Elgeyo Marakwet county government has called on Athletics Kenya to come in and help elevate the annual Iten Marathon to International standards.
Elgeyo Marakwet deputy governor Prof. Grace Cheserek asked Athletics Kenya,the local athletics governing body,to move with haste and help the marathon meet the international standards.
‘’We want AK to move with speed and ensure that a committee is put in place in the next one month to oversee the third edition of the race scheduled November 17th ’’,The deputy governor remarked.
Meanwhile the county has awarded a total of Ksh.7.4 million to 80 athletes who took part in the second edition of the race held last year. The winner in both the men’s and women’s categories received Ksh.1 Million each while first runner and second runners up were awarded Ksh.500, 000, and sh.250, 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 athlete’s partners to have their properties in their names before swindling them.
“I am calling on both male and female partners of the athletes to jealously guard whatever they get from the races and invest it wisely,” she said.
She used the opportunity to state that the marathon was part of an initiative dubbed ‘Wezesha’ that seeks to nurture athletes from the region as well as expose them to international competions.
The Deputy governor also revealed that the County Government in partnership with AK had started a programme where an athletics coach is attached in each primary and secondary school in the region.
She called on international companies involved in athletics in the region to partner with the county government and construct athletics running tracks.
Athletics Kenya official Boniface Tiren wants the Elgeyo Marakwet county assembly to allocate more funds to support sports saying the region was a bedrock of athletics.
Report by KNA Iten-Alice Wanjiru/Joy Jeelagat
