News

The countdown to the highly anticipated third edition of the University of Botswana (UB) Marathon has officially kicked off with excitement building as preparations enter the final stretch. At a press conference held on the 11th of September 2024, the University of Botswana Foundation set the stage for what promises to be an impactful event aimed at raising funds for postgraduate scholarships besides contributing to Botswana’s human capita development.

Acting Vice-Chancellor, Mr Dawid Katzke, underscored the marathon’s significance, stating that it went beyond being just a sporting event in that it was a vehicle for social change. Mr Katzke reaffirmed the UB's commitment to supporting access to graduate education and creating career opportunities for future generations.

He underscored the importance of contributions from corporate sponsors, alumni and friends which he said reflected a collective effort to give back to society. “This initiative does more than develop human capital. It promotes health and wellness, fights non-communicable diseases and supports community development,” he said. He thanked the corporate sponsors for their vital role in making the marathon a reality.

UB Marathon Technical Director, Mr Justice Dibeba, said this year’s race has been certified by the World Athletics Association which allowed participants to qualify for global events such as the World Championships, Olympics, Comrades Marathon and the Two Oceans Marathon. Mr Dibeba added that categories for this year’s marathon are the 5km, 10km, 21km and 42km races.

He added that there would be special categories for UB staff, students and alumni, along with a Kids Run for children aged eight (8) to 15 years as well as a Wheelchair category with distances of 10km and 21km.

Ms Julia Gaorekwe from UB also outlined contributions from the marathon’s sponsors, whose generosity she said was crucial to bringing the event’s vision to life and benefiting the wider society. She revealed that among the sponsors were Spar Group (P200,000), Ministry of Youth, Gender, Sport and Culture (P100,000), Blue Crystal (P100,000), Mascom Wireless (P50,000), Okavango Diamond Group (P50,000), Cresta (P15,000), Botswana Oil (P15,000), Pepsi (P50,000) and MNI Autohouse Gaborone which availed three lead cars.

Botswana Athletics Association representative, Mr Larona Keosimile, underscored the growing significance of marathons, highlighting their evolution from recreational activities to serious career opportunities within the sporting world. Mr Koosimile encouraged athletes to take advantage of the marathon’s global certification by registering to compete for the chance to qualify for major international meets.

The press conference concluded with a message of gratitude from the Director of the Department of Culture, Sports & Recreation, Dr Comfort Mokgothu, who thanked the sponsors and attendees for continued support in that the UB Marathon continues to thrive as a cornerstone event for the University and the wider community.