OVER 1 500 INTERNATIONALS FOR IMBUBE MARATHON

MBABANE – Locals are reportedly preparing to face a tough challenge in the 2024 Imbube Marathon, where over 1 500 international athletes are expected to compete.

Following its endorsement by World Athletics last year, and its status as a qualifier for prestigious marathons such as the Comrades, the event has gained international recognition, attracting athletes from across the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region and beyond. It will be take centre stage at Somhlolo National Stadium, yesterday.

Eswatini National Provident Fund (ENPF) Chief Executive Officer, Futhi Tembe, expressed her amazement at the record-breaking number of early registrations. She stated that they were stunned by the response, noting that all 10km slots were filled within days of opening early registration in July.

To accommodate the high demand, they increased the 10km entries by 600, which were also quickly filled within two days. Tembe added that even the marathon slots for 42km were fully booked a week before registration closed on September 22. She mentioned that the marathon is attracting a record number of runners from around the globe, with over 6 000 athletes expected to participate in the event.

Tembe revealed that the competition would be intense, with over 1 500 international athletes, including participants from Australia, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Ethiopia, joining the race. She emphasised that the influx of visitors would have a significant impact on the local economy by boosting hotel bookings, stimulating tourism and providing a much-needed injection of economic growth for local businesses.

Tembe further expressed her gratitude to their Majesties for their visionary leadership in establishing the Imbube Marathon. She explained that what began as a tool to promote health and fitness among fund members has evolved into a global event that fosters unity and patriotism, bringing together people from all walks of life.

Tembe noted that the genesis of the Imbube Marathon was rooted in the vision of His Majesty King Mswati III to promote health and well-being among fund members, ensuring that they could benefit from their investments in good health. She highlighted that this noble objective has flourished into an initiative that is transforming the nation’s economy.

Tembe commended the Queen Mother for her contribution in advocating for the inclusion of elderly and disabled participants in the marathon, emphasising the event’s commitment to inclusivity. She stated that Her Majesty the Queen Mother deserves utmost appreciation for her dedication to ensuring that the Imbube Marathon is an inclusive event, promoting diversity and unity among all participants, regardless of their physical abilities.

She said that this initiative has proven to be an integral part of the ENPF’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives, promoting the well-being for all participants. Tembe extended her gratitude to local companies that continue to support the initiative, reporting that a total of 82 companies registered their employees for the marathon.
She highlighted some of the leading companies, including Standard Bank with 172, EswatiniBank with 164, FNB with 142, Royal Eswatini Sugar Corporation (123) employees and Montigny with 116.

She noted that the exceptional support from their anchor sponsor, Standard Bank, speaks volumes about the growing popularity of the Imbube Marathon, both locally and internationally. Tembe expressed her hopes that the nation’s athletes would emerge victorious in every category, bringing home glory and the coveted prize money. Additionally, Tembe announced that free pre-strapping services will be available at Happy Valley Hotel on October 5, from 9am to 7 pm.  She encouraged runners to stay tuned to the fund’s communication channels for updates on when they could collect their goodie bags.

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