Times Of Swaziland: GCINIWE APPLAUDS GROWTH

GCINIWE APPLAUDS GROWTH
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Lindokuhle Madlopha on 25/11/2024 08:58:00


MBABANE – The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Municipal Council of
Mbabane (MCM), Gciniwe Fakudze, expressed her gratitude for the impressive
turnout at the Mbabane Half Marathon. Fakudze made this announcement during the
Mbabane Half Marathon race held this past Saturday, at the Prince of Wales
Sports Ground. She noted a significant increase in participation for this
year’s event.
turnout
“We are thrilled with the turnout of the race, which also coincided with
Mbabane Day. We have experienced an improvement in participation; last year we
had 1 200 runners, and this year we had between 1 400 and 1 500 athletes, which
clearly reflects growth,” Fakudze stated. She further appreciated the public
feedback, acknowledging that it demonstrates the community’s recognition of
the event and their desire for its continued expansion. “We are pleased to see
annual improvements and receive input on what participants would like to see and
where we can enhance the event. Based on this feedback, we decided to separate
the half marathon from Mbabane Day,” she added.
Moreover, Fakudze explained that it was prudent to incorporate additional
sporting activities to cater to a broader audience. “We also introduced other
sporting codes this year to engage individuals who prefer participating in
various activities beyond athletics. We included netball, volleyball, basketball
and boxing this time. Mbabane Sports Day is genuinely evolving, and we aim to
emphasise this growth. Such events serve as a valuable test of our facilities,
allowing us to identify areas needing improvement, such as the necessity for
more restrooms and ensuring hygiene standards are maintained,” she narrated.
wellness
“Most importantly, this event promotes an agenda on wellness and encourages
participation in races. With support from Athletics Eswatini (AE), we are able
to discuss this event. It remains our aspiration to elevate this race to a full
marathon of 42km; however, we need to increase participation numbers first.
Mbabane presents a challenging terrain, and we aim to refine and enhance it
further.” In her closing remarks, Fakudze thanked the public, sponsors,
municipal councils, cyclists and police officers for their contributions to the
event, ensuring safety throughout the race.