Swaziland holds contest for Malawi marathon

The Swaziland Olympic and Commonwealth Games Association (Socga) have organised a 21-kilometre race this Sunday to select athletes for the Olympic Day Marathon that Malawi will host on July 11 at Civo Stadium in Lilongwe.

Socga general secretary Murie Hoffer said this during a press briefing on Sunday in Mbabane, Swaziland. The race will start from Prince Wales ground in Mbabane.

“The race is open to athletes aged 19 and above. The champion of the race, both female and male, will take part in a 42-kilometre marathon. We want to have a good and competitive representation in Malawi,” said Hoffer as quoted by Times of Swaziland.

Ten countries—South Africa, Botswana, Swaziland, Namibia, Mozambique, Angola, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Tanzania and Malawi—will converge at Civo Stadium for the Olympic Day celebrations.

Each country will send two athletes, including veterans and paralympics categories, according to the programme released by the event’s local organising committee of the event.

While Swaziland is paying for athletes who will compete, the Malawi Olympic Committee (MOC) has announced that athletes wishing to participate should pay for their own expenses.

MOC will not have a preparatory event before the day, but each athlete will have to train and prepare on his or her own.

“We wish to make it clear that each athlete wishing to take part in the event should pay for their own expenses. This is about honour and personal achievement if they excel,” said MOC president Oscar Kanjala.

Celebrated Olympic gold medallist, Naoko Takashi, will be in the country courtesy of Mitsubishi Sokotoko as part of her sponsorship.