13 Jul 2025

Preparations for the second edition of Makgadikgadi International Marathon slated for August 23 at Nata Bird Sanctuary  are underway with the organising committee having started activation activities.

Briefing the media at press conference in Nata on Friday, organising team chairperson,  Kwao Mokoka said although hey started preparations late, they had since picked the pace through activation activities, which they had planned to host across the country.

So far, he said plans were underway to do activation exercises in Kasane, Tutume, Masunga, Francistown and Gaborone. 

He said on their inaugural race held last year, they had over 500 athletes taking part in the marathon from countries such as Kenya, Lesotho, South Africa and Zimbabwe as well as local athletes.

He noted that they anticipated to have more participants following the success of last year’s marathon. 

To mobilise local athletes, he said they had already written invitations to athletics clubs countrywide.

Furthermore, he pointed out that their marathon was recognised by Botswana Athletics Association (BAA) and was included in their calendar of events and were confident that a number of athletes from the clubs would attend the event

He said they were hosting the marathon in partnership with Sowa Athletics Club.

Although the marathon was recognised by BAA, he said it was not used as qualifier for other international marathons such as Comrades Marathon.

He said they looked forward to such a time when it would be afforded the status. 

The team’s  chief communication officer, Mmoloki Bopa highlighted that this year’s theme: Protecting Wet Lands and Keeping them Clean, emphasised the effort to blend sport with tourism.

He pointed out that when they had the marathon last year, the pans were dry and this time around they were overflowing with water and would offer the athletes the opportunity to appreciate the tourist attraction area.

“This a sport activity and tourism in one package,” he said

Furthermore, Bopa indicated that they had four categories ranging from the 5km known as the fun race as it catered for all then 10km, 21km and the main race of 42km.

He added that registration had started and the fees ranged from P120 for the 5km, P250 for 10km, 21km and 42km is P300 and P350 respectively.

The winners’ prices range from P1 000 for the 5km winner to P8 000 for the 42km race adding that they would also recognise the fourth-placed winner with a price money, while all the participants, would be given medals and branded t-shirts.

Earlier on in his welcome remarks, Kgosi Justin Ntuane commended the organisers for choosing Nata as their host area noting the event would boost the tourism sector in the village while businesses would make good returns.

He said the marathon would also help market the village to the world. ENDS