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News11 Oct 2005


South Africa embarks on major road race promotion

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Athletics South Africa (ASA) has clinched a five-year sponsorship for a series of marathon races in South Africa.
 
Sponsored by one of the country’s leading financial institution, The Nedbank City Marathon Series will also include a several half marathons, ten and five kilometre races.

In 2006 series gets underway in Port Elizabeth on 12 February. The event will also incorporate the South Africa Marathon Championships. Besides the main event, athletes will at each marathon or half marathon event have the option of competing in the 10km race and the 5km Schools challenge.
 
The next race will then be the Nedbank Johannesburg Marathon on 7 May. While the third leg of the series takes place on November 5, with the Soweto Marathon and will again incorporate a 10km and 5 km races.
 
Apart from the marathon, the sponsorship package covers the Nedbank Half Marathon Series. The series starts in Johannesburg on January 29, before moving on to the country’s capital Tshwane on April 12. The third leg will doubles up as the South Africa Half Marathon Championships. This event is used to select the national team for the World Half Marathon Championships. The next half marathon is scheduled for George on October 14.

“For several years our long distance runners have competed in far too many marathons in order to win cash prizes to look after their families. Now we are introducing a series where they can focus on a few races that have more substantial prizes up for grabs,” confirmed Leonard Chuene, the Athletics South Africa President, and African Area Representative on the IAAF Council.
 
“That way they will concentrate better on running faster times and earning better money. At the same time they will be able to avoid the health hazards associated with running to many marathons in a short space of time.
 
“Besides the main event we plan to have festive and fun filled activities attractive to the entire family. With over 100,000 registered athletes spread over 900 clubs in the country we expect the series to inject a fresh interest in road running.”

The series has the potential of attracting participants from across the continent. “Most of Africa’s top distance runners compete outside the continent. It is now time that we have high profile marathon races on the continent. Perhaps one day our athletes will begin a break World records on African soil,” said Chuene.

Mark Ouma for the IAAF

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