Former Boston champion Mutai set for Baringo Half

After taking a break last year, the Baringo Half Marathon has lured top athletes including 2013 New York City marathon champion, Geoffrey Mutai, and former Kass Marathon champion Amos Midei who will grace its 14th edition on Saturday.

Mutai boasts a glamorous career, having set course records in winning both the Boston and New York marathons in 2011 before going on to win the 2012 Berlin Marathon in a personal best of 2:04:15 – the fourth fastest time in history.

He also recorded history’s fastest marathon – 2:03:02 – on the point-to-point Boston course, which is not eligible for world record purposes.

Together with Midei, the two will lead a host of elite athletes runners including 2007 Africa 5000m silver medalist Josphat Menjo, 2012 world half bronze winner Pascalia Chepkorir and Japan-based Amos Kaptich in addition to over 250 participants, both professional and amateur.

The event – a brainchild of former five-time world cross country champion, Paul Tergat – was on Tuesday given the green light by Athletics Kenya (AK) Vice President Paul Mutwii after sanctioning by the federation.

The Paul Tergat Foundation, which organizes the event, announced they have received a najor boost with new title sponsor, Lotto, having injected KSh3million and an additional KSh200,000 from Kenya Commercial Bank Foundation.

“We strongly believe that community supported initiatives such as the Baringo Half Marathon can greatly change livelihoods and uplift people through social development,” Lotto East Africa CEO, Brian Waluchio, said adding that the sportswear manufacturing company is keen to expand the reach of their inaugural grassroots sports sponsorship.

This year, the event has incorporated a 12km wheelchair race, in addition to the usual 21km, 10km run for both individual and corporate participants as well as a 6km junior run.

Its aim is to boost sport tourism in the region as holiday and athletics camps have already been introduced in the county. Apart from the 21km race other categories include the 10km (individual and corporate),6km (junior) and 12km wheelchair race which is been introduced for the first time in this event.

Baringo County minister in charge of Sports, Youth, Culture, Gender, Labour, Social services and Security Emily Kibet said the event is part of their projects that will help further sports tourism in the county.

“We want sports tourism to be an economic pillar of the county and are in the process of establishing athletics camps, one in the north and another in the south of the county, since our top athletes are relocating to other counties where there are such facilities including Uasin Gishu,” Emily stated.

She added they are also hosting sports training camps during holidays to help nurture talented young men and women.

-Report by Richard Obaga.