After almost a one-year wait, winners of the 4th edition of the Eldoret City marathon will finally be awarded.
Race Director Moses Tanui on Monday, March 6, 2023, announced that the awards ceremony has been scheduled for March 10, 2023, at the Uasin Gishu County headquarters in Eldoret town.
Addressing a media briefing at the Eldoret Sports Club, Tanui said a delay in awarding the winners for the highest-paid marathon in Africa was due to a technical hitch in the disbursement of prize money to the marathon’s account.
“As a career athlete, it was not my wish to delay payment. It was a technical issue. I know what’s happening but we agreed that winners will be paid this Friday,” the former athlete told journalists.
The fourth Edition of the Eldoret City Marathon was held on April 10, 2022.
Victor Kipchirchir won the men’s race while Emily Chebet scoped the women’s main race of the 42.195 courses.
Eldoret City Marathon prize money
Winners in both men’s and women’s races will each take home Ksh3.5 million.
Athletes that finished in the top 20 for the two main races will all get awarded.
The total prize money has been set at Ksh18 million.
But with the delay in awarding winners of the fourth edition, Tanui has admitted that it might affect plans for the fifth edition.
Since its inception, the Eldoret City marathon is usually staged in April. However, it is unlikely that the coming edition will be held in the same month, with barely two weeks remaining.
“We are not yet sure when the next edition will be held. An announcement will be made on Friday,” said the Eldoret City marathon director.
He however expressed optimism that the race will live up to its expectations of continuing to give a platform to upcoming athletes to showcase their abilities.
“I promise that God willing, the Eldoret City Marathon will continue. We believe the marathon will outlive us the founders,” Tanui, the founder of the race said.
