Kachere Rehabilitation to benefit from proceeds from BT Marathon
Proceeds from the second edition of the revived Blantyre City Marathon, scheduled for September 29, will be channeled to Kachere Rehabilitation Centre at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital in Blantyre.
And just like last year, the champion in both categories will walk away with K1 million prize money and there is also an incentive of K500,000 for any athlete who shall break the course’s record of 2:18:40, set by veteran Henry Moyo in 2003.
The race had gone into hibernation before Malawi National Council of Sports decided to revive it and it was won by Moyale Barracks soldier Happy Kings Nchelenje in men’s and Mulanje-based athlete Theresa Master in women’s.
Nchelenje finished in a time of 2:27:10, over by 9:30 minutes of 2:18:40 set by Henry Moyo in 2003 while the women’s champion Master, at 3:19:49. She overshot her personal best of 2:48:21 she set at the Rio Olympic Games in Brazil by 31:28 minutes.
On second place in men’s category was another Moyale soldier-athlete Hosea Chaola in a time 2:27:28, just 18 seconds away while Zomba-based Mphatso Nandolo, in his maiden marathon, was third in 2:28:42.
Runner-up in the women’s category was Doris Fisher from Mulanje in 3:20:37 while Nancy Chirwa represented the North well by coming third in 3:22:35.
Just last month, Fisher — who has since relocated to South Africa — beat Master during the Mulanje Porters race and this rivalry will definitely manifest itself again during the Blantyre Marathon.
The race organizing committee chairperson Martin Matululu they are thinking of introducing another race to target veterans in a less distance to attract its own categories of prizes
Initially, only the men’s champion was supposed to receive the K1 million prize money and the women’s to get K800,000 but after consultation over the disparity it was changed to K1 million each and Matululu confirmed that this will be maintained.
Last year’s cut off time for men was set at 2:45hrs and 3hrs for women and in both categories and prizes were given to the first 10 positions as long as they were within the cut off time.
The race’s organising committee comprise Matululu as the chair, Chifundo Tenthani as the deputy, Thandi Bvalani for catering, Susan Mbejere for protocol, Thom Phodogoma for transportation with Isaac Phiri and Mzee Makawa as technical experts.
Last year’s edition attracted a total of 72 athletes, of which 59 were men and 13 women.
The route starts at Ginnery Corner Roundabout in Blantyre near NBS Bank to Chichiri Roundabout where it branches off towards Kwacha Roundabout all the way to TVM, past St. Columbus CCAP Church and all the way to Kudya trading centre.
At Kudya, the route heads towards Zingwangwa and all the way to Stella Maris Secondary School where it turns towards Moneymen Club then past Catholic Institute (CI) and reaching Sunbird Mount Soche Hotel in Blantyre Central Business District.
Then it turns to what is popularly known as Kandodo Corner Shop where it branches off to Mbayani heading all the way to Kameza Roundabout before turning towards Machinjiri turn off where there is the Ernegem Filling Station.
The route then heads into Machinjiri, past Luanda Trading Centre; Area 5; Mkolokoti, Makhetha before joining the road from Zomba and going down past Lever Brothers; past Maselema Roundabout and reaching Chichiri Roundabout where it branches off Makata road and enter into Kamuzu Stadium for the finish line in front of the VIP Stand.
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