170 set sights on Ngorongoro race

What you need to know:

  • This would be one of the highest turn outs since the race was introduced a decade ago, says the event’s coordinator, Meta Petro.
  • The race will start at the gate of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA) on Saturday morning and end up at Karatu town, a distance of about 20 kilometres.

Arusha. Over 170 athletes will battle it out for top honours in this year’s Ngorongoro Marathon in Karatu next weekend.

This would be one of the highest turn outs since the race was introduced a decade ago, says the event’s coordinator, Meta Petro.

The race will start at the gate of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA) on Saturday morning and end up at Karatu town, a distance of about 20 kilometres.

Top athletes in the country will run in the 21-kilometre race while other runners to be sponsored by the corporate bodies will battle it for honours in the five km race.

Students from various secondary schools are among runners who will compete in the 2.5km race.

Petro told reporters here at the weekend that registration for participation will take place three days prior to the competition at Mazingira Bora grounds in Karatu.

One of the up-and-coming marathoners expected at the race is Gabriel Gerald, who won the race last year.

According to Petro, the winner will be awarded a cash prize of Sh1 million for both male and female categories.

The runners-up and second runners-up in both categories will get Sh500,000 and Sh250,000 respectively, while those placed fourth will be awarded Sh100,000 as consolation.