NAIROBI, Kenya, October 21- Organisers of the upcoming Standard Chartered Nairobi marathon have extended the registration exercise to October 26.
Deadline for registration had earlier been set for Mashujaa day but due to public demand, this has now been pushed further to allow all willing participants a chance to register.
According to the organisers, more than 9,000 participants had registered by close of business on 20th October but there was need to allow in more participants who did not hit the deadline to register.
“We have received entries in all categories. The 42km which attracts the bulk of our elite athletes, the 21km the popular 10 kilometer road race, the wheel chair race and the family fun run,” said National Steering Committee chairman Geoffrey Githinji.
“However, due to public demand, we have made the decision to re-open registration for all those participants who did not manage to meet the deadline,” he added.
Registration continues at all Standard Chartered Bank branches countrywide, selected malls and health clubs in Nairobi.
This year’s event is expected to attract 15,000 participants as well as unearth new talent.
Over the last five years, budding athletes have launched their careers in the Nairobi Marathon, offering an excellent opportunity for runners to not only run one race of their own but to experience an international meet on their home soil.
The Nairobi marathon has indeed been a talent development opportunity with 2010 Commonwealth marathon winners John Kelai and Irene Jerotich having discovered their prowess in the Nairobi marathon.
Last year, debutante Moses Kigen set a course record of 2:10:12 to win the men’s marathon dethroning the 2008 winner Moses Tuiyange who came in second.
In the women’s race, Irene Jerotich became the first second-time winner in the history of Nairobi Marathon with a course record of 2:28:47.
Jerotich erased the previous route best by four minutes and 56 seconds set by Emma Muthoni in 2008.
