Favours podium finishers will enjoy in next edition of Chemususu Dam Half Marathon
Reading Time: 2min | Thu. 21.11.24. | 09:55
Organisers of the event have announced a raft of guidelines to be followed from next year
Podium finishers in the ninth edition of the Mozzart Bet Chemususu Dam Half Marathon will not incur registration costs in the subsequent edition, organisers of the event have announced.
The race was held on Saturday in Eldama Ravine, Baringo County with the men's half race attracting 150 participants.
The women's race attracted 36 athletes with over 200 runners registering for the 5k races. Children, the elderly and representatives of various corporates also took to the course.
Race director Mathew Birir revealed that the top three in the respective half marathon races will be allowed to run in next year's edition free of charge.
It costs athletes at least a thousand shillings to register for the race which not only seeks to promote athletics but help in conserving the Chemususu Dam which serves the Koibatek, Mogotio and Rongai Sub-Counties.
"We will allow those who made it to the podium to run free of charge in the next edition. This year, we did not charge athletes but we will reintroduce the registration fees next year," said Birir.
Gladys Koech and Wisley Kipkemboi Yego won the ninth edition after clocking 1:17:00 and 63:82 respectively.
Emmanuel Bett and James Kipkirui finished second and third in men's race after timing 63:86 and 63:89 respectively.
Joyline Cherotich and Caroline Chepkemoi won silver and bronze in the women's category after stopping the clock in 1:19:21 and 1:24:26 respectively.
Besides allowing the six athletes to run free of charge, Birir, disclosed that, in the interest of sealing the loopholes for cheats, pacemakers will not be allowed to race without proper identification and registration.
He regretted that dishonest pacemakers had previously attempted to reap where they had not sowed by hijacking the men's when leading pack draws close to the leading female athlete.
"We have had cases of pacemakers abandoning their plan when the leading men's pack catches up with the leading female top athletes. Going forward, we will not allow pacemakers unless they register and identify themselves well," said Birir.
Further, coaches or handlers will not be allowed tutor, hand over drinks, and follow athletes when they are already on the course.
Initially, coaches would be allowed to track their athletes on the course using cars but Birir says that is illegal going forward.
"There was an isolated case of a coach and an athlete colluding to cheat. Some times back, we had a case where an athlete jumped into the car, with the help of his coach, covered most of the distance in the vehicle, only to disembark close to the finish area before proceeding," he recalled the incident.
