Over 133 athletes will compete in the second edition of the 21km Mzuzu City Half Marathon, which is scheduled to take place this coming Sunday, March 10, 2023, at the Mzuzu City Stadium.
This was disclosed by Peter Mumba, the Chairperson of the main organizing committee, during a press briefing held this morning at the Ministry of Education offices in Mzuzu.
According to Mumba, all preparations for this year’s marathon have been completed, and as a committee, they are eagerly looking forward to hosting the second edition of the Mzuzu City Half Marathon.
“We want to encourage the people of Mzuzu to come out in large numbers on Sunday and support this marathon. There will be a lot of events happening on the day, including aerobics, relay races, and fun runs, so it will be an exciting day. I would also like to express my gratitude to companies such as Lilongwe Daily, Medical Aid Society of Malawi, Itel, Rab’s Processors, and IB and IB Consultancy, who have provided financial assistance to make this event a success,” explained Mumba.
This year’s marathon will begin with the main race at 7:00 am, followed by the fun run at 7:05 am, and the relay race at 9:00 am. This is the first time the marathon has included a relay race since it was introduced last year.
Yotamu Mtafya, a representative from the Mzuzu City Council, explains that since the introduction of the marathon last year, the profile of Mzuzu City has changed.
“The difference is that the marathon has elevated the profile of Mzuzu City and has also contributed to the improvement of the health of the city’s residents and even those from outside Mzuzu,” explained Mtafya.
The second edition of the Mzuzu City Half Marathon has seen an increase in the prize money, with winners in both the male and female categories walking away with MK1.5 million, compared to MK1 million in the first edition. Second-place finishers will receive MK1 million in both categories, compared to MK700,000 last year, and those in third place in both categories will receive MK500,000.
In the relay races, the winners will receive MK150,000, second-place finishers will receive MK100,000, and those in third place will receive MK50,000. The relay races have been sponsored by the Medical Aid Society of Malawi (MASM).
The Malawi National Council of Sports (MNCS) has once again partnered with the Mzuzu City Council and Moyale Barracks to host the second edition of the Mzuzu City Half Marathon, while MASM, Lilongwe Daily, Rab Processors, Itel, and IB and IB Consultancy have sponsored the event.