Elgeyo Marakwet County has called on Athletics Kenya to ensure that the Iten International Marathon 3rd edition becomes a stand-alone event, saying that after holding two editions of the race, it has come of age.
The Deputy Governor, Prof. Grace Cheserek, called on Athletics Kenya to move with speed and ensure that a committee is put in place in the next one month to oversee the race, which will be held on November 17th this year.
The county awarded sh7.4 million to 80 athletes in the 2nd marathon, with the top three earning sh1 million, sh500, 000, and sh250, 000, respectively.
Prof. Cheserek called on banks where the athletes have accounts to attach a financial advisor to them to assist them in managing and investing their money.
She expressed concern over the rising cases of gender-based violence among athletes, saying it was sad that some men influenced their female athletes’ partners to put their hard-earned properties in their names and thereafter swindle them.
“I am calling on both male and female partners of the athletes to jealously guard whatever they get from the races and invest them wisely,” she said.
She said the Iten marathon was part of the Wezesha programme, where the county aimed to nurture and expose athletes, saying that after participating once, an athlete should seek to run in races outside the country while leaving other local athletes to participate.
In a bid to continue producing more athletes, the DG said the county, in corroboration with AK, had embarked on a programme where an athletics coach is attached to each primary and secondary school.
She called on international companies involved in athletics to adopt a track within the county, construct it, and brand it as a way of promoting athletics in the county.
Boniface Tiren from AK called on the county assembly to allocate more funds to sports, saying the county was a bedrock of athletics.
By Alice Wanjiru and Joy Jeelagat
