22,000 register for StanChart Nairobi Marathon

A total of 22,000 participants will grace the 20th edition of the Standard Chartered Nairobi Marathon scheduled for Sunday on Southern Bypass, Nairobi.

Peter Gitau, the chairman of the Local Organising Committee, announced Wednesday from the turnout, 1,013 participants will field in the full marathon (42 kilometres), 6.500 in half marathon (21km), 9,500 in 10 km and 4,470 in 5km.

“We had targeted 25,000 participants but we are still happy to have netted 22,000 when we closed entries on Sunday,” said Gitau, adding that they are pleased to lure an elite field of 300 for the full marathon down from 200 last year.

“What is encouraging is that 45 percent of the entries are women down from 25 percent and this sends a strong message of our desire for equality,” explained Gitau, noting that 75 percent was due to the drive by the corporate to encourage their staff to register.

Gitau, who promised a spectacular and more inclusive event to celebrate the 20th anniversary, said the flight times have been designed to eradicate congestion both at the starting and end points.

Gitau, who was speaking at Uhuru Gardens during the road closure press briefing, pleaded with participants to adhere to the reporting time, which will help ease congestion.

For instance, those participating in the 5km that starts at 9.30am shouldn’t come early but report at 8.30am and assemble for the race at 9.20am. They don’t need to report at 5am like those who will compete in 42km or at 5.45am for those will battle in 21km race,” noted Gitau, who was accompanied by Mary Kiarie from Nairobi County Traffic, race technical director Ibrahim Hussein and race ambassador Henry Wanyoike.

All the six races will start along the Southern Bypass opposite the Carnivore Restaurant, but the 42km, 21km and 10km races will finish inside the Uhuru Gardens, while the 5km along the Southern Bypass.

The organisers hope to raise Sh40 million for the “Future Makers” initiative after last year’s race that drew 23,000 participants helped raise Sh 37m for the same initiative.

"We closed entries early so as to ease our logistical planning," said Gitau.

Kiarie said all the entries to Southern Bypass from Kikuyu and Mombasa Road areas will be closed on Saturday at 11pm, but traffic flow along Mombasa Road, Langáta Road, Uhuru Highway and Waiyaki Way will not be interrupted.

Hussein said that the 42km race will start along the Southern Bypass opposite the Carnivore Restaurant before the participants head towards Ole Sereni Hotel for the U-turn at ICD Business Park.

They will head back to Ole Sereni Hotel on the opposite way all the way past Ngong Road Interchange before making a U-turn for the finish at the Uhuru Gardens.

Among the elite entries for the 42km race are the 2012 World Half Marathon champion Wilson Kiprop, who finished 11th last year, 2022 Lisbon Half Marathon bronze medallist Faith Kimutai and  Friday Lodepa, who finished sixth at last year's Standard Chartered Kuala Lumpur Marathon.

Iten duo of Elias Kemboi Chelimo and Sheila Chepkech were crowned the men and women’s 42km winners last amidst technical mishap that almost ruined the well-attended event.