for 2016 World Half Marathon in Wales
Oct 28, 2015
The Uganda Athletics Federation (UAF) will use the 2015 MTN Marathon to select runners for the 2016 IAAF World Half Marathon Championship in Wales.
By Charles Mutebi
The Uganda Athletics Federation (UAF) will use the 2015 MTN Marathon to select runners for the 2016 IAAF World Half Marathon Championship in Wales.
The international event will be held in March and is expected to attract some 20, 000 participants, many of whom will use it as a stepping stone for the Rio Olympics.
UAF president Domenic Otucet said that the November 22 MTN Marathon, in itself a major activity on the Uganda athletics calendar, will double as a qualifier for the Cardiff competition that is the 22nd edition of the World Half Marathon Championships.
“I would also like to thank KCCA for helping us secure the right to host the 2017 World Cross Country Championships,” Otucet further revealed in his remarks at the official launch of the 2015 MTN Marathon yesterday at Police Children’s School Nsambya.
Otucet also lauded the annual run, which has gone from 1500 participants in 2004 to 20,000 entrants in last year’s edition.
It was also revealed that the starting points of the 42km and 21km runs have been changed for the upcoming marathon to deal with a flaw that was exploited by participants last year.
“We have moved the starting point for the 42km and 21km to upper Kololo Terrace to stop runners who want to take shortcuts,” said UAF official Faustin Kiwa.
“We are going to block off that section that people exploited last year.”
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