StanChart Marathon organisers train athletes with disability

Organisers of the Standard Chartered Nairobi Marathon will train Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) ahead of this year’s race to enhance Kenya’s participation at major international races.

The Standard Chartered Nairobi Marathon, which will be celebrating its 20th anniversary, is scheduled for October 29.

The Local Organising Committee chairman Peter Gitau said Sunday that their key focus is to create an inclusive platform for PWDs not only in education and work but also in sports too.

Kenya, for the first time in many years, failed to secure victory at the Paralympic Games when they only claimed bronze during the delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.

Visually impaired athletics legend Henry Wanyoike, who has been the marathon’s ambassador for many years, claimed Kenya’s only gold medal at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games when he won in the 5,000m T11 category.

This year, Gitau said that over 100 PWDs will benefit from an eight-week training programme starting this week to help prepare participants for the marathon.

Gitau spoke during the second warm- up race at Parklands Sports Club ahead of this year’s marathon where they target an entry of over 25,000 participants and Sh40 million for charity. Over 200 participants including 60 PWDs participated in a warm-up race.

In 2022, the marathon attracted 152 participants with disabilities from which 50 of them had taken part in a six-week specialised training. This is compared to 86 wheelchair participants in 2021.

Gitau said that they are currently working with partners such as the Association for the Physically Disabled of Kenya (APDK), Sight Savers and Light for the World to enhance accessibility to the race for PWDs.

“Our commitment is to build a bridge to access for underprivileged and undeserved people across Kenya,” said Gitau, adding that Kenya’s is the only Marathon on the continent that has specific races for PWDs.

Persons with Disabilities can participate in the 21km Wheelchair race and 42kms Relay race alongside the 42km (Full Marathon), 21km (Half Marathon), 10km and the 5km Family Fun Run.

“We hope this program will in the long run help Kenya produce athletes both in athletics and wheelchair races at the Paralympics and world championships for the PWDs,” said Gitau, explaining that they believe everyone deserves the opportunity to realise their potential.

“That is why we will continue on our rich legacy of raising funds for people living with inequities.”

Gitau noted that they have channeled Sh672 million to various projects across Kenya over the last 20 years including the “Seeing is Believing” and “Futuremakers” programs.

Registration for the Standard Chartered Nairobi Marathon is open on www.nairobimarathon.com

Individual and corporate participants are encouraged to take advantage of the early bird register with Sh2,000 up to October 10, 2023 from where the entry fee will increase to Sh2,500.