Up to Sh18 million in prize money will be up for grabs as the Eldoret City Marathon gears up for its second edition in 2019.
Speaking during Eldoret City Marathon athletes awarding ceremony-cum launch of the 2019 edition, Uasin Gishu Governor Jackson Mandago said the next year's race will present increased prize money.
Governor Mandago said his government has scaled up prize money to Sh18 million up from Sh13.5 million presented this year.
This, Mandago said, will mean that the rewards trickle down to positions 30 and 60 as editions progress. Deputy Governor Daniel Chemno reiterated that the Eldoret City Marathon is a 'kingdom' for Kenyan athletes.
Sponsors also pledged to throw in more support for the marathon whose aim is to be enumerated into the Abbot World Marathon Majors (WMM), of course after getting ratified by world athletics monitor, the IAAF.
Themed 'Climate Action', the Eldoret City Marathon steadily realizes growth in every aspect, with the expectation being doubling up the number of trees planted in subsequent editions.
Sharon Cherop, the 2012 Boston Marathon champion and winner of 42km Eldoret City Marathon, said: "This marathon has the best organization out of all the others I have competed in. Awarding has come very fast and this is commendable."
Cherop also pulled a surprise lecture, presenting a hearty advise to athletes on the need to invest, a crucial undertaking since sports has ups and downs.
Athletes who participated in the April 22nd Eldoret City Marathon were subjected to doping tests, this informs the delayed awarding exercise that was held today at an Eldoret hotel.
None of the athletes was found to have used performance-enhancing substances.
In the inaugural Eldoret City Marathon, winners, both men, and women received Sh3 million, runners-up Sh1.5 million and first runnerup bagged Sh1 million.
Those who finished among the top 10 were also awarded.
the 2019 Marathon will be held on Sunday, April 28.