Eldoret City Marathon postponed two days to race day

Athletes who have been preparing for the annual Eldoret are in all frowns after the race was postponed again. The new dates are yet to be announced.

The fifth edition of the race was set to be held on the streets of Eldoret on Sunday 1 October. However, with only 48 hours left to the D-day, the race director Moses Tanui announced that it would be impossible to proceed with the marathon, citing delays in running merchandise and disbursement of prize monies. He noted that there was no way the race would happen without the aforementioned necessities.

"As many of you are aware, we have been diligently working towards organizing an exceptional marathon that would showcase the extraordinary talent and determination of our athletes. However, we have experienced delays in the arrival of running merchandise from Dubai, which we expect to be delivered on Monday morning," he started.

"Additionally, following the withdrawal of the county government of Uasin Gishu as the title sponsor, we scouted for new title sponsors and unfortunately, there has been a delay of the transaction to deposit the prize money required to ensure that the race meets high standards that both our athletes and fans rightfully expect," Tanui continued.

"We believe postponement is necessary to protect the interests of our dedicated athletes. As a former athlete who understands the immense effort that goes into training and preparation, I cannot, in good conscience, allow this race to proceed without the assurance that the prize money is available," the two-time Boston Marathon winner offered.

Over 500 athletes confirm Eldoret City Marathon participation- Moses Tanui

Despite that, he assured that the race would proceed once they had the money as well as the merchandise expected to arrive in the country on Monday, October 2.

"It is crucial to emphasize that this decision does not mark the end of our marathon event. We are fully dedicated to making this race a reality, but only when we have secured the necessary funds and ensured that the prize money is fully deposited in our bank accounts. Our athletes deserve nothing less than a fair competition, and it is our responsibility to guarantee that their efforts are justly rewarded," he concluded.

The marathon which happened on April 10 last year was rescheduled this year due to technical issues that caused a delay in payment of cash awards for the winners. This year's edition was to be held on June 25 but was postponed again to October 1.

In August, the marathon secured a new sponsor; Gulf company under the esteemed leadership of His Highness Sheikh Majid Al Qassimi, a member of the ruling family of Sharjah, who was also planning to build a manufacturing facility to contribute to job creation and technology exchange. Tanui had noted that the collaboration brought a new dawn to the marathon, saying it would propel it further.

The bonanza that has electrified the athletics-rich Eldoret town is regarded as one of the highest-paying marathons in Africa. It happens annually on the streets of Eldoret.

The top 20 athletes in the fourth edition of the Eldoret City Marathon were awarded Sh3.5 million prize money each.

Cheruiyot eyes first senior global title in Riga

In the 2022 edition, Victor Kipchirchir defended his title in 2:13:10 ahead of Michael Mutai who clocked 2:13:23 while Josephat Bett sealed the podium in 2:13:58.

In the women's category, Emily Chebet won in 2:29:57 ahead of Shyline Jepkorir who timed 2:30:13 while Lilian Jelagat came in third in 2:30:23.